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Title: An empirical determination of the intergalactic background light using near-infrared deep galaxy survey data out to 5 μm and the gamma-ray opacity of the universe

Abstract

We extend our previous model-independent determination of the intergalactic background light, based purely on galaxy survey data, out to a wavelength of 5 μm. Our approach enables us to constrain the range of photon densities, based on the uncertainties from observationally determined luminosity densities and colors. We further determine a 68% confidence upper and lower limit on the opacity of the universe to γ-rays up to energies of 1.6/(1 + z) TeV. A comparison of our lower limit redshift-dependent opacity curves to the opacity limits derived from the results of both ground-based air Cerenkov telescope and Fermi-LAT observations of PKS 1424+240 allows us to place a new upper limit on the redshift of this source, independent of IBL modeling.

Authors:
 [1];
  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22357259
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 784; Journal Issue: 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; BL LACERTAE OBJECTS; COLOR; DENSITY; GALAXIES; GAMMA RADIATION; LUMINOSITY; OPACITY; PHOTONS; RED SHIFT; TELESCOPES; TEV RANGE; UNIVERSE; VISIBLE RADIATION; WAVELENGTHS

Citation Formats

Scully, Sean T., Malkan, Matthew A., and Stecker, Floyd W., E-mail: Floyd.W.Stecker@nasa.gov. An empirical determination of the intergalactic background light using near-infrared deep galaxy survey data out to 5 μm and the gamma-ray opacity of the universe. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/784/2/138.
Scully, Sean T., Malkan, Matthew A., & Stecker, Floyd W., E-mail: Floyd.W.Stecker@nasa.gov. An empirical determination of the intergalactic background light using near-infrared deep galaxy survey data out to 5 μm and the gamma-ray opacity of the universe. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/784/2/138
Scully, Sean T., Malkan, Matthew A., and Stecker, Floyd W., E-mail: Floyd.W.Stecker@nasa.gov. 2014. "An empirical determination of the intergalactic background light using near-infrared deep galaxy survey data out to 5 μm and the gamma-ray opacity of the universe". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/784/2/138.
@article{osti_22357259,
title = {An empirical determination of the intergalactic background light using near-infrared deep galaxy survey data out to 5 μm and the gamma-ray opacity of the universe},
author = {Scully, Sean T. and Malkan, Matthew A. and Stecker, Floyd W., E-mail: Floyd.W.Stecker@nasa.gov},
abstractNote = {We extend our previous model-independent determination of the intergalactic background light, based purely on galaxy survey data, out to a wavelength of 5 μm. Our approach enables us to constrain the range of photon densities, based on the uncertainties from observationally determined luminosity densities and colors. We further determine a 68% confidence upper and lower limit on the opacity of the universe to γ-rays up to energies of 1.6/(1 + z) TeV. A comparison of our lower limit redshift-dependent opacity curves to the opacity limits derived from the results of both ground-based air Cerenkov telescope and Fermi-LAT observations of PKS 1424+240 allows us to place a new upper limit on the redshift of this source, independent of IBL modeling.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/784/2/138},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22357259}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = 2,
volume = 784,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014},
month = {Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014}
}