Very high energy gamma ray astrophysics. Technical progress report, May 1, 1992--April 30, 1993

Technical Report · Mon Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6750211· OSTI ID:6750211

Lamb, R C; Lewis, D A

The Crab-Nebula continues to be the standard candle'' of TeV gamma-ray astronomy. The Whipple Collaboration's observations of it are now confirmed by two French groups. Application of the supercuts'' technique, developed on the Crab database, has resulted in the observation of a distant, active galaxy, Markarian 421. Markarian 421 is one of 16 active galactic nuclei (AGN's) observed by the EGRET instrument on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. The EGRET observations and the expected attenuation of TeV photons from very distant AGN's gives added impetus to efforts in upgrading the present steoscopic detection system. The upgrade not only improves the sensitivity of the twin telescopes, but also reduces the energy threshold to 100 GeV, at which energy attenuation effects for distant sources are greatly reduced. During the past year the llm reflector was operated as a 37-pixel camera, with its performance matching design expectations. During the coming year, its camera will be upgraded to 109 pixels, the 10m camera electronics made to conform to the llm electronics, and both systems interfaced to a single, faster computer. Observations of Markarian 421, simultaneous with EGRET, are scheduled for May, 1993.

• Research Organization: Iowa State Univ. of Science and Technology, Ames, IA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-91ER40634
• OSTI ID: 6750211
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/40634-2; ON: DE93007625
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661300* -- Other Aspects of Physical Science-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COSMIC GAMMA SOURCES
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
CRAB NEBULA
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENERGY RANGE
ENERGY SPECTRA
GALAXY NUCLEI
NEBULAE
PROGRESS REPORT
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SPECTRA
SUPERNOVA REMNANTS
TEV RANGE