HESS observations of the Carina nebula and its enigmatic colliding wind binary Eta Carinae

Abramowski, A.; Acero, F.; Aharonian, F.; Akhperjanian, A.G.; Anton, G.; Balzer, A.; Barnacka, A.; Becherini, Y.; Becker, J.; Bernlöhr, K.; Birsin, E.; Biteau, J.; Bochow, A.; Boisson, C.; Bolmont, J.; Bordas, P.; Brucker, J.; Brun, F.; Brun, P.; Bulik, T.; Büsching, I.; Carrigan, S.; Casanova, S.; Cerruti, M.; Chadwick, P.M.; Charbonnier, A.; Chaves, R.C.G.; Cheesebrough, A.; Cologna, G.; Conrad, J.; Dalton, M.; Daniel, M.K.; Davids, I.D.; Degrange, B.; Deil, C.; Dickinson, H.J.; Djannati-Ataï, A.; Domainko, W.; Drury, L.O'C.; Dubus, G.; Dutson, K.; Dyks, J.; Dyrda, M.; Egberts, K.; Eger, P.; Espigat, P.; Fallon, L.; Fegan, S.; Feinstein, F.; Fernandes, M.V.; Fiasson, A.; Fontaine, G.; Förster, A.; Füßling, M.; Gallant, Y.A.; Garrigoux, T.; Gast, H.; Gérard, L.; Giebels, B.; Glicenstein, J.F.; Glück, B.; Göring, D.; Grondin, M.-H.; Häffner, S.; Hague, J.D.; Hahn, J.; Hampf, D.; Harris, J.; Hauser, M.; Heinz, S.; Heinzelmann, G.; Henri, G.; Hermann, G.; Hillert, A.; Hinton, J.A.; Hofmann, W.; Hofverberg, P.; Holler, M.; Horns, D.; Jacholkowska, A.; Jahn, C.; Jamrozy, M.; Jung, I.; Kastendieck, M.A.; Katarzyński, K.; Katz, U.; Kaufmann, S.; Khélifi, B.; Klochkov, D.; Kluźniak, W.; Kneiske, T.; Komin, Nu; Kosack, K.; Kossakowski, R.; Krayzel, F.; Laffon, H.; Lamanna, G.; Lenain, J.-P.; Lennarz, D.; Lohse, T.; Lopatin, A.; Lu, C.-C.; Marandon, V.; Marcowith, A.; Masbou, J.; Maurin, G.; Maxted, N.; Mayer, M.; McComb, T.J.L.; Medina, M.C.; Méhault, J.; Moderski, R.; Mohamed, M.; Moulin, E.; Naumann, C.L.; Naumann-Godo, M.; de Naurois, M.; Nedbal, D.; Nekrassov, D.; Nguyen, N.; Nicholas, B.; Niemiec, J.; Nolan, S.J.; Ohm, S.; de Oña Wilhelmi, E.; Opitz, B.; Ostrowski, M.; Oya, I.; Panter, M.; Paz Arribas, M.; Pekeur, N.W.; Pelletier, G.; Perez, J.; Petrucci, P.-O.; Peyaud, B.; Pita, S.; Pühlhofer, G.; Punch, M.; Quirrenbach, A.; Raue, M.; Reimer, A.; Reimer, O.; Renaud, M.; de los Reyes, R.; Rieger, F.; Ripken, J.; Rob, L.; Rosier-Lees, S.; Rowell, G.; Rudak, B.; Rulten, C.B.; Sahakian, V.; Sanchez, D.A.; Santangelo, A.; Schlickeiser, R.; Schulz, A.; Schwanke, U.; Schwarzburg, S.; Schwemmer, S.; Sheidaei, F.; Skilton, J.L.; Sol, H.; Spengler, G.; Stawarz, Ł; Steenkamp, R.; Stegmann, C.; Stinzing, F.; Stycz, K.; Sushch, I.; Szostek, A.; Tavernet, J.-P.; Terrier, R.; Tluczykont, M.; Valerius, K.; van Eldik, C.; Vasileiadis, G.; Venter, C.; Viana, A.; Vincent, P.; Völk, H.J.; Volpe, F.; Vorobiov, S.; Vorster, M.; Wagner, S.J.; Ward, M.; White, R.; Wierzcholska, A.; Zacharias, M.; Zajczyk, A.; Zdziarski, A.A.; Zech, A.; Zechlin, H.-S.; Montmerle, T.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21180.x

HESS observations of the Carina nebula and its enigmatic colliding wind binary Eta Carinae

Abramowski, A.; Acero, F.; Aharonian, F.; Akhperjanian, A.G.; Anton, G.; Balzer, A.; Barnacka, A.; Becherini, Y.; Becker, J.; Bernlöhr, K.; Birsin, E.; Biteau, J.; Bochow, A.; Boisson, C.; Bolmont, J.; Bordas, P.; Brucker, J.; Brun, F.; Brun, P.; Bulik, T.; Büsching, I.; Carrigan, S.; Casanova, S.; Cerruti, M.; Chadwick, P.M.; Charbonnier, A.; Chaves, R.C.G.; Cheesebrough, A.; Cologna, G.; Conrad, J.; Dalton, M.; Daniel, M.K.; Davids, I.D.; Degrange, B.; Deil, C.; Dickinson, H.J.; Djannati-Ataï, A.; Domainko, W.; Drury, L.O'C.; Dubus, G.; Dutson, K.; Dyks, J.; Dyrda, M.; Egberts, K.; Eger, P.; Espigat, P.; Fallon, L.; Fegan, S.; Feinstein, F.; Fernandes, M.V.; Fiasson, A.; Fontaine, G.; Förster, A.; Füßling, M.; Gallant, Y.A.; Garrigoux, T.; Gast, H.; Gérard, L.; Giebels, B.; Glicenstein, J.F.; Glück, B.; Göring, D.; Grondin, M.-H.; Häffner, S.; Hague, J.D.; Hahn, J.; Hampf, D.; Harris, J.; Hauser, M.; Heinz, S.; Heinzelmann, G.; Henri, G.; Hermann, G.; Hillert, A.; Hinton, J.A.; Hofma...

Authors

A. Abramowski

F. Acero

F. Aharonian

A.G. Akhperjanian

G. Anton

A. Balzer

A. Barnacka

Y. Becherini

J. Becker

K. Bernlöhr

E. Birsin

J. Biteau

A. Bochow

C. Boisson

J. Bolmont

P. Bordas

J. Brucker

F. Brun

P. Brun

T. Bulik

I. Büsching

S. Carrigan

S. Casanova

M. Cerruti

Professor Paula Chadwick p.m.chadwick@durham.ac.uk
Head Of Department

A. Charbonnier

R.C.G. Chaves

A. Cheesebrough

G. Cologna

J. Conrad

M. Dalton

M.K. Daniel

I.D. Davids

B. Degrange

C. Deil

H.J. Dickinson

A. Djannati-Ataï

W. Domainko

L.O'C. Drury

G. Dubus

K. Dutson

J. Dyks

M. Dyrda

K. Egberts

P. Eger

P. Espigat

L. Fallon

S. Fegan

F. Feinstein

M.V. Fernandes

A. Fiasson

G. Fontaine

A. Förster

M. Füßling

Y.A. Gallant

T. Garrigoux

H. Gast

L. Gérard

B. Giebels

J.F. Glicenstein

B. Glück

D. Göring

M.-H. Grondin

S. Häffner

J.D. Hague

J. Hahn

D. Hampf

J. Harris

M. Hauser

S. Heinz

G. Heinzelmann

G. Henri

G. Hermann

A. Hillert

J.A. Hinton

W. Hofmann

P. Hofverberg

M. Holler

D. Horns

A. Jacholkowska

C. Jahn

M. Jamrozy

I. Jung

M.A. Kastendieck

K. Katarzyński

U. Katz

S. Kaufmann

B. Khélifi

D. Klochkov

W. Kluźniak

T. Kneiske

Nu Komin

K. Kosack

R. Kossakowski

F. Krayzel

H. Laffon

G. Lamanna

J.-P. Lenain

D. Lennarz

T. Lohse

A. Lopatin

C.-C. Lu

V. Marandon

A. Marcowith

J. Masbou

G. Maurin

N. Maxted

M. Mayer

T.J.L. McComb

M.C. Medina

J. Méhault

R. Moderski

M. Mohamed

E. Moulin

C.L. Naumann

M. Naumann-Godo

M. de Naurois

D. Nedbal

D. Nekrassov

N. Nguyen

B. Nicholas

J. Niemiec

S.J. Nolan

S. Ohm

E. de Oña Wilhelmi

B. Opitz

M. Ostrowski

I. Oya

M. Panter

M. Paz Arribas

N.W. Pekeur

G. Pelletier

J. Perez

P.-O. Petrucci

B. Peyaud

S. Pita

G. Pühlhofer

M. Punch

A. Quirrenbach

M. Raue

A. Reimer

O. Reimer

M. Renaud

R. de los Reyes

F. Rieger

J. Ripken

L. Rob

S. Rosier-Lees

G. Rowell

B. Rudak

C.B. Rulten

V. Sahakian

D.A. Sanchez

A. Santangelo

R. Schlickeiser

A. Schulz

U. Schwanke

S. Schwarzburg

S. Schwemmer

F. Sheidaei

J.L. Skilton

H. Sol

G. Spengler

Ł Stawarz

R. Steenkamp

C. Stegmann

F. Stinzing

K. Stycz

I. Sushch

A. Szostek

J.-P. Tavernet

R. Terrier

M. Tluczykont

K. Valerius

C. van Eldik

G. Vasileiadis

C. Venter

A. Viana

P. Vincent

H.J. Völk

F. Volpe

S. Vorobiov

M. Vorster

S.J. Wagner

M. Ward

R. White

A. Wierzcholska

M. Zacharias

A. Zajczyk

A.A. Zdziarski

A. Zech

H.-S. Zechlin

T. Montmerle

Abstract

The massive binary system Eta Carinae and the surrounding H II complex, the Carina nebula, are potential particle acceleration sites from which very high energy (VHE; E≥ 100 GeV) γ-ray emission could be expected. This paper presents data collected during VHE γ-ray observations with the HESS telescope array from 2004 to 2010, which cover a full orbit of Eta Carinae. In the 33.1-h data set no hint of significant γ-ray emission from Eta Carinae has been found and an upper limit on the γ-ray flux of Graphic (99 per cent confidence level) is derived above the energy threshold of 470 GeV. Together with the detection of high energy (HE; 0.1 ≤E≤ 100 GeV) γ-ray emission by the Fermi Large Area Telescope up to 100 GeV, and assuming a continuation of the average HE spectral index into the VHE domain, these results imply a cut-off in the γ-ray spectrum between the HE and VHE γ-ray range. This could be caused either by a cut-off in the accelerated particle distribution or by severe γ–γ absorption losses in the wind collision region. Furthermore, the search for extended γ-ray emission from the Carina nebula resulted in an upper limit on the γ-ray flux of Graphic (99 per cent confidence level). The derived upper limit of ∼23 on the cosmic ray enhancement factor is compared with results found for the old-age mixed-morphology supernova remnant W28.

Citation

Abramowski, A., Acero, F., Aharonian, F., Akhperjanian, A., Anton, G., Balzer, A., …Montmerle, T. (2012). HESS observations of the Carina nebula and its enigmatic colliding wind binary Eta Carinae. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 424(1), 128-135. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21180.x

Journal Article Type	Article
Publication Date	Jul 21, 2012
Deposit Date	Mar 25, 2013
Publicly Available Date	Aug 21, 2014
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Print ISSN	0035-8711
Electronic ISSN	1365-2966
Publisher	Royal Astronomical Society
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	424
Issue	1
Pages	128-135
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21180.x
Keywords	Acceleration of particles, Radiation mechanisms: non-thermal, ISM: individual objects: Carina nebula, ISM: individual objects: Eta Carina, Open clusters and associations: general, X-rays: binaries.

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