Gamma-ray flares from the Crab Nebula

A. A. Abdo; M. Ackermann; M. Ajello; A. Allafort; L. Baldini; J. Ballet; G. Barbiellini; D. Bastieri; K. Bechtol; R. Bellazzini; B. Berenji; R. D. Blandford; E. D. Bloom; E. Bonamente; A. W. Borgland; A. Bouvier; T. J. Brandt; J. Bregeon; A. Brez; M. Brigida; P. Bruel; R. Buehler; S. Buson; G. A. Caliandro; R. A. Cameron; A. Cannon; P. A. Caraveo; J. M. Casandjian; Ö Çelik; E. Charles; A. Chekhtman; C. C. Cheung; J. Chiang; S. Ciprini; R. Claus; J. Cohen-Tanugi; L. Costamante; S. Cutini; F. D'Ammando; C. D. Dermer; A. De Angelis; A. De Luca; F. De Palma; S. W. Digel; E. Do Couto E Silva; P. S. Drell; A. Drlica-Wagner; R. Dubois; D. Dumora; C. Favuzzi; S. J. Fegan; E. C. Ferrara; W. B. Focke; P. Fortin; M. Frailis; Y. Fukazawa; S. Funk; P. Fusco; F. Gargano; D. Gasparrini; N. Gehrels; S. Germani; N. Giglietto; F. Giordano; M. Giroletti; T. Glanzman; G. Godfrey; I. A. Grenier; M. H. Grondin; J. E. Grove; S. Guiriec; D. Hadasch; Y. Hanabata; A. K. Harding; K. Hayashi; M. Hayashida; E. Hays; D. Horan; R. Itoh; G. Jóhannesson; A. S. Johnson; T. J. Johnson; D. Khangulyan; T. Kamae; H. Katagiri; J. Kataoka; M. Kerr; J. Knödlseder; M. Kuss; J. Lande; L. Latronico; S. H. Lee; M. Lemoine-Goumard; F. Longo; F. Loparco; P. Lubrano; G. M. Madejski; A. Makeev; M. Marelli; M. N. Mazziotta; J. E. McEnery; P. F. Michelson; W. Mitthumsiri; T. Mizuno; A. A. Moiseev; C. Monte; M. E. Monzani; A. Morselli; I. V. Moskalenko; S. Murgia; T. Nakamori; M. Naumann-Godo; P. L. Nolan; J. P. Norris; E. Nuss; T. Ohsugi; A. Okumura; N. Omodei; J. F. Ormes; M. Ozaki; D. Paneque; D. Parent; V. Pelassa; M. Pepe; M. Pesce-Rollins; M. Pierbattista; F. Piron; T. A. Porter; S. Rainò; R. Rando; P. S. Ray; M. Razzano; A. Reimer; O. Reimer; T. Reposeur; S. Ritz; R. W. Romani; H. F.W. Sadrozinski; D. Sanchez; P. M. Saz Parkinson; J. D. Scargle; T. L. Schalk; C. Sgrò; E. J. Siskind; P. D. Smith; G. Spandre; P. Spinelli; M. S. Strickman; D. J. Suson; H. Takahashi; T. Takahashi; T. Tanaka; J. B. Thayer; D. J. Thompson; L. Tibaldo; D. F. Torres; G. Tosti; A. Tramacere; E. Troja; Y. Uchiyama; J. Vandenbroucke; V. Vasileiou; G. Vianello; V. Vitale; P. Wang; K. S. Wood; Z. Yang; M. Ziegler

doi:10.1126/science.1199705

Gamma-ray flares from the Crab Nebula

A. A. Abdo, M. Ackermann, M. Ajello, A. Allafort, L. Baldini, J. Ballet, G. Barbiellini, D. Bastieri, K. Bechtol, R. Bellazzini, B. Berenji, R. D. Blandford, E. D. Bloom, E. Bonamente, A. W. Borgland, A. Bouvier, T. J. Brandt, J. Bregeon, A. Brez, M. BrigidaP. Bruel, R. Buehler, S. Buson, G. A. Caliandro, R. A. Cameron, A. Cannon, P. A. Caraveo, J. M. Casandjian, Ö Çelik, E. Charles, A. Chekhtman, C. C. Cheung, J. Chiang, S. Ciprini, R. Claus, J. Cohen-Tanugi, L. Costamante, S. Cutini, F. D'Ammando, C. D. Dermer, A. De Angelis, A. De Luca, F. De Palma, S. W. Digel, E. Do Couto E Silva, P. S. Drell, A. Drlica-Wagner, R. Dubois, D. Dumora, C. Favuzzi, S. J. Fegan, E. C. Ferrara, W. B. Focke, P. Fortin, M. Frailis, Y. Fukazawa, S. Funk, P. Fusco, F. Gargano, D. Gasparrini, N. Gehrels, S. Germani, N. Giglietto, F. Giordano, M. Giroletti, T. Glanzman, G. Godfrey, I. A. Grenier, M. H. Grondin, J. E. Grove, S. Guiriec, D. Hadasch, Y. Hanabata, A. K. Harding, K. Hayashi, M. Hayashida, E. Hays, D. Horan, R. Itoh, G. Jóhannesson, A. S. Johnson, T. J. Johnson, D. Khangulyan, T. Kamae, H. Katagiri, J. Kataoka, M. Kerr, J. Knödlseder, M. Kuss, J. Lande, L. Latronico, S. H. Lee, M. Lemoine-Goumard, F. Longo, F. Loparco, P. Lubrano, G. M. Madejski, A. Makeev, M. Marelli, M. N. Mazziotta, J. E. McEnery, P. F. Michelson, W. Mitthumsiri, T. Mizuno, A. A. Moiseev, C. Monte, M. E. Monzani, A. Morselli, I. V. Moskalenko, S. Murgia, T. Nakamori, M. Naumann-Godo, P. L. Nolan, J. P. Norris, E. Nuss, T. Ohsugi, A. Okumura, N. Omodei, J. F. Ormes, M. Ozaki, D. Paneque, D. Parent, V. Pelassa, M. Pepe, M. Pesce-Rollins, M. Pierbattista, F. Piron, T. A. Porter, S. Rainò, R. Rando, P. S. Ray, M. Razzano, A. Reimer, O. Reimer, T. Reposeur, S. Ritz, R. W. Romani, H. F.W. Sadrozinski, D. Sanchez, P. M. Saz Parkinson, J. D. Scargle, T. L. Schalk, C. Sgrò, E. J. Siskind, P. D. Smith, G. Spandre, P. Spinelli, M. S. Strickman, D. J. Suson, H. Takahashi, T. Takahashi, T. Tanaka, J. B. Thayer, D. J. Thompson, L. Tibaldo, D. F. Torres, G. Tosti, A. Tramacere, E. Troja, Y. Uchiyama, J. Vandenbroucke, V. Vasileiou, G. Vianello, V. Vitale, P. Wang, K. S. Wood, Z. Yang, M. Ziegler

School of Advanced Science and Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

330 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A young and energetic pulsar powers the well-known Crab Nebula. Here, we describe two separate gamma-ray (photon energy greater than 100 mega-electron volts) flares from this source detected by the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. The first flare occurred in February 2009 and lasted approximately 16 days. The second flare was detected in September 2010 and lasted approximately 4 days. During these outbursts, the gamma-ray flux from the nebula increased by factors of four and six, respectively. The brevity of the flares implies that the gamma rays were emitted via synchrotron radiation from peta-electron-volt (10¹⁵ electron volts) electrons in a region smaller than 1.4 × 10^-2 parsecs. These are the highest-energy particles that can be associated with a discrete astronomical source, and they pose challenges to particle acceleration theory.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	739-742
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	331
Issue number	6018
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1199705
Publication status	Published - 2011 Feb 11

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General

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10.1126/science.1199705

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Abdo, A. A., Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Allafort, A., Baldini, L., Ballet, J., Barbiellini, G., Bastieri, D., Bechtol, K., Bellazzini, R., Berenji, B., Blandford, R. D., Bloom, E. D., Bonamente, E., Borgland, A. W., Bouvier, A., Brandt, T. J., Bregeon, J., Brez, A., ... Ziegler, M. (2011). Gamma-ray flares from the Crab Nebula. Science, 331(6018), 739-742. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1199705

Abdo, AA, Ackermann, M, Ajello, M, Allafort, A, Baldini, L, Ballet, J, Barbiellini, G, Bastieri, D, Bechtol, K, Bellazzini, R, Berenji, B, Blandford, RD, Bloom, ED, Bonamente, E, Borgland, AW, Bouvier, A, Brandt, TJ, Bregeon, J, Brez, A, Brigida, M, Bruel, P, Buehler, R, Buson, S, Caliandro, GA, Cameron, RA, Cannon, A, Caraveo, PA, Casandjian, JM, Çelik, Ö, Charles, E, Chekhtman, A, Cheung, CC, Chiang, J, Ciprini, S, Claus, R, Cohen-Tanugi, J, Costamante, L, Cutini, S, D'Ammando, F, Dermer, CD, De Angelis, A, De Luca, A, De Palma, F, Digel, SW, Do Couto E Silva, E, Drell, PS, Drlica-Wagner, A, Dubois, R, Dumora, D, Favuzzi, C, Fegan, SJ, Ferrara, EC, Focke, WB, Fortin, P, Frailis, M, Fukazawa, Y, Funk, S, Fusco, P, Gargano, F, Gasparrini, D, Gehrels, N, Germani, S, Giglietto, N, Giordano, F, Giroletti, M, Glanzman, T, Godfrey, G, Grenier, IA, Grondin, MH, Grove, JE, Guiriec, S, Hadasch, D, Hanabata, Y, Harding, AK, Hayashi, K, Hayashida, M, Hays, E, Horan, D, Itoh, R, Jóhannesson, G, Johnson, AS, Johnson, TJ, Khangulyan, D, Kamae, T, Katagiri, H, Kataoka, J, Kerr, M, Knödlseder, J, Kuss, M, Lande, J, Latronico, L, Lee, SH, Lemoine-Goumard, M, Longo, F, Loparco, F, Lubrano, P, Madejski, GM, Makeev, A, Marelli, M, Mazziotta, MN, McEnery, JE, Michelson, PF, Mitthumsiri, W, Mizuno, T, Moiseev, AA, Monte, C, Monzani, ME, Morselli, A, Moskalenko, IV, Murgia, S, Nakamori, T, Naumann-Godo, M, Nolan, PL, Norris, JP, Nuss, E, Ohsugi, T, Okumura, A, Omodei, N, Ormes, JF, Ozaki, M, Paneque, D, Parent, D, Pelassa, V, Pepe, M, Pesce-Rollins, M, Pierbattista, M, Piron, F, Porter, TA, Rainò, S, Rando, R, Ray, PS, Razzano, M, Reimer, A, Reimer, O, Reposeur, T, Ritz, S, Romani, RW, Sadrozinski, HFW, Sanchez, D, Saz Parkinson, PM, Scargle, JD, Schalk, TL, Sgrò, C, Siskind, EJ, Smith, PD, Spandre, G, Spinelli, P, Strickman, MS, Suson, DJ, Takahashi, H, Takahashi, T, Tanaka, T, Thayer, JB, Thompson, DJ, Tibaldo, L, Torres, DF, Tosti, G, Tramacere, A, Troja, E, Uchiyama, Y, Vandenbroucke, J, Vasileiou, V, Vianello, G, Vitale, V, Wang, P, Wood, KS, Yang, Z & Ziegler, M 2011, 'Gamma-ray flares from the Crab Nebula', Science, vol. 331, no. 6018, pp. 739-742. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1199705

@article{34604f622e09434ead252a2aa8577311,

title = "Gamma-ray flares from the Crab Nebula",

abstract = "A young and energetic pulsar powers the well-known Crab Nebula. Here, we describe two separate gamma-ray (photon energy greater than 100 mega-electron volts) flares from this source detected by the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. The first flare occurred in February 2009 and lasted approximately 16 days. The second flare was detected in September 2010 and lasted approximately 4 days. During these outbursts, the gamma-ray flux from the nebula increased by factors of four and six, respectively. The brevity of the flares implies that the gamma rays were emitted via synchrotron radiation from peta-electron-volt (1015 electron volts) electrons in a region smaller than 1.4 × 10-2 parsecs. These are the highest-energy particles that can be associated with a discrete astronomical source, and they pose challenges to particle acceleration theory.",

author = "Abdo, {A. A.} and M. Ackermann and M. Ajello and A. Allafort and L. Baldini and J. Ballet and G. Barbiellini and D. Bastieri and K. Bechtol and R. Bellazzini and B. Berenji and Blandford, {R. D.} and Bloom, {E. D.} and E. Bonamente and Borgland, {A. W.} and A. Bouvier and Brandt, {T. J.} and J. Bregeon and A. Brez and M. Brigida and P. Bruel and R. Buehler and S. Buson and Caliandro, {G. A.} and Cameron, {R. A.} and A. Cannon and Caraveo, {P. A.} and Casandjian, {J. M.} and {\"O} {\c C}elik and E. Charles and A. Chekhtman and Cheung, {C. C.} and J. Chiang and S. Ciprini and R. Claus and J. Cohen-Tanugi and L. Costamante and S. Cutini and F. D'Ammando and Dermer, {C. D.} and {De Angelis}, A. and {De Luca}, A. and {De Palma}, F. and Digel, {S. W.} and {Do Couto E Silva}, E. and Drell, {P. S.} and A. Drlica-Wagner and R. Dubois and D. Dumora and C. Favuzzi and Fegan, {S. J.} and Ferrara, {E. C.} and Focke, {W. B.} and P. Fortin and M. Frailis and Y. Fukazawa and S. Funk and P. Fusco and F. Gargano and D. Gasparrini and N. Gehrels and S. Germani and N. Giglietto and F. Giordano and M. Giroletti and T. Glanzman and G. Godfrey and Grenier, {I. A.} and Grondin, {M. H.} and Grove, {J. E.} and S. Guiriec and D. Hadasch and Y. Hanabata and Harding, {A. K.} and K. Hayashi and M. Hayashida and E. Hays and D. Horan and R. Itoh and G. J{\'o}hannesson and Johnson, {A. S.} and Johnson, {T. J.} and D. Khangulyan and T. Kamae and H. Katagiri and J. Kataoka and M. Kerr and J. Kn{\"o}dlseder and M. Kuss and J. Lande and L. Latronico and Lee, {S. H.} and M. Lemoine-Goumard and F. Longo and F. Loparco and P. Lubrano and Madejski, {G. M.} and A. Makeev and M. Marelli and Mazziotta, {M. N.} and McEnery, {J. E.} and Michelson, {P. F.} and W. Mitthumsiri and T. Mizuno and Moiseev, {A. A.} and C. Monte and Monzani, {M. E.} and A. Morselli and Moskalenko, {I. V.} and S. Murgia and T. Nakamori and M. Naumann-Godo and Nolan, {P. L.} and Norris, {J. P.} and E. Nuss and T. Ohsugi and A. Okumura and N. Omodei and Ormes, {J. F.} and M. Ozaki and D. Paneque and D. Parent and V. Pelassa and M. Pepe and M. Pesce-Rollins and M. Pierbattista and F. Piron and Porter, {T. A.} and S. Rain{\`o} and R. Rando and Ray, {P. S.} and M. Razzano and A. Reimer and O. Reimer and T. Reposeur and S. Ritz and Romani, {R. W.} and Sadrozinski, {H. F.W.} and D. Sanchez and {Saz Parkinson}, {P. M.} and Scargle, {J. D.} and Schalk, {T. L.} and C. Sgr{\`o} and Siskind, {E. J.} and Smith, {P. D.} and G. Spandre and P. Spinelli and Strickman, {M. S.} and Suson, {D. J.} and H. Takahashi and T. Takahashi and T. Tanaka and Thayer, {J. B.} and Thompson, {D. J.} and L. Tibaldo and Torres, {D. F.} and G. Tosti and A. Tramacere and E. Troja and Y. Uchiyama and J. Vandenbroucke and V. Vasileiou and G. Vianello and V. Vitale and P. Wang and Wood, {K. S.} and Z. Yang and M. Ziegler",

year = "2011",

month = feb,

day = "11",

doi = "10.1126/science.1199705",

language = "English",

volume = "331",

pages = "739--742",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

number = "6018",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Gamma-ray flares from the Crab Nebula

AU - Abdo, A. A.

AU - Ackermann, M.

AU - Ajello, M.

AU - Allafort, A.

AU - Baldini, L.

AU - Ballet, J.

AU - Barbiellini, G.

AU - Bastieri, D.

AU - Bechtol, K.

AU - Bellazzini, R.

AU - Berenji, B.

AU - Blandford, R. D.

AU - Bloom, E. D.

AU - Bonamente, E.

AU - Borgland, A. W.

AU - Bouvier, A.

AU - Brandt, T. J.

AU - Bregeon, J.

AU - Brez, A.

AU - Brigida, M.

AU - Bruel, P.

AU - Buehler, R.

AU - Buson, S.

AU - Caliandro, G. A.

AU - Cameron, R. A.

AU - Cannon, A.

AU - Caraveo, P. A.

AU - Casandjian, J. M.

AU - Çelik, Ö

AU - Charles, E.

AU - Chekhtman, A.

AU - Cheung, C. C.

AU - Chiang, J.

AU - Ciprini, S.

AU - Claus, R.

AU - Cohen-Tanugi, J.

AU - Costamante, L.

AU - Cutini, S.

AU - D'Ammando, F.

AU - Dermer, C. D.

AU - De Angelis, A.

AU - De Luca, A.

AU - De Palma, F.

AU - Digel, S. W.

AU - Do Couto E Silva, E.

AU - Drell, P. S.

AU - Drlica-Wagner, A.

AU - Dubois, R.

AU - Dumora, D.

AU - Favuzzi, C.

AU - Fegan, S. J.

AU - Ferrara, E. C.

AU - Focke, W. B.

AU - Fortin, P.

AU - Frailis, M.

AU - Fukazawa, Y.

AU - Funk, S.

AU - Fusco, P.

AU - Gargano, F.

AU - Gasparrini, D.

AU - Gehrels, N.

AU - Germani, S.

AU - Giglietto, N.

AU - Giordano, F.

AU - Giroletti, M.

AU - Glanzman, T.

AU - Godfrey, G.

AU - Grenier, I. A.

AU - Grondin, M. H.

AU - Grove, J. E.

AU - Guiriec, S.

AU - Hadasch, D.

AU - Hanabata, Y.

AU - Harding, A. K.

AU - Hayashi, K.

AU - Hayashida, M.

AU - Hays, E.

AU - Horan, D.

AU - Itoh, R.

AU - Jóhannesson, G.

AU - Johnson, A. S.

AU - Johnson, T. J.

AU - Khangulyan, D.

AU - Kamae, T.

AU - Katagiri, H.

AU - Kataoka, J.

AU - Kerr, M.

AU - Knödlseder, J.

AU - Kuss, M.

AU - Lande, J.

AU - Latronico, L.

AU - Lee, S. H.

AU - Lemoine-Goumard, M.

AU - Longo, F.

AU - Loparco, F.

AU - Lubrano, P.

AU - Madejski, G. M.

AU - Makeev, A.

AU - Marelli, M.

AU - Mazziotta, M. N.

AU - McEnery, J. E.

AU - Michelson, P. F.

AU - Mitthumsiri, W.

AU - Mizuno, T.

AU - Moiseev, A. A.

AU - Monte, C.

AU - Monzani, M. E.

AU - Morselli, A.

AU - Moskalenko, I. V.

AU - Murgia, S.

AU - Nakamori, T.

AU - Naumann-Godo, M.

AU - Nolan, P. L.

AU - Norris, J. P.

AU - Nuss, E.

AU - Ohsugi, T.

AU - Okumura, A.

AU - Omodei, N.

AU - Ormes, J. F.

AU - Ozaki, M.

AU - Paneque, D.

AU - Parent, D.

AU - Pelassa, V.

AU - Pepe, M.

AU - Pesce-Rollins, M.

AU - Pierbattista, M.

AU - Piron, F.

AU - Porter, T. A.

AU - Rainò, S.

AU - Rando, R.

AU - Ray, P. S.

AU - Razzano, M.

AU - Reimer, A.

AU - Reimer, O.

AU - Reposeur, T.

AU - Ritz, S.

AU - Romani, R. W.

AU - Sadrozinski, H. F.W.

AU - Sanchez, D.

AU - Saz Parkinson, P. M.

AU - Scargle, J. D.

AU - Schalk, T. L.

AU - Sgrò, C.

AU - Siskind, E. J.

AU - Smith, P. D.

AU - Spandre, G.

AU - Spinelli, P.

AU - Strickman, M. S.

AU - Suson, D. J.

AU - Takahashi, H.

AU - Takahashi, T.

AU - Tanaka, T.

AU - Thayer, J. B.

AU - Thompson, D. J.

AU - Tibaldo, L.

AU - Torres, D. F.

AU - Tosti, G.

AU - Tramacere, A.

AU - Troja, E.

AU - Uchiyama, Y.

AU - Vandenbroucke, J.

AU - Vasileiou, V.

AU - Vianello, G.

AU - Vitale, V.

AU - Wang, P.

AU - Wood, K. S.

AU - Yang, Z.

AU - Ziegler, M.

PY - 2011/2/11

Y1 - 2011/2/11

N2 - A young and energetic pulsar powers the well-known Crab Nebula. Here, we describe two separate gamma-ray (photon energy greater than 100 mega-electron volts) flares from this source detected by the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. The first flare occurred in February 2009 and lasted approximately 16 days. The second flare was detected in September 2010 and lasted approximately 4 days. During these outbursts, the gamma-ray flux from the nebula increased by factors of four and six, respectively. The brevity of the flares implies that the gamma rays were emitted via synchrotron radiation from peta-electron-volt (1015 electron volts) electrons in a region smaller than 1.4 × 10-2 parsecs. These are the highest-energy particles that can be associated with a discrete astronomical source, and they pose challenges to particle acceleration theory.

AB - A young and energetic pulsar powers the well-known Crab Nebula. Here, we describe two separate gamma-ray (photon energy greater than 100 mega-electron volts) flares from this source detected by the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. The first flare occurred in February 2009 and lasted approximately 16 days. The second flare was detected in September 2010 and lasted approximately 4 days. During these outbursts, the gamma-ray flux from the nebula increased by factors of four and six, respectively. The brevity of the flares implies that the gamma rays were emitted via synchrotron radiation from peta-electron-volt (1015 electron volts) electrons in a region smaller than 1.4 × 10-2 parsecs. These are the highest-energy particles that can be associated with a discrete astronomical source, and they pose challenges to particle acceleration theory.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79951556096&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79951556096&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1126/science.1199705

DO - 10.1126/science.1199705

M3 - Article

C2 - 21212321

AN - SCOPUS:79951556096

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 331

SP - 739

EP - 742

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6018

ER -

Gamma-ray flares from the Crab Nebula

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