Journal article
VERITAS Discovery of VHE Emission from the Radio Galaxy 3C 264: A Multiwavelength Study
The Astrophysical journal, v 896(1), p41
01 Jun 2020
Abstract
The radio source 3C 264, hosted by the giant elliptical galaxy NGC 3862, was observed with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) between 2017 February and 2019 May. These deep observations resulted in the discovery of very high energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) γ-ray emission from this active galaxy. An analysis of ∼57 hr of quality-selected live time yields a detection at the position of the source, corresponding to a statistical significance of 7.8 standard deviations above background. The observed VHE flux is variable on monthly timescales, with an elevated flux seen in 2018 observations. The VHE emission during this elevated state is well characterized by a power-law spectrum with a photon index Γ = 2.20 0.27 and flux F(>315 GeV) = ( cm−2 s−1, or approximately 0.7% of the Crab Nebula flux above the same threshold. 3C 264 (z = 0.0217) is the most distant radio galaxy detected at VHE, and the elevated state is thought to be similar to that of the famously outbursting jet in M87. Consequently, extensive contemporaneous multiwavelength data were acquired in 2018 at the time of the VHE high state. An analysis of these data, including Very Long Baseline Array, Very Large Array, Hubble Space Telescope, Chandra, and Swift observations in addition to the VERITAS data, is presented, along with a discussion of the resulting spectral energy distribution.
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Details
- Title
- VERITAS Discovery of VHE Emission from the Radio Galaxy 3C 264: A Multiwavelength Study
- Creators
- A. Archer - DePauw UniversityW. Benbow - Center for Astrophysics Harvard & SmithsonianR. Bird - University of California, Los AngelesA. Brill - Columbia UniversityM. Buchovecky - University of California, Los AngelesJ. H. Buckley - Washington University in St. LouisM. T. Carini - Western Kentucky UniversityJ. L. Christiansen - California Polytechnic State UniversityA. J. Chromey - Iowa State UniversityM. K. Daniel - Center for Astrophysics Harvard & SmithsonianM. Errando - Washington University in St. LouisA. Falcone - Pennsylvania State UniversityQ. Feng - Columbia UniversityP. Fortin - Center for Astrophysics Harvard & SmithsonianL. Fortson - University of MinnesotaA. Furniss - California State University, East BayA. Gent - Georgia Institute of TechnologyM. Georganopoulos - University of Maryland, Baltimore CountyG. H. Gillanders - Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of GalwayC. Giuri - DESY, Platanenallee 6, D-15738 Zeuthen, GermanyO. Gueta - DESY, Platanenallee 6, D-15738 Zeuthen, GermanyD. Hanna - McGill UniversityT. Hassan - DESY, Platanenallee 6, D-15738 Zeuthen, GermanyO. Hervet - University of California, Santa CruzJ. Holder - University of DelawareG. Hughes - Center for Astrophysics Harvard & SmithsonianT. B. Humensky - Columbia UniversityP. Kaaret - University of IowaM. Kertzman - DePauw UniversityD. Kieda - University of UtahF. Krennrich - Iowa State UniversityM. J. Lang - Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of GalwayT. T. Y. Lin - McGill UniversityM. L. Lister - Purdue University West LafayetteM. Lundy - McGill UniversityG. Maier - DESY, Platanenallee 6, D-15738 Zeuthen, GermanyE. Meyer - University of Maryland, Baltimore CountyP. Moriarty - Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of GalwayR. Mukherjee - Barnard CollegeD. Nieto - Universidad Complutense de MadridM. Nievas-Rosillo - DESY, Platanenallee 6, D-15738 Zeuthen, GermanyS. O'Brien - McGill UniversityR. A. Ong - University of California, Los AngelesK. Pfrang - DESY, Platanenallee 6, D-15738 Zeuthen, GermanyM. Pohl - University of PotsdamR. R. Prado - DESY, Platanenallee 6, D-15738 Zeuthen, GermanyE. Pueschel - DESY, Platanenallee 6, D-15738 Zeuthen, GermanyJ. Quinn - University College DublinK. Ragan - McGill UniversityK. Ramirez - California Polytechnic State UniversityP. T. Reynolds - Munster Technological UniversityD. Ribeiro - Columbia UniversityG. T. Richards - University of DelawareE. Roache - Center for Astrophysics Harvard & SmithsonianC. Rulten - University of MinnesotaJ. L. Ryan - University of California, Los AngelesA. Sadun - University of Colorado DenverM. Santander - University of AlabamaS. S. Scott - University of California, Santa CruzG. H. Sembroski - Purdue University West LafayetteK. Shahinyan - University of MinnesotaR. Shang - University of California, Los AngelesB. Stevenson - University of California, Los AngelesV. V. Vassiliev - University of California, Los AngelesS. P. Wakely - Fermi National Accelerator LaboratoryA. Weinstein - Iowa State UniversityP. Wilcox - University of MinnesotaA. Wilhelm - University of PotsdamD. A. Williams - University of California, Santa CruzT. J Williamson - University of Delaware
- Publication Details
- The Astrophysical journal, v 896(1), p41
- Publisher
- The American Astronomical Society
- Number of pages
- 14
- Grant note
- 14159 / NASA HST Grant 15191 / NASA HST Grant
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Physics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000541808100001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85091278782
- Other Identifier
- 991021869218704721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Astronomy & Astrophysics