| 11. |
- Abdo, A. A., et al.
(författare)
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FERMI OBSERVATIONS OF GRB 090902B : A DISTINCT SPECTRAL COMPONENT IN THE PROMPT AND DELAYED EMISSION
- 2009
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Letters. - 2041-8205 .- 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 706:1, s. L138-L144
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report on the observation of the bright, long gamma-ray burst (GRB), GRB 090902B, by the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) and Large Area Telescope (LAT) instruments on-board the Fermi observatory. This was one of the brightest GRBs to have been observed by the LAT, which detected several hundred photons during the prompt phase. With a redshift of z = 1.822, this burst is among the most luminous detected by Fermi. Time-resolved spectral analysis reveals a significant power-law component in the LAT data that is distinct from the usual Band model emission that is seen in the sub-MeV energy range. This power-law component appears to extrapolate from the GeV range to the lowest energies and is more intense than the Band component, both below similar to 50 keV and above 100 MeV. The Band component undergoes substantial spectral evolution over the entire course of the burst, while the photon index of the power-law component remains constant for most of the prompt phase, then hardens significantly toward the end. After the prompt phase, power-law emission persists in the LAT data as late as 1 ks post-trigger, with its flux declining as t(-1.5). The LAT detected a photon with the highest energy so far measured from a GRB, 33.4(-3.5)(+ 2.7) GeV. This event arrived 82 s after the GBM trigger and similar to 50 s after the prompt phase emission had ended in the GBM band. We discuss the implications of these results for models of GRB emission and for constraints on models of the extragalactic background light.
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| 12. |
- Abdo, A. A., et al.
(författare)
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The on-orbit calibration of the Fermi Large Area Telescope
- 2009
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Ingår i: Astroparticle physics. - : Elsevier BV. - 0927-6505 .- 1873-2852. ; 32:3-4, s. 193-219
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Large Area Telescope (LAT) on-board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope began its on-orbit operations on June 23, 2008. Calibrations, defined in a generic sense, correspond to synchronization of trigger signals, optimization of delays for latching data, determination of detector thresholds, gains and responses, evaluation of the perimeter of the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), measurements of live time, of absolute time, and internal and spacecraft boresight alignments. Here we describe on-orbit calibration results obtained using known astrophysical sources, galactic cosmic rays, and charge injection into the front-end electronics of each detector. Instrument response functions will be described in a separate publication. This paper demonstrates the stability of calibrations and describes minor changes observed since launch. These results have been used to calibrate the LAT datasets to be publicly released in August 2009.
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| 13. |
- Abdo, A. A., et al.
(författare)
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FERMI LARGE AREA TELESCOPE DETECTION OF PULSED gamma-RAYS FROM THE VELA-LIKE PULSARS PSR J1048-5832 AND PSR J2229+6114
- 2009
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 706:2, s. 1331-1340
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report the detection of gamma-ray pulsations (>= 0.1GeV) from PSR J2229+ 6114 and PSR J1048-5832, the latter having been detected as a low-significance pulsar by EGRET. Data in the gamma-ray band were acquired by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) aboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, while the radio rotational ephemerides used to fold the gamma-ray light curves were obtained using the Green Bank Telescope, the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank, and the Parkes Telescope. The two young radio pulsars, located within the error circles of the previously unidentified EGRET sources 3EG J1048-5840 and 3EG J2227+6122, present spin-down characteristics similar to the Vela pulsar. PSR J1048-5832 shows two sharp peaks at phases 0.15 +/- 0.01 and 0.57 +/- 0.01 relative to the radio pulse confirming the EGRET light curve, while PSR J2229+ 6114 presents a very broad peak at phase 0.49 +/- 0.01. The gamma-ray spectra above 0.1 GeV of both pulsars are fit with power laws having exponential cutoffs near 3 GeV, leading to integral photon fluxes of (2.19 +/- 0.22 +/- 0.32) x 10(-7) cm(-2) s(-1) for PSR J1048-5832 and (3.77 +/- 0.22 +/- 0.44) x 10(-7) cm(-2) s(-1) for PSR J2229+6114. The first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. PSR J1048-5832 is one of the two LAT sources whichwere entangled together as 3EG J1048-5840. These detections add to the growing number of young gamma-ray pulsars that make up the dominant population of GeV gamma-ray sources in the Galactic plane.
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| 14. |
- Abdo, A. A., et al.
(författare)
-
Fermi Large Area Telescope Detection of Pulsed γ-rays from the Vela-like Pulsars PSR J1048–5832 and PSR J2229+6114
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 706:2, s. 1331-1340
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report the detection of γ-ray pulsations (>=0.1 GeV) from PSR J2229+6114 and PSR J1048–5832, the latter having been detected as a low-significance pulsar by EGRET. Data in the γ-ray band were acquired by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) aboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, while the radio rotational ephemerides used to fold the γ-ray light curves were obtained using the Green Bank Telescope, the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank, and the Parkes Telescope. The two young radio pulsars, located within the error circles of the previously unidentified EGRET sources 3EG J1048–5840 and 3EG J2227+6122, present spin-down characteristics similar to the Vela pulsar. PSR J1048–5832 shows two sharp peaks at phases 0.15 ± 0.01 and 0.57 ± 0.01 relative to the radio pulse confirming the EGRET light curve, while PSR J2229+6114 presents a very broad peak at phase 0.49 ± 0.01. The γ-ray spectra above 0.1 GeV of both pulsars are fit with power laws having exponential cutoffs near 3 GeV, leading to integral photon fluxes of (2.19 ± 0.22 ± 0.32) × 10–7 cm–2 s–1 for PSR J1048–5832 and (3.77 ± 0.22 ± 0.44) × 10–7 cm–2 s–1 for PSR J2229+6114. The first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. PSR J1048–5832 is one of the two LAT sources which were entangled together as 3EG J1048–5840. These detections add to the growing number of young γ-ray pulsars that make up the dominant population of GeV γ-ray sources in the Galactic plane.
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| 15. |
- Abdo, A. A., et al.
(författare)
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FERMI/LARGE AREA TELESCOPE DISCOVERY OF GAMMA-RAY EMISSION FROM A RELATIVISTIC JET IN THE NARROW-LINE QUASAR PMN J0948+0022
- 2009
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 699:2, s. 976-984
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report the discovery by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) onboard the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope of high-energy. gamma-ray emission from the peculiar quasar PMN J0948+0022 (z = 0.5846). The optical spectrum of this object exhibits rather narrow H beta (FWHM(H beta) similar to 1500 km s(-1)), weak forbidden lines, and is therefore classified as a narrow-line type I quasar. This class of objects is thought to have relatively small black hole mass and to accrete at a high Eddington ratio. The radio loudness and variability of the compact radio core indicate the presence of a relativistic jet. Quasi-simultaneous radio/optical/X-ray and gamma-ray observations are presented. Both radio and gamma-ray emissions (observed over five months) are strongly variable. The simultaneous optical and X-ray data from Swift show a blue continuum attributed to the accretion disk and a hard X-ray spectrum attributed to the jet. The resulting broadband spectral energy distribution (SED) and, in particular, the gamma-ray spectrum measured by Fermi are similar to those of more powerful Flat-Spectrum Radio Quasars (FSRQs). A comparison of the radio and gamma-ray characteristics of PMN J0948+0022 with the other blazars detected by LAT shows that this source has a relatively low radio and gamma-ray power with respect to other FSRQs. The physical parameters obtained from modeling the SED also fall at the low power end of the FSRQ parameter region discussed in Celotti & Ghisellini. We suggest that the similarity of the SED of PMN J0948+0022 to that of more massive and more powerful quasars can be understood in a scenario in which the SED properties depend on the Eddington ratio rather than on the absolute power.
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| 16. |
- Abdo, A. A., et al.
(författare)
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A Population of Gamma-Ray Millisecond Pulsars Seen with the Fermi Large Area Telescope
- 2009
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 325:5942, s. 848-852
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Pulsars are born with subsecond spin periods and slow by electromagnetic braking for several tens of millions of years, when detectable radiation ceases. A second life can occur for neutron stars in binary systems. They can acquire mass and angular momentum from their companions, to be spun up to millisecond periods and begin radiating again. We searched Fermi Large Area Telescope data for pulsations from all known millisecond pulsars (MSPs) outside of globular clusters, using rotation parameters from radio telescopes. Strong gamma-ray pulsations were detected for eight MSPs. The gamma-ray pulse profiles and spectral properties resemble those of young gamma-ray pulsars. The basic emission mechanism seems to be the same for MSPs and young pulsars, with the emission originating in regions far from the neutron star surface.
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| 17. |
- Abdo, A. A., et al.
(författare)
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FERMI/LARGE AREA TELESCOPE BRIGHT GAMMA-RAY SOURCE LIST
- 2009
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0067-0049 .- 1538-4365. ; 183:1, s. 46-66
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Following its launch in 2008 June, the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (Fermi) began a sky survey in August. The Large Area Telescope (LAT) on Fermi in three months produced a deeper and better resolved map of the gamma-ray sky than any previous space mission. We present here initial results for energies above 100 MeV for the 205 most significant (statistical significance greater than similar to 10 sigma) gamma-ray sources in these data. These are the best characterized and best localized point-like (i.e., spatially unresolved) gamma-ray sources in the early mission data.
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| 18. |
- Abdo, A. A., et al.
(författare)
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BRIGHT ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI SOURCE LIST FROM THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THE FERMI LARGE AREA TELESCOPE ALL-SKY SURVEY
- 2009
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 700:1, s. 597-622
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The first three months of sky-survey operation with the Large Area Telescope (LAT) onboard the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope reveal 132 bright sources at |b| > 10 degrees with test statistic greater than 100 ( corresponding to about 10 sigma). Two methods, based on the CGRaBS, CRATES, and BZCat catalogs, indicate high-confidence associations of 106 of these sources with known active galactic nuclei (AGNs). This sample is referred to as the LAT Bright AGN Sample (LBAS). It contains two radio galaxies, namely, Centaurus A and NGC 1275, and 104 blazars consisting of 58 flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs), 42 BL Lac objects, and 4 blazars with unknown classification. Four new blazars were discovered on the basis of the LAT detections. Remarkably, the LBAS includes 10 high-energy-peaked BL Lacs (HBLs), sources which were previously difficult to detect in the GeV range. Another 10 lower-confidence associations are found. Only 33 of the sources, plus two at |b| < 10 degrees, were previously detected with Energetic Gamma-Ray Experiment Telescope( EGRET), probably due to variability. The analysis of the gamma-ray properties of the LBAS sources reveals that the average GeV spectra of BL Lac objects are significantly harder than the spectra of FSRQs. No significant correlation between radio and peak gamma-ray fluxes is observed. Blazar log N-log S distributions and luminosity functions are constructed to investigate the evolution of the different blazar classes, with positive evolution indicated for FSRQs but none for BL Lacs. The contribution of LAT blazars to the total extragalactic gamma-ray intensity is estimated.
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| 19. |
- Abdo, A. A., et al.
(författare)
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Detection of 16 Gamma-Ray Pulsars Through Blind Frequency Searches Using the Fermi LAT
- 2009
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 325:5942, s. 840-844
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Pulsars are rapidly rotating, highly magnetized neutron stars emitting radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum. Although there are more than 1800 known radio pulsars, until recently only seven were observed to pulse in gamma rays, and these were all discovered at other wavelengths. The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) makes it possible to pinpoint neutron stars through their gamma-ray pulsations. We report the detection of 16 gamma-ray pulsars in blind frequency searches using the LAT. Most of these pulsars are coincident with previously unidentified gamma-ray sources, and many are associated with supernova remnants. Direct detection of gamma-ray pulsars enables studies of emission mechanisms, population statistics, and the energetics of pulsar wind nebulae and supernova remnants.
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| 20. |
- Abdo, A. A., et al.
(författare)
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Fermi Large Area Telescope Gamma-Ray Detection of the Radio Galaxy M87
- 2009
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 707:1, s. 55-60
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) discovery of high-energy (MeV/GeV) γ-ray emission positionally consistent with the center of the radio galaxy M87, at a source significance of over 10σ in 10 months of all-sky survey data. Following the detections of Cen A and Per A, this makes M87 the third radio galaxy seen with the LAT. The faint point-like γ-ray source has a >100 MeV flux of 2.45 (±0.63) × 10–8 photons cm–2 s–1 (photon index = 2.26 ± 0.13) with no significant variability detected within the LAT observation. This flux is comparable with the previous EGRET upper limit (<2.18 × 10–8 photons cm–2 s–1, 2σ), thus there is no evidence for a significant MeV/GeV flare on decade timescales. Contemporaneous Chandra and Very Long Baseline Array data indicate low activity in the unresolved X-ray and radio core relative to previous observations, suggesting M87 is in a quiescent overall level over the first year of Fermi-LAT observations. The LAT γ-ray spectrum is modeled as synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission from the electron population producing the radio-to-X-ray emission in the core. The resultant SSC spectrum extrapolates smoothly from the LAT band to the historical-minimum TeV emission. Alternative models for the core and possible contributions from the kiloparsec-scale jet in M87 are considered, and cannot be excluded.
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