Search

Blazar jets are extreme environments, in which relativistic proton interactions with an ultraviolet photon field could give rise to photopion production. High-confidence associations of individual high-energy neutrinos with blazar flares could be achieved via spatially and temporally coincident detections. In 2017, the track-like, extremely high-energy neutrino event IC 170922A was found to coincide with increased γ-ray emission from the blazar TXS 0506+056, leading to the identification of the most promising neutrino point-source candidate so far. We calculate the expected number of neutrino events that can be detected with IceCube, based on a broadband parameterization of bright short-term blazar flares that were observed in the first 6.5 yr of Fermi/Large Area Telescope observations. We find that the integrated keV-to-GeV fluence of most individual blazar flares is far too small to yield a substantial Poisson probability for the detection of one or more neutrinos with IceCube. We show that the sample of potentially detectable high-energy neutrinos from individual blazar flares is rather small. We further show that the blazars 3C 279 and PKS 1510−089 dominate the all-sky neutrino prediction from bright and short-term blazar flares. In the end, we discuss strategies to search for more significant associations in future data unblindings of IceCube and KM3NeT

Dwarf spheroidal galaxy satellites of the Milky Way are prime targets for indirect detection of dark matter with gamma rays due to their proximity, high dark matter content, and absence of nonthermal emission processes. Recently, the Dark Energy Survey (DES) revealed the existence of new ultrafaint dwarf spheroidal galaxies in the southern-hemisphere sky, therefore ideally located for ground-based observations with the imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescope array H.E.S.S. We present a search for very-high-energy ( E ≳ 100 GeV ) gamma-ray emission using H.E.S.S. observations carried out recently towards Reticulum II, Tucana II, Tucana III, Tucana IV, and Grus II satellites. No significant very-high-energy gamma-ray excess is found from the observations on any individual object nor in the combined analysis of all the datasets. Using the most recent modeling of the dark matter distribution in the dwarf galaxy halo, we compute for the first time on DES satellites individual and combined constraints from Cherenkov telescope observations on the annihilation cross section of dark matter particles in the form of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles. The combined 95% C.L. observed upper limits reach ⟨ σ v ⟩ ≃ 1 × 10 − 23 cm 3 s − 1 in the W + W − channel and 4 × 10 − 26 cm 3 s − 1 in the γ γ channels for a dark matter mass of 1.5 TeV. The H.E.S.S. constraints well complement the results from Fermi-LAT, HAWC, MAGIC, and VERITAS and are currently the most stringent in the γ γ channels in the multi-GeV/multi-TeV mass range.

We report on the detection of very high energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) γ-ray emission from the BL Lac objects KUV 00311−1938 and PKS 1440−389 with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.). H.E.S.S. observations were accompanied or preceded by multiwavelength observations with Fermi/LAT, XRT and UVOT onboard the Swift satellite, and ATOM. Based on an extrapolation of the Fermi/LAT spectrum towards the VHE γ-ray regime, we deduce a 95 per cent confidence level upper limit on the unknown redshift of KUV 00311−1938 of z < 0.98 and of PKS 1440−389 of z < 0.53. When combined with previous spectroscopy results, the redshift of KUV 00311−1938 is constrained to 0.51 ≤ z < 0.98 and of PKS 1440−389 to 0.14 ⪅ z < 0.53

Gamma-ray emitting narrow-line Seyfert 1 (γ-NLS1) galaxies possibly harbour relatively low-mass black holes (106–108 M⊙) accreting close to the Eddington limit, and share many characteristics with their sibling sources, flat-spectrum radio quasars. Although they have been detected in the MeV–GeV band with Fermi–LAT, they have never been seen in the very high energy band with current imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs). Thus, they are key targets for the next-generation IACT, the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). In a previous work we selected, by means of extensive simulations, the best candidates for a prospective CTA detection (SBS 0846+513, PMN J0948+0022, and PKS 1502+036) taking into account the effects of both the intrinsic absorption (approximated with a cut-off at 30 GeV), and the extragalactic background light on the propagation of γ-rays. In this work, we simulate the spectra of these three sources by adopting more realistic broad-line region (BLR) absorption models. In particular, we consider the detailed treatment of γ–γ absorption in the radiation fields of the BLR as a function of the location of the γ-ray emission region with parameters inferred from observational constraints. We find that, due to the energy range extent and its sensitivity, CTA is particularly well suited to locate the γ-ray emitting region in γ-NLS1. In particular CTA will be able not only to distinguish whether the γ-ray emitting region is located inside or outside the BLR, but also where inside the BLR it may be

We report on the first detection of very high-energy gamma-ray emission from the Crab Nebula by a Cherenkov telescope in dual-mirror Schwarzschild-Couder (SC) configuration. This result has been achieved by means of the 4 m ASTRI-Horn telescope, operated on Mt. Etna, Italy, and developed in the context of the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory preparatory phase. The dual-mirror SC design is aplanatic and characterized by a small plate scale, which allows us to implement large cameras with a large field of view, with small-size pixel sensors and a high level of compactness. The curved focal plane of the ASTRI camera is covered by silicon photo-multipliers, managed by an unconventional frontend electronic system that is based on a customized peak-sensing detector mode. The system includes internal and external calibration systems, hardware and software for control and acquisition, and the complete data archiving and processing chain. These observations of the Crab Nebula were carried out in December 2018 during the telescope verification phase for a total observation time (after data selection) of 24.4 h, equally divided between on- and off-axis source exposure. The camera system was still under commission and its functionality was not yet completely exploited. Furthermore, due to recent eruptions of the Etna Volcano, the mirror reflection efficiency was reduced. Nevertheless, the observations led to the detection of the source with a statistical significance of 5.4σ above an energy threshold of ∼3 TeV. This result provides an important step toward the use of dual-mirror systems in Cherenkov gamma-ray astronomy. A pathfinder mini-array based on nine ASTRI-like telescopes with a large field-of-view is in the course of implementation

Context. Flat-spectrum radio-quasars (FSRQs) are rarely detected at very high energies (E ≥ 100 GeV) due to their low-frequency-peaked spectral energy distributions. At present, only six FSRQs are known to emit very high-energy (VHE) photons, representing only 7% of the VHE extragalactic catalog, which is largely dominated by high-frequency-peaked BL Lacertae objects. Aims. Following the detection of MeV–GeV γ-ray flaring activity from the FSRQ PKS 0736+017 (z = 0.189) with Fermi-LAT, the H.E.S.S. array of Cherenkov telescopes triggered target-of-opportunity (ToO) observations on February 18, 2015, with the goal of studying the γ-ray emission in the VHE band. Methods. H.E.S.S. ToO observations were carried out during the nights of February 18, 19, 21, and 24, 2015. Together with Fermi-LAT, the multi-wavelength coverage of the flare includes Swift observations in soft X-ray and optical-UV bands, and optical monitoring (photometry and spectro-polarimetry) by the Steward Observatory, and the ATOM, the KAIT, and the ASAS-SN telescopes. Results. VHE emission from PKS 0736+017 was detected with H.E.S.S. only during the night of February 19, 2015. Fermi-LAT data indicate the presence of a γ-ray flare, peaking at the time of the H.E.S.S. detection, with a flux doubling timescale of around six hours. The γ-ray flare was accompanied by at least a 1 mag brightening of the non-thermal optical continuum. No simultaneous observations at longer wavelengths are available for the night of the H.E.S.S. detection. The γ-ray observations with H.E.S.S. and Fermi-LAT are used to put constraints on the location of the γ-ray emitting region during the flare: it is constrained to be just outside the radius of the broad-line region rBLR with a bulk Lorentz factor Γ ' 20, or at the level of the radius of the dusty torus rtorus with Γ ' 60. Conclusions. PKS 0736+017 is the seventh FSRQ known to emit VHE photons, and at z = 0.189 is the nearest so far. The location of the γ-ray emitting region

The detection of the first electromagnetic counterpart to the binary neutron star (BNS) merger remnant GW170817 established the connection between short γ-ray bursts and BNS mergers. It also confirmed the forging of heavy elements in the ejecta (a so-called kilonova) via the r-process nucleosynthesis. The appearance of nonthermal radio and X-ray emission, as well as the brightening, which lasted more than 100 days, were somewhat unexpected. Current theoretical models attempt to explain this temporal behavior as either originating from a relativistic off-axis jet or a kilonova-like outflow. In either scenario, there is some ambiguity regarding how much energy is transported in the nonthermal electrons versus the magnetic field of the emission region. Combining the Very Large Array (radio) and Chandra (X-ray) measurements with observations in the GeV–TeV domain can help break this ambiguity, almost independently of the assumed origin of the emission. Here we report for the first time on deep H.E.S.S. observations of GW170817/GRB 170817A between 124 and 272 days after the BNS merger with the full H.E.S.S. array of telescopes, as well as on an updated analysis of the prompt (<5 days) observations with the upgraded H.E.S.S. phase-I telescopes. We discuss implications of the H.E.S.S. measurement for the magnetic field in the context of different source scenarios

We present the earliest astronomical observation of a high-energy neutrino error box of which the variability was discovered after high-energy-neutrino detection. The one robotic telescope of the MASTER global international networks automatically imaged the error box of the very high-energy-neutrino event IceCube-170922A. Observations were carried out in minutes after the IceCube-170922A neutrino event was detected by the IceCube observatory at the South Pole. MASTER found the blazar TXS 0506+056 to be in the off-state after one minute and then switched to the on-state no later than two hours after the event. The effect is observed at a 50σ significance level. We also present own a unique 16 yr light curve of blazar TXS 0506+056 (518 data set)

The gSeaGen code is a GENIE-based application developed to efficiently generate high statistics samples of events, induced by neutrino interactions, detectable in a neutrino telescope. The gSeaGen code is able to generate events induced by all neutrino flavours, considering topological differences between track-type and shower-like events. Neutrino interactions are simulated taking into account the density and the composition of the media surrounding the detector. The main features of gSeaGen are presented together with some examples of its application within the KM3NeT project

The Crab nebula is one of the most-studied cosmic particle accelerators, shining brightly across the entire electromagnetic spectrum up to very-high-energy gamma rays1,2. It is known from observations in the radio to gamma-ray part of the spectrum that the nebula is powered by a pulsar, which converts most of its rotational energy losses into a highly relativistic outflow. This outflow powers a pulsar wind nebula, a region of up to ten light-years across, filled with relativistic electrons and positrons. These particles emit synchrotron photons in the ambient magnetic field and produce very-high-energy gamma rays by Compton up-scattering of ambient low-energy photons. Although the synchrotron morphology of the nebula is well established, it has not been known from which region the very-high-energy gamma rays are emitted3,4,5,6,7,8. Here we report that the Crab nebula has an angular extension at gamma-ray energies of 52 arcseconds (assuming a Gaussian source width), much larger than at X-ray energies. This result closes a gap in the multi-wavelength coverage of the nebula, revealing the emission region of the highest-energy gamma rays. These gamma rays enable us to probe a previously inaccessible electron and positron energy range. We find that simulations of the electromagnetic emission reproduce our measurement, providing a non-trivial test of our understanding of particle acceleration in the Crab nebula

The IceCube event IceCube-170922A appears to originate from the BL Lac object TXS 0506+056. Despite many other BL Lac objects showing similar properties as TXS 0506+056, such as multiwavelength variability or a curved jet, so far, only TXS 0506+056 has been identified as neutrino emitter. The pc-scale jet of TXS 0506+056 might thus reveal special properties. We performed a detailed study of radio images of the jet obtained at 15 GHz (16 VLBA observations between Jan. 2009 and May 2018). Our results suggest that the jet is extremely strongly curved and most likely observable under a very special viewing angle of close to zero. We might see interaction between jet features which cross each others’ paths. An alternative, less likely scenario is, that we do not see the signature of one but of two jets. In both cases, we find evidence for a collision of jetted material. We propose that the enhanced neutrino activity during the neutrino flare in 2014 - 2015 and the single EHE neutrino IceCube170922A were generated by a cosmic collision within TXS 0506+056. This seems to be the first time, that a collision within a jet is reported. And obviously, this is the first time that the detection of a cosmic neutrino can be traced back to a cosmic jet-collision

Here we report the results of the first ever contemporaneous multi-wavelength observation campaign on the BL Lac object PKS 2155−304 involving Swift, NuSTAR, Fermi-LAT, and H.E.S.S. The use of these instruments allows us to cover a broad energy range, which is important for disentangling the different radiative mechanisms. The source, observed from June 2013 to October 2013, was found in a low flux state with respect to previous observations but exhibited highly significant flux variability in the X-rays. The high-energy end of the synchrotron spectrum can be traced up to 40 keV without significant contamination by high-energy emission. A one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model was used to reproduce the broadband flux of the source for all the observations presented here but failed for previous observations made in April 2013. A lepto-hadronic solution was then explored to explain these earlier observational results

We wish to correct the definition of the comoving target photon energy density in Section 4 of the published article

We present a detailed analysis of the effects of magnetic field topology on the spectral energy distribution (SED) and spectral variability patterns (SVPs) of blazars. In order to study these effects, we have extended our time-dependent leptonic jet model (in the internal shock scenario) to include the dependence of the synchrotron emissivity on the angle between the photon direction and the magnetic field in the plasma frame. We have explored the effects of different magnetic field geometries, such as parallel, perpendicular, oblique, toroidal, and helical, on the simulated SEDs and SVPs of a generic blazar for both purely ordered and disordered components of fields. These considerations provide either upper or lower limits to the impact on blazar emission, depending on the fraction of a disordered component present and the viewing angle. The results of our work point out some of the signatures that the orientations can leave on the SEDs and SVPs of a blazar. For example, in the case of a purely oblique field, if the magnetic field is aligned along the line of sight (in the plasma frame), it results in an annulment of the synchrotron component while keeping the flux level of the high-energy component intact. On the other hand, in the presence of a disordered component, the impact of an oblique field is reduced, and the same effect is not observed

The KM3NeT research infrastructure is currently under construction at two locations in the Mediterranean Sea. The KM3NeT/ORCA water-Cherenkov neutrino detector off the French coast will instrument several megatons of seawater with photosensors. Its main objective is the determination of the neutrino mass ordering. This work aims at demonstrating the general applicability of deep convolutional neural networks to neutrino telescopes, using simulated datasets for the KM3NeT/ORCA detector as an example. To this end, the networks are employed to achieve reconstruction and classification tasks that constitute an alternative to the analysis pipeline presented for KM3NeT/ORCA in the KM3NeT Letter of Intent. They are used to infer event reconstruction estimates for the energy, the direction, and the interaction point of incident neutrinos. The spatial distribution of Cherenkov light generated by charged particles induced in neutrino interactions is classified as shower- or track-like, and the main background processes associated with the detection of atmospheric neutrinos are recognized. Performance comparisons to machine-learning classification and maximum-likelihood reconstruction algorithms previously developed for KM3NeT/ORCA are provided. It is shown that this application of deep convolutional neural networks to simulated datasets for a large-volume neutrino telescope yields competitive reconstruction results and performance improvements with respect to classical approaches

We present high-cadence multifrequency radio observations of the long gamma-ray burst (GRB) 190829A, which was detected at photon energies above 100 GeV by the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.). Observations with the Meer Karoo Array Telescope (MeerKAT, 1.3 GHz) and Arcminute Microkelvin Imager – Large Array (AMI-LA, 15.5 GHz) began one day post-burst and lasted nearly 200 d. We used complementary data from Swift X-Ray Telescope (XRT), which ran to 100 d post-burst. We detected a likely forward shock component with both MeerKAT and XRT up to over 100 d post-burst. Conversely, the AMI-LA light curve appears to be dominated by reverse shock emission until around 70 d post-burst when the afterglow flux drops below the level of the host galaxy. We also present previously unpublished observations of the other H.E.S.S.-detected GRB, GRB 180720B from AMI-LA, which shows likely forward shock emission that fades in less than 10 d. We present a comparison between the radio emission from the three GRBs with detected very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray emission and a sensitivity-limited radio afterglow sample. GRB 190829A has the lowest isotropic radio luminosity of any GRB in our sample, but the distribution of luminosities is otherwise consistent, as expected, with the VHE GRBs being drawn from the same parent distribution as the other radio-detected long GRBs

The recent spatial and temporal coincidence of the blazar TXS 0506+056 with the IceCube-detected neutrino event IC-170922A has opened up a realm of multimessenger astronomy with blazar jets as a plausible site of cosmic-ray acceleration. After TXS 0506+056, a second blazar, BZB J0955+3551, was recently found to be spatially coincident with the IceCube-detected neutrino event IC-200107A and undergoing its brightest X-ray flare measured so far. Here we present the results of our multifrequency campaign to study this peculiar event that includes observations with the NuSTAR, Swift, Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER), and 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). The optical spectroscopic observation from GTC secured its redshift as $z={0.55703}_{-0.00021}^{+0.00033}$ and the central black hole mass as ${10}^{8.90\pm 0.16}$ ${M}_{\odot }$. Both NuSTAR and NICER data reveal a rapid flux variability, albeit at low significance ($\lesssim 3.5\sigma $). We explore the origin of the target photon field needed for the photopion production using analytical calculations and considering the observed optical-to-X-ray flux level. We conclude that seed photons may originate from outside the jet, similar to that reported for TXS 0506+056, although a scenario invoking a comoving target photon field (e.g., electron synchrotron) cannot be ruled out. The electromagnetic output from the neutrino-producing photohadronic processes are likely to make only a subdominant contribution to the observed spectral energy distribution, suggesting that the X-ray flaring event may not be directly connected with IC-200107A

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are brief flashes of γ-rays and are considered to be the most energetic explosive phenomena in the Universe1. The emission from GRBs comprises a short (typically tens of seconds) and bright prompt emission, followed by a much longer afterglow phase. During the afterglow phase, the shocked outflow—produced by the interaction between the ejected matter and the circumburst medium—slows down, and a gradual decrease in brightness is observed2. GRBs typically emit most of their energy via γ-rays with energies in the kiloelectronvolt-to-megaelectronvolt range, but a few photons with energies of tens of gigaelectronvolts have been detected by space-based instruments3. However, the origins of such high-energy (above one gigaelectronvolt) photons and the presence of very-high-energy (more than 100 gigaelectronvolts) emission have remained elusive4. Here we report observations of very-high-energy emission in the bright GRB 180720B deep in the GRB afterglow—ten hours after the end of the prompt emission phase, when the X-ray flux had already decayed by four orders of magnitude. Two possible explanations exist for the observed radiation: inverse Compton emission and synchrotron emission of ultrarelativistic electrons. Our observations show that the energy fluxes in the X-ray and γ-ray range and their photon indices remain comparable to each other throughout the afterglow. This discovery places distinct constraints on the GRB environment for both emission mechanisms, with the inverse Compton explanation alleviating the particle energy requirements for the emission observed at late times. The late timing of this detection has consequences for the future observations of GRBs at the highest energies

Context. Pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) represent the most prominent population of Galactic very-high-energy gamma-ray sources and are thought to be an efficient source of leptonic cosmic rays. Vela X is a nearby middle-aged PWN, which shows bright X-ray and TeV gamma-ray emission towards an elongated structure called the cocoon. Aims. Since TeV emission is likely inverse-Compton emission of electrons, predominantly from interactions with the cosmic microwave background, while X-ray emission is synchrotron radiation of the same electrons, we aim to derive the properties of the relativistic particles and of magnetic fields with minimal modelling. Methods. We used data from the Suzaku XIS to derive the spectra from three compact regions in Vela X covering distances from 0.3 to 4 pc from the pulsar along the cocoon. We obtained gamma-ray spectra of the same regions from H.E.S.S. observations and fitted a radiative model to the multi-wavelength spectra. Results. The TeV electron spectra and magnetic field strengths are consistent within the uncertainties for the three regions, with energy densities of the order 10−12 erg cm−3. The data indicate the presence of a cutoff in the electron spectrum at energies of ~ 100 TeV and a magnetic field strength of ~6 μG. Constraints on the presence of turbulent magnetic fields are weak. Conclusions. The pressure of TeV electrons and magnetic fields in the cocoon is dynamically negligible, requiring the presence of another dominant pressure component to balance the pulsar wind at the termination shock. Sub-TeV electrons cannot completely account for the missing pressure, which may be provided either by relativistic ions or from mixing of the ejecta with the pulsar wind. The electron spectra are consistent with expectations from transport scenarios dominated either by advection via the reverse shock or by diffusion, but for the latter the role of radiative losses near the termination shock needs to be further investigated in the light of t

In this work, we present a spectral and temporal analysis of Swift/XRT and NuSTAR observations of GRS 1716–249 during its recent 2016–2017 outburst. This low-mass X-ray binary underwent an extraordinary outburst after a long quiescence of 23 yr, since its last major outburst in 1993. The source was observed over two different epochs during 2017 April 7 and 10. The best-fitting joint spectral fitting in the energy range 0.5–79.0 keV indicates that the spectrum is best described by relatively cold, weak disc blackbody emission, dominant thermal Comptonization emission, and a relativistically broadened fluorescent iron K α emission line. We observed a clear indication of a Compton hump around 30 keV. We also detected an excess feature of 1.3 keV. Assuming a lamp-post geometry of the corona, we constrained the inner disc radius for both observations to 11.92+8.62 −11.92 RISCO (i.e. an upper limit) and 10.39+9.51 −3.02 RISCO (where RISCO ≡ radius of the innermost stable circular orbit) for the first epoch (E1) and second epoch (E2), respectively. A significant (5σ) type C quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) at 1.20 ± 0.04 Hz is detected for the first time for GRS 1716–249, which drifts to 1.55 ± 0.04 Hz (6σ) at the end of the second observation. The derived spectral and temporal properties show a positive correlation between the QPO frequency and the photon index

The flat spectrum radio quasar 3C 279 is known to exhibit pronounced variability in the high-energy (100 MeV < E < 100 GeV) γ-ray band, which is continuously monitored with Fermi-LAT. During two periods of high activity in April 2014 and June 2015 target-of-opportunity observations were undertaken with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) in the very-high-energy (VHE, E > 100 GeV) γ-ray domain. While the observation in 2014 provides an upper limit, the observation in 2015 results in a signal with 8.7σ significance above an energy threshold of 66 GeV. No VHE variability was detected during the 2015 observations. The VHE photon spectrum is soft and described by a power-law index of 4.2 ± 0.3. The H.E.S.S. data along with a detailed and contemporaneous multiwavelength data set provide constraints on the physical parameters of the emission region. The minimum distance of the emission region from the central black hole was estimated using two plausible geometries of the broad-line region and three potential intrinsic spectra. The emission region is confidently placed at r ≳ 1.7 × 1017 cm from the black hole, that is beyond the assumed distance of the broad-line region. Time-dependent leptonic and lepto-hadronic one-zone models were used to describe the evolution of the 2015 flare. Neither model can fully reproduce the observations, despite testing various parameter sets. Furthermore, the H.E.S.S. data were used to derive constraints on Lorentz invariance violation given the large redshift of 3C 279

Context. We present a detailed view of the pulsar wind nebula (PWN) HESS J1825–137. We aim to constrain the mechanisms dominating the particle transport within the nebula, accounting for its anomalously large size and spectral characteristics. Aims. The nebula was studied using a deep exposure from over 12 years of H.E.S.S. I operation, together with data from H.E.S.S. II that improve the low-energy sensitivity. Enhanced energy-dependent morphological and spatially resolved spectral analyses probe the very high energy (VHE, E > 0.1 TeV) γ-ray properties of the nebula. Methods. The nebula emission is revealed to extend out to 1.5° from the pulsar, ~1.5 times farther than previously seen, making HESS J1825–137, with an intrinsic diameter of ~100 pc, potentially the largest γ-ray PWN currently known. Characterising the strongly energy-dependent morphology of the nebula enables us to constrain the particle transport mechanisms. A dependence of the nebula extent with energy of R ∝ Eα with α = −0.29 ± 0.04stat ± 0.05sys disfavours a pure diffusion scenario for particle transport within the nebula. The total γ-ray flux of the nebula above 1 TeV is found to be (1.12 ± 0.03stat ± 0.25sys) × 10−11 cm−2 s−1, corresponding to ~64% of the flux of the Crab nebula. Results. HESS J1825–137 is a PWN with clearly energy-dependent morphology at VHE γ-ray energies. This source is used as a laboratory to investigate particle transport within intermediate-age PWNe. Based on deep observations of this highly spatially extended PWN, we produce a spectral map of the region that provides insights into the spectral variation within the nebula

Fermi-LAT observations have proven that GeV γ-ray emission is a relatively common feature for many Gamma Ray Bursts (GRB). However the low effective area of space detectors implies low statistics for high-energy photons which prevent any physical interpretation at such energy range. The current generation of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) arrays of > 104 m2 effective area above a few tens of GeV is able to detect higher-energy photons. The High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) is one of the current generation of IACTs. The large light collection area of the largest telescope and its fast slewing make it perfectly suitable to observe γ rays below 100 GeV with an unprecedented sensitivity. Several tens of GRBs have been observed since 2007. This contribution is about the results of this large sample of observation above a few tens of GeV

High-redshift blazars (z ≥ 2.5) are one of the most powerful classes of γ-ray sources in the Universe. These objects possess the highest jet powers and luminosities and have black-hole masses often in excess of 109 solar masses. In addition, high-redshift blazars are important cosmological probes and serve as test objects for blazar evolution models. Due to their large distance, their high-energy emission peaks are often downshifted to energies below the GeV range, which makes them difficult to study with Fermi/LAT and only the very brightest objects are detectable. Hence, only a small number of high-redshift blazars could be detected with Fermi/LAT so far. In this work, we present a strategy to increase the detection statistics at redshift z ≥ 2.5 via a search for flaring events in high-redshift γ-ray blazars whose long-term flux is just below the sensitivity limit of Fermi/LAT. Seven previously GeV undetected high-redshift blazars have been identified from their bright monthly outburst periods, while more detections are expected in the future

Blazar jets are extreme environments, in which relativistic proton interactions with an ultraviolet photon field could give rise to photopion production. High-confidence associations of individual high-energy neutrinos with blazar flares could be achieved via spatially and temporally coincident detections. In 2017, the track-like, extremely high-energy neutrino event IC 170922A was found to coincide with increased γ-ray emission from the blazar TXS 0506+056, leading to the identification of the most promising neutrino source candidate so far. We test the chance coincidence of such events by calculating the expected number of neutrinos that can be detected by IceCube, based on a broadband parametrization of bright short-term blazar flares that were observed in the past 8 years by Fermi/LAT. We find that the integrated keV-to-GeV fluence of most individual blazar flares is far too small to yield a substantial Poisson probability for the detection of one or more neutrinos with IceCube. In contrast to such short-term flares that usually last only a few days or less, TXS0506+056 did show a major outburst that lasted several months, giving rise to a much higher fluence than most short blazar flares. We show, based on the calorimetric argumentation presented in this work, that the association of the IC 170922A neutrino with TXS 0506+056 is energetically plausible at a significance level of about 3.5 sigma. We further discuss strategies to search for more significant associations in future data unblindings of IceCube and KM3NeT

We present a procedure to generally constrain the environments of neutrino-producing sites in photomeson production models of jetted active galactic nuclei (AGNs) where any origin of the dominant target photon field can be accommodated. For this purpose we reconstruct the minimum target photon spectrum required to produce the (observed) neutrino spectrum, and derive the distributions of all corresponding secondary particles. These initiate electromagnetic cascades with an efficiency that is linked to the neutrino production rate. The derived photon spectra represent the minimum radiation emerging from the source that is strictly associated with the photohadronically produced neutrinos. Using the 2014/15 neutrino spectrum observed by IceCube from TXS 0506+056, we conduct a comprehensive study of these cascade spectra and compare them to the simultaneous multiwavelength emission. For this set of observations, photopion production from a cospatially produced (comoving) photon target can be ruled out as well as a setup where synchrotron- or synchrotron–Compton-supported cascades on a stationary (AGN rest frame) target photon field operate in this source. However, a scenario where Compton-driven cascades develop in the stationary soft X-ray photon target, which photohadronically produced the observed neutrinos, appears feasible with required proton kinetic jet powers near the Eddington limit. The source is then found to produce neutrinos inefficiently, and emits GeV photons significantly below the observed Fermi-Large Area Telescope flux. Hence, the neutrinos and the bulk of the gamma-rays observed in 2014/15 from TXS 0506+056 cannot have been initiated by the same process

The FSRQ CTA 102 (z=1.032) has been tremendously active over the last few years. During its peak activity lasting several months in late 2016 and early 2017, the gamma-ray and optical fluxes rose by up to a factor 100 above the quiescence level. We have interpreted the peak activity as the ablation of a gas cloud by the relativistic jet, which can nicely account for the monthslong lightcurve in 2016 and 2017. The peak activity was in the middle of a 2-year-long highstate, which was characterized by increased fluxes and increased rms variability compared to the previous low-states, and which was flanked by two bright flares. In this presentation, we put the cloud-ablation scenario into the broader context of the 2-year-long high-stat

Mildly relativistic shocks that are embedded in colliding magnetohydrodynamic flows are prime sites for relativistic particle acceleration and the production of strongly variable, polarized multi-wavelength emission from relativistic jet sources such as blazars and gamma-ray bursts. The principal energization mechanisms at these shocks are diffusive shock acceleration and shock drift acceleration. In recent work, we had self-consistently coupled shock acceleration and radiation transfer simulations in blazar jets in a basic one-zone scenario. These one-zone models revealed that the observed spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of blazars strongly constrain the nature of the hydromagnetic turbulence in the shock layer. In this paper, we expand our previous work by including full time dependence and treating two zones, one being the site of acceleration and the other a larger emission zone. This construction is applied to multi-wavelength flares of the flat-spectrum radio quasar (FSRQ) 3C 279, fitting snapshot SEDs and generating light curves that are consistent with observed variability timescales. We also present a generic study for the typical flaring behavior of the BL Lac object Mrk 501. The model predicts correlated variability across all wavebands, but cross-band time lags depending on the type of blazar (FSRQ versus BL Lac), as well as distinctive spectral hysteresis patterns in all wavelength bands, from millimeter radio waves to gamma-rays. These evolutionary signatures serve to provide diagnostics on the competition between acceleration and radiative cooling

Context. The neutrino event IceCube−170922A appears to originate from the BL Lac object TXS 0506+056. To understand the neutrino creation process and to localize the emission site, we studied the radio images of the jet at 15 GHz. Aims. Other BL Lac objects show properties similar to those of TXS 0506+056, such as multiwavelength variability or a curved jet. However, to date only TXS 0506+056 has been identified as neutrino emitter. The aim of this paper is to determine what makes the parsec-scale jet of TXS 0506+056 specific in this respect. Methods. We reanalyzed and remodeled 16 VLBA 15 GHz observations between 2009 and 2018. We thoroughly examined the jet kinematics and flux-density evolution of individual jet components during the time of enhanced neutrino activity between September 2014 and March 2015, and in particular before and after the neutrino event. Results. Our results suggest that the jet is very strongly curved and most likely observable under a special viewing angle of close to zero. We may observe the interaction between jet features that cross each other’s paths. We find subsequent flux-density flaring of six components passing the likely collision site. In addition, we find a strong indication for precession of the inner jet, and model a precession period of about 10 yr via the Lense-Thirring effect. We discuss an alternative scenario, which is the interpretation of observing the signature of two jets within TXS 0506+056, again hinting toward a collision of jetted material. We essentially suggest that the neutrino emission may result from the interaction of jetted material in combination with a special viewing angle and jet precession. Conclusions. We propose that the enhanced neutrino activity during the neutrino flare in 2014–2015 and the single EHE neutrino IceCube-170922A could have been generated by a cosmic collision within TXS 0506+056. Our findings seem capable of explaining the neutrino generation at the time of a low gamma-ray flux and

PKS 1830–211 is a known macrolensed quasar located at a redshift of z = 2.5. Its high-energy gamma-ray emission has been detected with the Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) instrument and evidence for lensing was obtained by several authors from its high-energy data. Observations of PKS 1830–211 were taken with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) array of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes in 2014 August, following a flare alert by the Fermi-LAT Collaboration. The H.E.S.S observations were aimed at detecting a gamma-ray flare delayed by 20–27 d from the alert flare, as expected from observations at other wavelengths. More than 12 h of good-quality data were taken with an analysis threshold of ∼67 GeV. The significance of a potential signal is computed as a function of the date and the average significance over the whole period. Data are compared to simultaneous observations by Fermi-LAT. No photon excess or significant signal is detected. An upper limit on PKS 1830–211 flux above 67 GeV is computed and compared to the extrapolation of the Fermi-LAT flare spectrum

We present results of a variability study in the optical band of 44 newly identified blazar candidates behind the Magellanic Clouds. Our sample contains 27 flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) and 17 BL Lacertae objects (BL Lacs). However, only nine of them are considered as secure blazar candidates, while the classification of the remaining 35 objects is still uncertain. All studied blazar candidates possess infrequently sampled optical light curves (LCs) in I filter provided by the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment group. The LCs were analysed with the Lomb-Scargle periodogram, the Hurst exponent H, and the A −T plane, to look for blazar-like characteristic features and to study the long-term behaviour of the optical fluxes. The power law (PL) indices of the Lomb-Scargle power spectral density (PSD) of the FSRQ blazar candidates mostly lie in the range (1,2). In case of the BL Lacs they are located in the range (1,1.8). The PL PSD is indicative of a self-affine stochastic process characterised by H, underlying the observed variability. We find that the majority of analysed objects have H ≤ 0.5, indicating short-term memory, whereas four BL Lacs and two FSRQs have H > 0.5, implying long-term memory. 41 blazar candidates are located in the A −T plane in the region available to PL plus Poisson noise processes. Interestingly, one FSRQ is located marginally below this region, while two FSRQs lie above the line T = 2/3, i.e. they are even more noisy than white noise. The BL Lac candidates are characterised by higher A values than FSRQs, i.e. 0.71±0.06 and 0.29±0.05, respectively

Jets in blazars are an excellent forum for studying acceleration at relativistic shocks using the highly-variable emission seen across the electromagnetic spectrum. Our recent work on combining multi-wavelength leptonic emission models with simulated thermal+non-thermal distributions from shock acceleration theory has resulted in new insights into plasma conditions in blazars. This has demonstrated the ability to infer the cyclotron frequency, the plasma density and thus also the Alfven speed, thereby determining the rapidity of particle energization. An important inference was that MHD turbulence levels decline with remoteness from jet shocks. This paper outlines new results from our recent extension of this program to a two-zone, time-evolving construction, modeling together both extended, enhanced emission states from larger radiative regions, and prompt flare events from compact acceleration zones. These are applied to flares in the FSRQ blazar 3C 279 monitored by Fermi-LAT in gamma-rays in late 2013. With impulsive injection episodes from the shock zone, as the acceleration first proceeds and then abates, the radiative simulations obtain a pronounced spectral hardening in the optical and gamma-ray bands as the flare grows, followed by a softening during the decay phase. For 3C 279, while model radio and X-ray synchrotron flares are temporally correlated, there is a lag in both bands relative to GeV gamma rays and optical emission on timescales of a number of hours. This delay is governed by the short cooling time associated with the bright external Compton signal

Young core-collapse supernovae with dense-wind progenitors may be able to accelerate cosmic-ray hadrons beyond the knee of the cosmic-ray spectrum, and this may result in measurable gamma-ray emission. We searched for gamma-ray emission from ten supernovae observed with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) within a year of the supernova event. Nine supernovae were observed serendipitously in the H.E.S.S. data collected between December 2003 and December 2014, with exposure times ranging from 1.4 to 53 h. In addition we observed SN 2016adj as a target of opportunity in February 2016 for 13 h. No significant gamma-ray emission has been detected for any of the objects, and upper limits on the >1 TeV gamma-ray flux of the order of ~10−13 cm−2s−1 are established, corresponding to upper limits on the luminosities in the range ~2 × 1039 to ~1 × 1042 erg s−1. These values are used to place model-dependent constraints on the mass-loss rates of the progenitor stars, implying upper limits between ~2 × 10−5 and ~2 × 10−3 M⊙ yr−1 under reasonable assumptions on the particle acceleration parameters

Relativistic jets associated with active galactic nuclei (AGN) produce radiation over a large range of the electromagnetic spectrum. While relativistic magneto-hydrodynamic (RMHD) simulations have become a powerful tool to model the physical structure of jets, in order to correlate them to observations, estimates of the radiation must also be determined. We present the initial results from a study to calculate the multi-wavelength radiation by applying Monte-Carlo methods, using the parameters provided by the RMHD simulations. We present our initial implementation of a Monte Carlo code that interfaces with the RMHD simulation of a steady state axis-symmetric jet created using the PLUTO code. Properties such as the number density, energy density, magnetic field and bulk Lorentz factor are obtained from the RMHD simulations and used to generate a synchrotron photon distribution in each cell. These photons are tracked as they move through the simulation environment and undergoes inverse Compton scattering. Each photon is recorded when it exits the simulation domain and is used to construct multi-wavelength SEDs and light curves. This will provide a time-dependent, multi-zone Synchrotron Self-Compton (SSC) emission model for RMHD simulations

Recently, the gamma-ray blazar TXS 0506+056 has been proposed as the source of neutrino events detected by IceCube in 2014-15 and 2017. This has further pushed the idea of blazar jets being among those cosmic sites where significant neutrino production may take place. We use a procedure based on source-internal electromagnetic cascading to constrain the environments of neutrino-producing sites in photomeson production models of jetted AGN. The role of external photon fields as the dominant target for particle-photon interactions including possible effects of the anisotropic nature of the interactions in the co-moving jet frame is discussed. We apply this procedure to the 2014-15 neutrino spectrum observed by IceCube from TXS 0506+056 to conduct a comprehensive study of these cascade spectra. By comparing these to the simultaneous multi-wavelength emission of this blazar constraints on the environment of the neutrino-emitting region are derived

Context. Recently, the high-energy (HE, 0.1–100 GeV) γ-ray emission from the object LMC P3 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) has been discovered to be modulated with a 10.3-day period, making it the first extra-galactic γ-ray binary. Aim. This work aims at the detection of very-high-energy (VHE, >100 GeV) γ-ray emission and the search for modulation of the VHE signal with the orbital period of the binary system. Methods. LMC P3 has been observed with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.); the acceptance-corrected exposure time is 100 h. The data set has been folded with the known orbital period of the system in order to test for variability of the emission. Results. VHE γ-ray emission is detected with a statistical significance of 6.4 σ. The data clearly show variability which is phase-locked to the orbital period of the system. Periodicity cannot be deduced from the H.E.S.S. data set alone. The orbit-averaged luminosity in the 1–10 TeV energy range is (1.4 ± 0.2) × 1035 erg s−1. A luminosity of (5 ± 1) × 1035 erg s−1 is reached during 20% of the orbit. HE and VHE γ-ray emissions are anti-correlated. LMC P3 is the most luminous γ-ray binary known so far

The supermassive black holes in the centres of active galaxies (AGN) eject powerful relativistic jets which propagate over kpc scales, showing no significant momentum loss. Both observational evidence as well as theoretical considerations from MHD simulations of jets suggest that they are radially stratified, with a fast inner spine surrounded by a slower-moving outer sheath. The resulting relativistic shear layers are a prime candidate for the site of relativistic particle acceleration in the jets of AGN and gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). We present results of particle-in-cell simulations of magnetic-field generation in the relativistic shear boundary layers of jets in AGN and GRBs. We outline future plans to include a self-consistent calculation of radiation produced by the particles accelerated at these shear boundary layers

In late 2016 and early 2017, the flat spectrum radio quasar CTA 102 exhibited a very strong and long-lasting outburst. The event can be described by a roughly two-month long increase of the baseline flux in the monitored energy bands (optical to γ-rays) by a factor 8, and a subsequent decrease over another two months back to pre-flare levels. The long-term trend was superseded by short but very strong flares, resulting in a peak flux that was a factor 50 above pre-flare levels in the γ-ray domain and almost a factor 100 above pre-flare levels in the optical domain. In this paper, we explain the long-term evolution of the outburst by the ablation of a gas cloud penetrating the relativistic jet. The slice-by-slice ablation results in a gradual increase of the particle injection until the center of the cloud is reached, after which the injected number of particles decreases again. With reasonable cloud parameters, we obtain excellent fits of the long-term trend

Centaurus A (Cen A), powered by a 55 million solar mass supermassive black hole, has been intensively monitored in all accessible wavelength ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum. However, its gamma-ray flux, both in the H.E.S.S. very-high and the Fermi-LAT high-energy gamma-ray regimes, is relatively faint, hampering lightcurve analyses. Yet, the extensive long-term light curve data from Fermi-LAT and Swift-BAT (hard X-rays) allows for cross-correlation studies. We find a hint that X-ray emission from Cen A precedes the gamma rays by 25 days. If this lag is real and related to a gamma-gamma absorption effect in the broad-line region (BLR) around the central source, then we can constrain the size of the BLR using light-travel time arguments. These are first results of extended light curve correlation studies between high-energy gamma rays and X-rays from Cen A

We search for high-energy gamma-ray emission from the binary neutron star merger GW170817 with the H.E.S.S. Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescopes. The observations presented here have been obtained starting only 5.3 hr after GW170817. The H.E.S.S. target selection identified regions of high probability to find a counterpart of the gravitational-wave event. The first of these regions contained the counterpart SSS17a that has been identified in the optical range several hours after our observations. We can therefore present the first data obtained by a groundbased pointing instrument on this object. A subsequent monitoring campaign with the H.E.S.S. telescopes extended over several days, covering timescales from 0.22 to 5.2 days and energy ranges between 270 GeV to 8.55 TeV. No significant gamma-ray emission has been found. The derived upper limits on the very-high-energy gamma-ray flux for the first time constrain non-thermal, high-energy emission following the merger of a confirmed binary neutron star system

Galactic cosmic rays reach energies of at least a few petaelectronvolts1 (of the order of 1015 electronvolts). This implies that our Galaxy contains petaelectronvolt accelerators (‘PeVatrons’), but all proposed models of Galactic cosmic-ray accelerators encounter difficulties at exactly these energies2. Dozens of Galactic accelerators capable of accelerating particles to energies of tens of teraelectronvolts (of the order of 1013 electronvolts) were inferred from recent γ-ray observations3. However, none of the currently known accelerators—not even the handful of shell-type supernova remnants commonly believed to supply most Galactic cosmic rays—has shown the characteristic tracers of petaelectronvolt particles, namely, power-law spectra of γ-rays extending without a cut-off or a spectral break to tens of teraelectronvolts4. Here we report deep γ-ray observations with arcminute angular resolution of the region surrounding the Galactic Centre, which show the expected tracer of the presence of petaelectronvolt protons within the central 10 parsecs of the Galaxy. We propose that the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* is linked to this PeVatron. Sagittarius A* went through active phases in the past, as demonstrated by X-ray outbursts5and an outflow from the Galactic Centre6. Although its current rate of particle acceleration is not sufficient to provide a substantial contribution to Galactic cosmic rays, Sagittarius A* could have plausibly been more active over the last 106–107 years, and therefore should be considered as a viable alternative to supernova remnants as a source of petaelectronvolt Galactic cosmic rays.

The inner region of the Milky Way halo harbors a large amount of dark matter (DM). Given its proximity, it is one of the most promising targets to look for DM. We report on a search for the annihilations of DM particles using γ-ray observations towards the inner 300 parsecs of the Milky Way, with the H.E.S.S. array of ground-based Cherenkov telescopes. The analysis is based on a 2D maximum likelihood method using Galactic center (GC) data accumulated by H.E.S.S. over the last 10 years (2004-2014), and does not show any significant γ-ray signal above background. Assuming Einasto and Navarro-Frenk-White DM density profiles at the GC, we derive upper limits on the annihilation cross section ⟨σv⟩. These constraints are the strongest obtained so far in the TeV DM mass range and improve upon previous limits by a factor 5. For the Einasto profile, the constraints reach ⟨σv⟩ values of 6×10−26cm3s−1 in the W+W− channel for a DM particle mass of 1.5 TeV, and 2×10−26cm3s−1 in the τ+τ− channel for 1 TeV mass. For the first time, ground-based γ-ray observations have reached sufficient sensitivity to probe ⟨σv⟩ values expected from the thermal relic density for TeV DM particles

We present a newly developed time-dependent three-dimensional multizone hadronic blazar emission model. By coupling a Fokker–Planck-based lepto-hadronic particle evolution code, 3DHad, with a polarization-dependent radiation transfer code, 3DPol, we are able to study the time-dependent radiation and polarization signatures of a hadronic blazar model for the first time. Our current code is limited to parameter regimes in which the hadronic γ-ray output is dominated by proton synchrotron emission, neglecting pion production. Our results demonstrate that the time-dependent flux and polarization signatures are generally dominated by the relation between the synchrotron cooling and the light-crossing timescale, which is largely independent of the exact model parameters. We find that unlike the low-energy polarization signatures, which can vary rapidly in time, the high-energy polarization signatures appear stable. As a result, future high-energy polarimeters may be able to distinguish such signatures from the lower and more rapidly variable polarization signatures expected in leptonic models

We present a detailed investigation of the flaring activity observed from a BL Lac object, S5 0716+714 , during its brightest ever optical state in the second half of 2015 January. Observed almost simultaneously in the optical, Xrays, and γ-rays, a significant change in the degree of optical polarization (PD) and a swing in the position angle (PA) of polarization were recorded. A TeV (VHE) detection was also reported by the MAGIC consortium during this flaring episode. Two prominent sub-flares, peaking about five days apart, were seen in almost all of the energy bands. The multi-wavelength light curves, spectral energy distribution, and polarization are modeled using the time-dependent code developed by Zhang et al. This model assumes a straight jet threaded by large-scale helical magnetic fields taking into account the light travel time effects, incorporating synchrotron flux and polarization in 3D geometry. The rapid variation in PD and rotation in PA are most likely due to reconnections happening in the emission region in the jet, as suggested by the change in the ratio of toroidal to poloidal components of the magnetic field during the quiescent and flaring states

Most blazars are known to be hosted in giant elliptic galaxies, but their cluster environments have not been thoroughly investigated. Cluster environments may contain radiation fields of low-energy photons created by nearby galaxies and/or stars in the intracluster medium that produce diffuse intracluster light. These radiation fields may absorb very high energy γ rays (VHE; E ≳ 100 GeV) and trigger pair cascades with further production of subsequent generations of γ rays with lower energies via inverse Compton scattering on surrounding radiation fields leaving a characteristic imprint in the observed spectral shape. The change of the spectral shape of the blazar reflects the properties of its ambient medium. We show, however, that neither intracluster light nor the radiation field of an individual nearby galaxy can cause substantial γγ absorption. Substantial γγ absorption is possible only in the case of multiple, ≳5, luminous nearby galaxies. This situation is not found in the local Universe, but may be possible at larger redshifts (z ≳ 2). Since VHE γ rays from such distances are expected to be strongly absorbed by the extragalactic background light, we consider possible signatures of γ-ray induced pair cascades by calculating the expected GeV flux which appears to be below the Fermi-LAT sensitivity even for ~10 nearby galaxies

We introduce a new time-dependent lepto-hadronic model for blazar emission that takes into account the radiation emitted by secondary particles, such as pions and muons, from photo hadronic interactions. Starting from a baseline parameter set guided by a fit to the spectral energy distribution of the blazar 3C 279, we perform a parameter study to investigate the effects of perturbations of the input parameters to mimic different flaring events to study the resulting light curves in the optical, X-ray, high-energy (HE: E > 100 MeV), and very-high-energy (E > 100 GeV) γ-rays as well as the neutrino emission associated with charged-pion and muon decay. We find that flaring events from an increase in the efficiency of Fermi II acceleration will produce a positive correlation between all bandpasses and a marked plateau in the HE γ-ray lightcurve. We also predict a distinctive dip in the HE lightcurve for perturbations caused by a change in the proton injection spectral index. These plateaus/dips could be a tell tale signature of hadronic models for perturbations that lead to more efficient acceleration of highenergy protons in parameter regimes where pion and muon synchrotron emission is non-negligible

Context: Puppis A is an interesting ~4 kyr-old supernova remnant (SNR) that shows strong evidence of interaction between the forward shock and a molecular cloud. It has been studied in detail from radio frequencies to high-energy (HE, 0.1−100 GeV) γ-rays. An analysis of the Fermi-LAT data has shown extended HE γ-ray emission with a 0.2−100 GeV spectrum exhibiting no significant deviation from a power law, unlike most of the GeV-emitting SNRs known to be interacting with molecular clouds. This makes it a promising target for imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs) to probe the γ-ray emission above 100 GeV. Aims: Very-high-energy (VHE, E ≥ 0.1 TeV) γ-ray emission from Puppis A has been, for the first time, searched for with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.). Methods: Stereoscopic imaging of Cherenkov radiation from extensive air showers is used to reconstruct the direction and energy of the incident γ-rays in order to produce sky images and source spectra. The profile likelihood method is applied to find constraints on the existence of a potential break or cutoff in the photon spectrum. Results: The analysis of the H.E.S.S. data does not reveal any significant emission towards Puppis A. The derived upper limits on the differential photon flux imply that its broadband γ-ray spectrum must exhibit a spectral break or cutoff. By combining Fermi-LAT and H.E.S.S. measurements, the 99% confidence-level upper limits on such a cutoff are found to be 450 and 280 GeV, assuming a power law with a simple exponential and a sub-exponential cutoff, respectively. It is concluded that none of the standard limitations (age, size, radiative losses) on the particle acceleration mechanism, assumed to be continuing at present, can explain the lack of VHE signal. The scenario in which particle acceleration has ceased some time ago is considered as an alternative explanation. The HE/VHE spectrum of Puppis A could then exhibit a break of non-radiative origin (as observed

The well-studied blazar Markarian 421 (Mrk 421, z = 0.031) was the subject of an intensive multi-wavelength campaign when it flared in 2013 April. The recorded X-ray and very high-energy (E > 100 GeV) γ-ray fluxes are the highest ever measured from this object. At the peak of the activity, it was monitored by the hard X-ray focusing telescope Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and the Swift X-Ray Telescope (XRT). In this work, we present a detailed variability analysis of NuSTAR and Swift-XRT observations of Mrk 421 during this flaring episode. We obtained the shortest flux doubling time of 14.01 ± 5.03 minutes, which is the shortest hard X-ray (3–79 keV) variability ever recorded from Mrk 421, and is on the order of the light-crossing time of the black hole's event horizon. A pattern of extremely fast variability events superposed on slowly varying flares is found in most of the NuSTAR observations. We suggest that these peculiar variability patterns may be explained by magnetic energy dissipation and reconnection in a fast-moving compact emission region within the jet. Based on the fast variability, we derive a lower limit on the magnetic field strength of $B\geqslant 0.73{\delta }_{1}^{-2/3}\;{\nu }_{19}^{1/3}$ G, where δ1 is the Doppler factor in units of 10, and ν19 is the characteristic X-ray synchrotron frequency in units of 1019 Hz

Re-observations with the HESS telescope array of the very high-energy (VHE) source HESS J1018–589 A that is coincident with the Fermi-LAT γ-ray binary 1FGL J1018.6–5856 have resulted in a source detection significance of more than 9σ and the detection of variability (χ2/ν of 238.3/155) in the emitted γ-ray flux. This variability confirms the association of HESS J1018–589 A with the high-energy γ-ray binary detected by Fermi-LAT and also confirms the point-like source as a new VHE binary system. The spectrum of HESS J1018–589 A is best fit with a power-law function with photon index Γ = 2.20 ± 0.14stat ± 0.2sys. Emission is detected up to ~20 TeV. The mean differential flux level is (2.9 ± 0.4) × 10-13 TeV-1 cm-2 s-1 at 1 TeV, equivalent to ~1% of the flux from the Crab Nebula at the same energy. Variability is clearly detected in the night-by-night light curve. When folded on the orbital period of 16.58 days, the rebinned light curve peaks in phase with the observed X-ray and high-energy phaseograms. The fit of the HESS phaseogram to a constant flux provides evidence of periodicity at the level of Nσ> 3σ. The shape of the VHE phaseogram and measured spectrum suggest a low-inclination, low-eccentricity system with amodest impact from VHE γ-ray absorption due to pair production (τ ≲ 1 at 300 GeV)

We study the acceleration, transport, and emission of particles in relativistic jets. Localized stochastic particle acceleration, spatial diffusion, and synchrotron as well as synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission are considered in a leptonic model. To account for inhomogeneity, we use a 2D axisymmetric cylindrical geometry for both relativistic electrons and magnetic field. In this first phase of our work, we focus on steady-state spectra that develop from a time-dependent model. We demonstrate that small isolated acceleration region in a much larger emission volume are sufficient to accelerate particles to high energy. Diffusive escape from these small regions provides a natural explanation for the spectral form of the jet emission. The location of the acceleration regions within the jet is found to affect the cooling break of the spectrum in this diffusive model. Diffusion-caused energy-dependent inhomogeneity in the jets predicts that the SSC spectrum is harder than the synchrotron spectrum. There can also be a spectral hardening towards the high-energy section of the synchrotron spectrum, if particle escape is relatively slow. These two spectral hardening effects indicate that the jet inhomogeneity might be a natural explanation for the unexpected hard γ-ray spectra observed in some blazars