Veritas observations of the γ-ray binary LS i +61 303

  • V. A. Acciari
  • , M. Beilicke
  • , G. Blaylock
  • , S. M. Bradbury
  • , J. H. Buckley
  • , V. Bugaev
  • , Y. Butt
  • , K. L. Byrum
  • , O. Celik
  • , A. Cesarini
  • , L. Ciupik
  • , Y. C.K. Chow
  • , P. Cogan
  • , P. Colin
  • , W. Cui
  • , M. K. Daniel
  • , C. Duke
  • , T. Ergin
  • , A. D. Falcone
  • , S. J. Fegan
  • J. P. Finley, P. Fortin, L. F. Fortson, D. Gall, K. Gibbs, G. H. Gillanders, J. Grube, R. Guenette, D. Hanna, E. Hays, J. Holder, D. Horan, S. B. Hughes, C. M. Hui, T. B. Humensky, P. Kaaret, D. B. Kieda, J. Kildea, A. Konopelko, H. Krawczynski, F. Krennrich, M. J. Lang, S. Lebohec, K. Lee, G. Maier, A. Mccann, M. Mccutcheon, J. Millis, P. Moriarty, R. Mukherjee, T. Nagai, R. A. Ong, D. Pandel, J. S. Perkins, F. Pizlo, M. Pohl, J. Quinn, K. Ragan, P. T. Reynolds, H. J. Rose, M. Schroedter, G. H. Sembroski, A. W. Smith, D. Steele, S. P. Swordy, J. A. Toner, L. Valcarcel, V. V. Vassiliev, R. Wagner, S. P. Wakely, J. E. Ward, T. C. Weekes, A. Weinstein, R. J. White, D. A. Williams, S. A. Wissel, M. Wood, B. Zitzer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

197 Scopus citations

Abstract

LS I+61 303 is one of only a few high-mass X-ray binaries currently detected at high significance in very high energy γ-rays. The system was observed over several orbital cycles (between 2006 September and 2007 February) with the VERITAS array of imaging air Cerenkov telescopes. A signal of γ-rays with energies above 300 GeV is found with a statistical significance of 8.4 standard deviations. The detected flux is measured to be strongly variable; the maximum flux is found during most orbital cycles at apastron. The energy spectrum for the period of maximum emission can be characterized by a power law with a photon index of Γ = 2.40 ± 0.16stat ± 0.2sys and a flux above 300 GeV corresponding to 15%-20% of the flux from the Crab Nebula.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1427-1432
Number of pages6
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume679
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1 2008

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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