Observation of the Crab Nebula with the HAWC Gamma-Ray Observatory

A. U. Abeysekara; A. Albert; R. Alfaro; C. Alvarez; J. D. Álvarez; R. Arceo; J. C. Arteaga-Velázquez; H. A.Ayala Solares; A. S. Barber; N. Bautista-Elivar; A. Becerril; E. Belmont-Moreno; S. Y. Benzvi; D. Berley; J. Braun; C. Brisbois; K. S. Caballero-Mora; T. Capistrán; A. Carramiñana; S. Casanova; M. Castillo; U. Cotti; J. Cotzomi; S. Coutiño De León; E. De La Fuente; C. De León; T. Deyoung; B. L. Dingus; M. A. Duvernois; J. C. Díaz-Vélez; R. W. Ellsworth; D. W. Fiorino; N. Fraija; J. A. García-González; M. Gerhardt; A. González Munöz; M. M. González; J. A. Goodman; Z. Hampel-Arias; J. P. Harding; S. Hernandez; A. Hernandez-Almada; J. Hinton; C. M. Hui; P. Hüntemeyer; A. Iriarte; A. Jardin-Blicq; V. Joshi; S. Kaufmann; D. Kieda; A. Lara; R. J. Lauer; W. H. Lee; D. Lennarz; H. León Vargas; J. T. Linnemann; A. L. Longinotti; G. Luis Raya; R. Luna-García; R. López-Coto; K. Malone; S. S. Marinelli; O. Martinez; I. Martinez-Castellanos; J. Martínez-Castro; H. Martínez-Huerta; J. A. Matthews; P. Miranda-Romagnoli; E. Moreno; M. Mostafá; L. Nellen; M. Newbold; M. U. Nisa; R. Noriega-Papaqui; R. Pelayo; J. Pretz; E. G. Pérez-Pérez; Z. Ren; C. D. Rho; C. Rivière; D. Rosa-González; M. Rosenberg; E. Ruiz-Velasco; H. Salazar; F. Salesa Greus; A. Sandoval; M. Schneider; H. Schoorlemmer; G. Sinnis; A. J. Smith; R. W. Springer; P. Surajbali; I. Taboada; O. Tibolla; K. Tollefson; I. Torres; T. N. Ukwatta; L. Villaseñor; T. Weisgarber; S. Westerhoff; I. G. Wisher; J. Wood; T. Yapici; G. B. Yodh; P. W. Younk; A. Zepeda; H. Zhou

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aa7555

Observation of the Crab Nebula with the HAWC Gamma-Ray Observatory

A. U. Abeysekara, A. Albert, R. Alfaro, C. Alvarez, J. D. Álvarez, R. Arceo, J. C. Arteaga-Velázquez, H. A.Ayala Solares, A. S. Barber, N. Bautista-Elivar, A. Becerril, E. Belmont-Moreno, S. Y. Benzvi, D. Berley, J. Braun, C. Brisbois, K. S. Caballero-Mora, T. Capistrán, A. Carramiñana, S. CasanovaM. Castillo, U. Cotti, J. Cotzomi, S. Coutiño De León, E. De La Fuente, C. De León, T. Deyoung, B. L. Dingus, M. A. Duvernois, J. C. Díaz-Vélez, R. W. Ellsworth, D. W. Fiorino, N. Fraija, J. A. García-González, M. Gerhardt, A. González Munöz, M. M. González, J. A. Goodman, Z. Hampel-Arias, J. P. Harding, S. Hernandez, A. Hernandez-Almada, J. Hinton, C. M. Hui, P. Hüntemeyer, A. Iriarte, A. Jardin-Blicq, V. Joshi, S. Kaufmann, D. Kieda, A. Lara, R. J. Lauer, W. H. Lee, D. Lennarz, H. León Vargas, J. T. Linnemann, A. L. Longinotti, G. Luis Raya, R. Luna-García, R. López-Coto, K. Malone, S. S. Marinelli, O. Martinez, I. Martinez-Castellanos, J. Martínez-Castro, H. Martínez-Huerta, J. A. Matthews, P. Miranda-Romagnoli, E. Moreno, M. Mostafá, L. Nellen, M. Newbold, M. U. Nisa, R. Noriega-Papaqui, R. Pelayo, J. Pretz, E. G. Pérez-Pérez, Z. Ren, C. D. Rho, C. Rivière, D. Rosa-González, M. Rosenberg, E. Ruiz-Velasco, H. Salazar, F. Salesa Greus, A. Sandoval, M. Schneider, H. Schoorlemmer, G. Sinnis, A. J. Smith, R. W. Springer, P. Surajbali, I. Taboada, O. Tibolla, K. Tollefson, I. Torres, T. N. Ukwatta, L. Villaseñor, T. Weisgarber, S. Westerhoff, I. G. Wisher, J. Wood, T. Yapici, G. B. Yodh, P. W. Younk, A. Zepeda, H. Zhou

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Abstract

The Crab Nebula is the brightest TeV gamma-ray source in the sky and has been used for the past 25 years as a reference source in TeV astronomy, for calibration and verification of new TeV instruments. The High Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC), completed in early 2015, has been used to observe the Crab Nebula at high significance across nearly the full spectrum of energies to which HAWC is sensitive. HAWC is unique for its wide field of view, nearly 2 sr at any instant, and its high-energy reach, up to 100 TeV. HAWC's sensitivity improves with the gamma-ray energy. Above ∼1 TeV the sensitivity is driven by the best background rejection and angular resolution ever achieved for a wide-field ground array. We present a time-integrated analysis of the Crab using 507 live days of HAWC data from 2014 November to 2016 June. The spectrum of the Crab is fit to a function of the form φ(E)= φ₀(E/E₀)-α-β In(E/E₀). The data is well fitted with values of α = 2.63 ±0.03, β = 0.15 ±0.03, and log₁₀(φ₀cm²s TeV)=-12.60±0.02 when E ₀ is fixed at 7 TeV and the fit applies between 1 and 37 TeV. Study of the systematic errors in this HAWC measurement is discussed and estimated to be ±50% in the photon flux between 1 and 37 TeV. Confirmation of the Crab flux serves to establish the HAWC instrument's sensitivity for surveys of the sky. The HAWC all-sky survey will be the deepest survey of the northern sky ever conducted in the multi-TeV band.

Original language	English
Article number	39
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	843
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aa7555
State	Published - 1 Jul 2017

Keywords

ISM: individual objects (Crab Nebula)
acceleration of particles
gamma rays: general

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10.3847/1538-4357/aa7555

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Abeysekara, A. U., Albert, A., Alfaro, R., Alvarez, C., Álvarez, J. D., Arceo, R., Arteaga-Velázquez, J. C., Solares, H. A. A., Barber, A. S., Bautista-Elivar, N., Becerril, A., Belmont-Moreno, E., Benzvi, S. Y., Berley, D., Braun, J., Brisbois, C., Caballero-Mora, K. S., Capistrán, T., Carramiñana, A., ... Zhou, H. (2017). Observation of the Crab Nebula with the HAWC Gamma-Ray Observatory. Astrophysical Journal, 843(1), Article 39. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aa7555

@article{041d095650404de6898acc69b2677a0c,

title = "Observation of the Crab Nebula with the HAWC Gamma-Ray Observatory",

abstract = "The Crab Nebula is the brightest TeV gamma-ray source in the sky and has been used for the past 25 years as a reference source in TeV astronomy, for calibration and verification of new TeV instruments. The High Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC), completed in early 2015, has been used to observe the Crab Nebula at high significance across nearly the full spectrum of energies to which HAWC is sensitive. HAWC is unique for its wide field of view, nearly 2 sr at any instant, and its high-energy reach, up to 100 TeV. HAWC's sensitivity improves with the gamma-ray energy. Above ∼1 TeV the sensitivity is driven by the best background rejection and angular resolution ever achieved for a wide-field ground array. We present a time-integrated analysis of the Crab using 507 live days of HAWC data from 2014 November to 2016 June. The spectrum of the Crab is fit to a function of the form φ(E)= φ0(E/E0)-α-β In(E/E0). The data is well fitted with values of α = 2.63 ±0.03, β = 0.15 ±0.03, and log10(φ0cm2s TeV)=-12.60±0.02 when E 0 is fixed at 7 TeV and the fit applies between 1 and 37 TeV. Study of the systematic errors in this HAWC measurement is discussed and estimated to be ±50% in the photon flux between 1 and 37 TeV. Confirmation of the Crab flux serves to establish the HAWC instrument's sensitivity for surveys of the sky. The HAWC all-sky survey will be the deepest survey of the northern sky ever conducted in the multi-TeV band.",

keywords = "ISM: individual objects (Crab Nebula), acceleration of particles, gamma rays: general",

author = "Abeysekara, {A. U.} and A. Albert and R. Alfaro and C. Alvarez and {\'A}lvarez, {J. D.} and R. Arceo and Arteaga-Vel{\'a}zquez, {J. C.} and Solares, {H. A.Ayala} and Barber, {A. S.} and N. Bautista-Elivar and A. Becerril and E. Belmont-Moreno and Benzvi, {S. Y.} and D. Berley and J. Braun and C. Brisbois and Caballero-Mora, {K. S.} and T. Capistr{\'a}n and A. Carrami{\~n}ana and S. Casanova and M. Castillo and U. Cotti and J. Cotzomi and Le{\'o}n, {S. Couti{\~n}o De} and Fuente, {E. De La} and Le{\'o}n, {C. De} and T. Deyoung and Dingus, {B. L.} and Duvernois, {M. A.} and D{\'i}az-V{\'e}lez, {J. C.} and Ellsworth, {R. W.} and Fiorino, {D. W.} and N. Fraija and Garc{\'i}a-Gonz{\'a}lez, {J. A.} and M. Gerhardt and Mun{\"o}z, {A. Gonz{\'a}lez} and Gonz{\'a}lez, {M. M.} and Goodman, {J. A.} and Z. Hampel-Arias and Harding, {J. P.} and S. Hernandez and A. Hernandez-Almada and J. Hinton and Hui, {C. M.} and P. H{\"u}ntemeyer and A. Iriarte and A. Jardin-Blicq and V. Joshi and S. Kaufmann and D. Kieda and A. Lara and Lauer, {R. J.} and Lee, {W. H.} and D. Lennarz and Vargas, {H. Le{\'o}n} and Linnemann, {J. T.} and Longinotti, {A. L.} and Raya, {G. Luis} and R. Luna-Garc{\'i}a and R. L{\'o}pez-Coto and K. Malone and Marinelli, {S. S.} and O. Martinez and I. Martinez-Castellanos and J. Mart{\'i}nez-Castro and H. Mart{\'i}nez-Huerta and Matthews, {J. A.} and P. Miranda-Romagnoli and E. Moreno and M. Mostaf{\'a} and L. Nellen and M. Newbold and Nisa, {M. U.} and R. Noriega-Papaqui and R. Pelayo and J. Pretz and P{\'e}rez-P{\'e}rez, {E. G.} and Z. Ren and Rho, {C. D.} and C. Rivi{\`e}re and D. Rosa-Gonz{\'a}lez and M. Rosenberg and E. Ruiz-Velasco and H. Salazar and Greus, {F. Salesa} and A. Sandoval and M. Schneider and H. Schoorlemmer and G. Sinnis and Smith, {A. J.} and Springer, {R. W.} and P. Surajbali and I. Taboada and O. Tibolla and K. Tollefson and I. Torres and Ukwatta, {T. N.} and L. Villase{\~n}or and T. Weisgarber and S. Westerhoff and Wisher, {I. G.} and J. Wood and T. Yapici and Yodh, {G. B.} and Younk, {P. W.} and A. Zepeda and H. Zhou",

year = "2017",

month = jul,

day = "1",

doi = "10.3847/1538-4357/aa7555",

language = "Ingl{\'e}s",

volume = "843",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

number = "1",

}

Abeysekara, AU, Albert, A, Alfaro, R, Alvarez, C, Álvarez, JD, Arceo, R, Arteaga-Velázquez, JC, Solares, HAA, Barber, AS, Bautista-Elivar, N, Becerril, A, Belmont-Moreno, E, Benzvi, SY, Berley, D, Braun, J, Brisbois, C, Caballero-Mora, KS, Capistrán, T, Carramiñana, A, Casanova, S, Castillo, M, Cotti, U, Cotzomi, J, León, SCD, Fuente, EDL, León, CD, Deyoung, T, Dingus, BL, Duvernois, MA, Díaz-Vélez, JC, Ellsworth, RW, Fiorino, DW, Fraija, N, García-González, JA, Gerhardt, M, Munöz, AG, González, MM, Goodman, JA, Hampel-Arias, Z, Harding, JP, Hernandez, S, Hernandez-Almada, A, Hinton, J, Hui, CM, Hüntemeyer, P, Iriarte, A, Jardin-Blicq, A, Joshi, V, Kaufmann, S, Kieda, D, Lara, A, Lauer, RJ, Lee, WH, Lennarz, D, Vargas, HL, Linnemann, JT, Longinotti, AL, Raya, GL, Luna-García, R, López-Coto, R, Malone, K, Marinelli, SS, Martinez, O, Martinez-Castellanos, I, Martínez-Castro, J, Martínez-Huerta, H, Matthews, JA, Miranda-Romagnoli, P, Moreno, E, Mostafá, M, Nellen, L, Newbold, M, Nisa, MU, Noriega-Papaqui, R, Pelayo, R, Pretz, J, Pérez-Pérez, EG, Ren, Z, Rho, CD, Rivière, C, Rosa-González, D, Rosenberg, M, Ruiz-Velasco, E, Salazar, H, Greus, FS, Sandoval, A, Schneider, M, Schoorlemmer, H, Sinnis, G, Smith, AJ, Springer, RW, Surajbali, P, Taboada, I, Tibolla, O, Tollefson, K, Torres, I, Ukwatta, TN, Villaseñor, L, Weisgarber, T, Westerhoff, S, Wisher, IG, Wood, J, Yapici, T, Yodh, GB, Younk, PW, Zepeda, A & Zhou, H 2017, 'Observation of the Crab Nebula with the HAWC Gamma-Ray Observatory', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 843, no. 1, 39. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aa7555

TY - JOUR

T1 - Observation of the Crab Nebula with the HAWC Gamma-Ray Observatory

AU - Abeysekara, A. U.

AU - Albert, A.

AU - Alfaro, R.

AU - Alvarez, C.

AU - Álvarez, J. D.

AU - Arceo, R.

AU - Arteaga-Velázquez, J. C.

AU - Solares, H. A.Ayala

AU - Barber, A. S.

AU - Bautista-Elivar, N.

AU - Becerril, A.

AU - Belmont-Moreno, E.

AU - Benzvi, S. Y.

AU - Berley, D.

AU - Braun, J.

AU - Brisbois, C.

AU - Caballero-Mora, K. S.

AU - Capistrán, T.

AU - Carramiñana, A.

AU - Casanova, S.

AU - Castillo, M.

AU - Cotti, U.

AU - Cotzomi, J.

AU - León, S. Coutiño De

AU - Fuente, E. De La

AU - León, C. De

AU - Deyoung, T.

AU - Dingus, B. L.

AU - Duvernois, M. A.

AU - Díaz-Vélez, J. C.

AU - Ellsworth, R. W.

AU - Fiorino, D. W.

AU - Fraija, N.

AU - García-González, J. A.

AU - Gerhardt, M.

AU - Munöz, A. González

AU - González, M. M.

AU - Goodman, J. A.

AU - Hampel-Arias, Z.

AU - Harding, J. P.

AU - Hernandez, S.

AU - Hernandez-Almada, A.

AU - Hinton, J.

AU - Hui, C. M.

AU - Hüntemeyer, P.

AU - Iriarte, A.

AU - Jardin-Blicq, A.

AU - Joshi, V.

AU - Kaufmann, S.

AU - Kieda, D.

AU - Lara, A.

AU - Lauer, R. J.

AU - Lee, W. H.

AU - Lennarz, D.

AU - Vargas, H. León

AU - Linnemann, J. T.

AU - Longinotti, A. L.

AU - Raya, G. Luis

AU - Luna-García, R.

AU - López-Coto, R.

AU - Malone, K.

AU - Marinelli, S. S.

AU - Martinez, O.

AU - Martinez-Castellanos, I.

AU - Martínez-Castro, J.

AU - Martínez-Huerta, H.

AU - Matthews, J. A.

AU - Miranda-Romagnoli, P.

AU - Moreno, E.

AU - Mostafá, M.

AU - Nellen, L.

AU - Newbold, M.

AU - Nisa, M. U.

AU - Noriega-Papaqui, R.

AU - Pelayo, R.

AU - Pretz, J.

AU - Pérez-Pérez, E. G.

AU - Ren, Z.

AU - Rho, C. D.

AU - Rivière, C.

AU - Rosa-González, D.

AU - Rosenberg, M.

AU - Ruiz-Velasco, E.

AU - Salazar, H.

AU - Greus, F. Salesa

AU - Sandoval, A.

AU - Schneider, M.

AU - Schoorlemmer, H.

AU - Sinnis, G.

AU - Smith, A. J.

AU - Springer, R. W.

AU - Surajbali, P.

AU - Taboada, I.

AU - Tibolla, O.

AU - Tollefson, K.

AU - Torres, I.

AU - Ukwatta, T. N.

AU - Villaseñor, L.

AU - Weisgarber, T.

AU - Westerhoff, S.

AU - Wisher, I. G.

AU - Wood, J.

AU - Yapici, T.

AU - Yodh, G. B.

AU - Younk, P. W.

AU - Zepeda, A.

AU - Zhou, H.

PY - 2017/7/1

Y1 - 2017/7/1

N2 - The Crab Nebula is the brightest TeV gamma-ray source in the sky and has been used for the past 25 years as a reference source in TeV astronomy, for calibration and verification of new TeV instruments. The High Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC), completed in early 2015, has been used to observe the Crab Nebula at high significance across nearly the full spectrum of energies to which HAWC is sensitive. HAWC is unique for its wide field of view, nearly 2 sr at any instant, and its high-energy reach, up to 100 TeV. HAWC's sensitivity improves with the gamma-ray energy. Above ∼1 TeV the sensitivity is driven by the best background rejection and angular resolution ever achieved for a wide-field ground array. We present a time-integrated analysis of the Crab using 507 live days of HAWC data from 2014 November to 2016 June. The spectrum of the Crab is fit to a function of the form φ(E)= φ0(E/E0)-α-β In(E/E0). The data is well fitted with values of α = 2.63 ±0.03, β = 0.15 ±0.03, and log10(φ0cm2s TeV)=-12.60±0.02 when E 0 is fixed at 7 TeV and the fit applies between 1 and 37 TeV. Study of the systematic errors in this HAWC measurement is discussed and estimated to be ±50% in the photon flux between 1 and 37 TeV. Confirmation of the Crab flux serves to establish the HAWC instrument's sensitivity for surveys of the sky. The HAWC all-sky survey will be the deepest survey of the northern sky ever conducted in the multi-TeV band.

AB - The Crab Nebula is the brightest TeV gamma-ray source in the sky and has been used for the past 25 years as a reference source in TeV astronomy, for calibration and verification of new TeV instruments. The High Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC), completed in early 2015, has been used to observe the Crab Nebula at high significance across nearly the full spectrum of energies to which HAWC is sensitive. HAWC is unique for its wide field of view, nearly 2 sr at any instant, and its high-energy reach, up to 100 TeV. HAWC's sensitivity improves with the gamma-ray energy. Above ∼1 TeV the sensitivity is driven by the best background rejection and angular resolution ever achieved for a wide-field ground array. We present a time-integrated analysis of the Crab using 507 live days of HAWC data from 2014 November to 2016 June. The spectrum of the Crab is fit to a function of the form φ(E)= φ0(E/E0)-α-β In(E/E0). The data is well fitted with values of α = 2.63 ±0.03, β = 0.15 ±0.03, and log10(φ0cm2s TeV)=-12.60±0.02 when E 0 is fixed at 7 TeV and the fit applies between 1 and 37 TeV. Study of the systematic errors in this HAWC measurement is discussed and estimated to be ±50% in the photon flux between 1 and 37 TeV. Confirmation of the Crab flux serves to establish the HAWC instrument's sensitivity for surveys of the sky. The HAWC all-sky survey will be the deepest survey of the northern sky ever conducted in the multi-TeV band.

KW - ISM: individual objects (Crab Nebula)

KW - acceleration of particles

KW - gamma rays: general

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85021725082&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3847/1538-4357/aa7555

DO - 10.3847/1538-4357/aa7555

M3 - Artículo

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 843

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1

M1 - 39

ER -

Observation of the Crab Nebula with the HAWC Gamma-Ray Observatory

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