Abstract
We report the detection of very high energy gamma- ray emission from the intermediate- frequency- peaked BL Lacertae object W Comae (z = 0.102) by VERITAS. The source was observed between 2008 January and April. A strong outburst of gamma-ray emission was measured in the middle of March, lasting for only 4 days. The energy spectrum measured during the two highest flare nights is fit by a power law and is found to be very steep, with a differential photon spectral index of Gamma = 3.81 + - 0.35(stat) + - 0.34(syst). The integral photon flux above 200 GeV during those two nights corresponds to roughly 9% of the flux from the Crab Nebula. Quasi-simultaneous Swift observations at X-ray energies were triggered by the VERITAS observations. The spectral energy distribution of the flare data can be described by synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) or external Compton (EC) leptonic jet models.
| Original language | English (Ireland) |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS |
| Volume | 684 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Sep 2008 |
Authors (Note for portal: view the doc link for the full list of authors)
- Authors
- Acciari, VA,Aliu, E,Beilicke, M,Benbow, W,Bottcher, M,Bradbury, SM,Buckley, JH,Bugaev, V,Butt, Y,Celik, O,Cesarini, A,Ciupik, L,Chow, YCK,Cogan, P,Colin, P,Cui, W,Daniel, MK,Ergin, T,Falcone, AD,Fegan, SJ,Finley, JP,Finnegan, G,Fortin, P,Fortson, LF,Furniss, A,Gall, D,Gillanders, GH,Grube, J,Guenette, R,Gyuk, G,Hanna, D,Hays, E,Holder, J,Horan, D,Hui, CM,Humensky, TB,Imran, A,Kaaret, P,Karlsson, N,Kertzman, M,Kieda, DB,Konopelko, A,Krawczynski, H,Krennrich, F,Lang, MJ,LeBohec, S,Lee, K,Maier, G,McCann, A,McCutcheon, M,Moriarty, P,Mukherjee, R,Nagai, T,Niemiec, J,Ong, RA,Pandel, D,Perkins, JS,Petry, D,Pohl, M,Quinn, J,Ragan, K,Reyes, LC,Reynolds, PT,Roache, E,Rose, HJ,Schroedter, M,Sembroski, GH,Smith, AW,Steele, D,Swordy, SP,Toner, JA,Vassiliev, VV,Wagner, R,Wakely, SP,Ward, JE,Weekes, TC