@article{AbdallaAbramowskiAharonianetal.2018, author = {Abdalla, Hassan E. and Abramowski, A. and Aharonian, Felix A. and Benkhali, F. Ait and Akhperjanian, A. G. and Andersson, T. and Anguener, E. O. and Arrieta, M. and Aubert, P. and Backes, M. and Balzer, A. and Barnard, M. and Becherini, Y. and Tjus, J. Becker and Berge, D. and Bernhard, S. and Bernloehr, K. and Blackwell, R. and Boettcher, M. and Boisson, C. and Bolmont, J. and Bordas, Pol and Bregeon, J. and Brun, F. and Brun, P. and Bryan, M. and Bulik, T. and Capasso, M. and Carr, J. and Casanova, Sabrina and Cerruti, M. and Chakraborty, N. and Chalme-Calvet, R. and Chaves, R. C. G. and Chen, A. and Chevalier, J. and Chretien, M. and Colafrancesco, S. and Cologna, G. and Condon, B. and Conrad, J. and Cui, Y. and Davids, I. D. and Decock, J. and Degrange, B. and Dei, C. and Devin, J. and deWilt, P. and Dirson, L. and Djannati-Atai, A. and Domainko, W. and Donath, A. and Dubus, G. and Dutson, K. and Dyks, J. and Edwards, T. and Egberts, Kathrin and Eger, P. and Ernenwein, J. -P. and Eschbach, S. and Farnier, C. and Fegan, S. and Fernandes, M. V. and Fiasson, A. and Fontaine, G. and Foerster, A. and Fukuyama, T. and Funk, S. and Fuessling, M. and Gabici, S. and Gajdus, M. and Gallant, Y. A. and Garrigoux, T. and Giavitto, G. and Giebels, B. and Glicenstein, J. F. and Gottschall, D. and Goyal, A. and Grondin, M. -H. and Hadasch, D. and Hahn, J. and Haupt, M. and Hawkes, J. and Heinzelmann, G. and Henri, G. and Hermann, G. and Hervet, O. and Hinton, J. A. and Hofmann, W. and Hoischen, Clemens and Holler, M. and Horns, D. and Ivascenko, A. and Jacholkowska, A. and Jamrozy, M. and Janiak, M. and Jankowsky, D. and Jankowsky, F. and Jingo, M. and Jogler, T. and Jouvin, L. and Jung-Richardt, I. and Kastendieck, M. A. and Katarzynski, K. and Katz, U. and Kerszberg, D. and Khelifi, B. and Kieffer, M. and King, J. and Klepser, S. and Klochkov, D. and Kluzniak, W. and Kolitzus, D. and Komin, Nu. and Kosack, K. and Krakau, S. and Kraus, M. and Krayzel, F. and Krueger, P. P. and Laffon, H. and Lamanna, G. and Lau, J. and Lees, J. -P. and Lefaucheur, J. and Lefranc, V. and Lemiere, A. and Lemoine-Goumard, M. and Lenain, J. -P. and Leser, Eva and Lohse, T. and Lorentz, M. and Liu, R. and Lopez-Coto, R. and Lypova, I. and Marandon, V. and Marcowith, Alexandre and Mariaud, C. and Marx, R. and Maurin, G. and Maxted, N. and Mayer, M. and Meintjes, P. J. and Meyer, M. and Mitchell, A. M. W. and Moderski, R. and Mohamed, M. and Mohrmann, L. and Mora, K. and Moulin, Emmanuel and Murach, T. and de Naurois, M. and Niederwanger, F. and Niemiec, J. and Oakes, L. and Odaka, H. and Oettl, S. and Ohm, S. and Ostrowski, M. and Oya, I. and Padovani, M. and Panter, M. and Parsons, R. D. and Pekeur, N. W. and Pelletier, G. and Perennes, C. and Petrucci, P. -O. and Peyaud, B. and Piel, Q. and Pita, S. and Poon, H. and Prokhorov, D. and Prokoph, H. and Puehlhofer, G. and Punch, M. and Quirrenbach, A. and Raab, S. and Reimer, A. and Reimer, O. and Renaud, M. and de los Reyes, R. and Rieger, F. and Romoli, C. and Rosier-Lees, S. and Rowell, G. and Rudak, B. and Rulten, C. B. and Sahakian, V. and Salek, D. and Sanchez, D. A. and Santangelo, A. and Sasaki, M. and Schlickeiser, R. and Schuessler, F. and Schulz, A. and Schwanke, U. and Schwemmer, S. and Settimo, M. and Seyffert, A. S. and Shafi, N. and Shilon, I. and Simoni, R. and Sol, H. and Spanie, F. and Spengler, G. and Spies, F. and Stawarz, L. and Steenkamp, R. and Stegmann, Christian and Stinzing, F. and Stycz, K. and Sushch, I. and Takahashi, T. and Tavernet, J. -P. and Tavernier, T. and Taylor, A. M. and Terrier, R. and Tibaldo, L. and Tiziani, D. and Tluczykont, M. and Trichard, C. and Tuffs, R. and Uchiyama, Y. and van der Walt, D. J. and van Edik, C. and van Rensburg, C. and van Soelen, B. and Vasileiadis, G. and Veh, J. and Venter, C. and Viana, A. and Vincent, P. and Vink, J. and Voisin, F. and Voelk, H. J. and Volpe, F. and Vuillaume, T. and Wadiasingh, Z. and Wagner, S. J. and Wagner, P. and Wagner, R. M. and White, R. and Wierzcholska, A. and Willmann, P. and Woernlein, A. and Wouters, D. and Yang, R. and Zabalza, V. and Zaborov, D. and Zacharias, M. and Zdziarski, A. A. and Zech, Alraune and Zefi, F. and Ziegler, A. and Zywucka, N.}, title = {HESS observations of RX J1713.7-3946 with improved angular and spectral resolution}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {612}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, organization = {H E S S Collaboration}, issn = {1432-0746}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201629790}, pages = {25}, year = {2018}, language = {en} } @article{AbramowskiAharonianBenkhalietal.2018, author = {Abramowski, A. and Aharonian, Felix A. and Benkhali, F. Ait and Akhperjanian, A. G. and Anguener, E. O. and Backes, M. and Balzer, A. and Becherini, Y. and Tjus, J. Becker and Berge, D. and Bernhard, S. and Bernloehr, K. and Birsin, E. and Blackwell, R. and Boettcher, M. and Boisson, C. and Bolmont, J. and Bordas, Pol and Bregeon, J. and Brun, F. and Brun, P. and Bryan, M. and Bulik, T. and Carr, J. and Casanova, Sabrina and Chakraborty, N. and Chalme-Calvet, R. and Chaves, R. C. G. and Chen, A. and Chevalier, J. and Chretien, M. and Colafrancesco, S. and Cologna, G. and Condon, B. and Conrad, J. and Couturier, C. and Cui, Y. and Davids, I. D. and Degrange, B. and Deil, C. and deWilt, P. and Djannati-Atai, A. and Domainko, W. and Donath, A. and Dubus, G. and Dutson, K. and Dyks, J. and Dyrda, M. and Edwards, T. and Egberts, Kathrin and Eger, P. and Ernenwein, J. -P. and Espigat, P. and Farnier, C. and Fegan, S. and Feinstein, F. and Fernandes, M. V. and Fernandez, D. and Fiasson, A. and Fontaine, G. and Foerster, A. and Fuessling, M. and Gabici, S. and Gajdus, M. and Gallant, Y. A. and Garrigoux, T. and Giavitto, G. and Giebels, B. and Glicenstein, J. F. and Gottschall, D. and Goyal, A. and Grondin, M. -H. and Grudzinska, M. and Hadasch, D. and Haeffner, S. and Hahn, J. and Hawkes, J. and Heinzelmann, G. and Henri, G. and Hermann, G. and Hervet, O. and Hillert, A. and Hinton, J. A. and Hofmann, W. and Hofverberg, P. and Hoischen, Clemens and Holler, M. and Horns, D. and Ivascenko, A. and Jacholkowska, A. and Jamrozy, M. and Janiak, M. and Jankowsky, F. and Jung-Richardt, I. and Kastendieck, M. A. and Katarzynski, K. and Katz, U. and Kerszberg, D. and Khelifi, B. and Kieffer, M. and Klepser, S. and Klochkov, D. and Kluzniak, W. and Kolitzus, D. and Komin, Nu. and Kosack, K. and Krakau, S. and Krayzel, F. and Krueger, P. P. and Laffon, H. and Lamanna, G. and Lau, J. and Lefaucheur, J. and Lefranc, V. and Lemiere, A. and Lemoine-Goumard, M. and Lenain, J. -P. and Lohse, T. and Lopatin, A. and Lorentz, M. and Lu, C. -C. and Lui, R. and Marandon, V. and Marcowith, Alexandre and Mariaud, C. and Marx, R. and Maurin, G. and Maxted, N. and Mayer, M. and Meintjes, P. J. and Menzler, U. and Meyer, M. and Mitchell, A. M. W. and Moderski, R. and Mohamed, M. and Mora, K. and Moulin, Emmanuel and Murach, T. and de Naurois, M. and Niemiec, J. and Oakes, L. and Odaka, H. and Oettl, S. and Ohm, S. and Opitz, B. and Ostrowski, M. and Oya, I. and Panter, M. and Parsons, R. D. and Arribas, M. Paz and Pekeur, N. W. and Pelletier, G. and Petrucci, P. -O. and Peyaud, B. and Pita, S. and Poon, H. and Prokhorov, D. and Prokoph, H. and Puehlhofer, G. and Punch, M. and Quirrenbach, A. and Raab, S. and Reichardt, I. and Reimer, A. and Reimer, O. and Renaud, M. and de los Reyes, R. and Rieger, F. and Romoli, C. and Rosier-Lees, S. and Rowell, G. and Rudak, B. and Rulten, C. B. and Sahakian, V. and Salek, D. and Sanchez, D. A. and Santangelo, A. and Sasaki, M. and Schlickeiser, R. and Schuessler, F. and Schulz, A. and Schwanke, U. and Schwemmer, S. and Seyffert, A. S. and Simoni, R. and Sol, H. and Spanier, F. and Spengler, G. and Spies, F. and Stawarz, L. and Steenkamp, R. and Stegmann, Christian and Stinzing, F. and Stycz, K. and Sushch, I. and Tavernet, J. -P. and Tavernier, T. and Taylor, A. M. and Terrier, R. and Tluczykont, M. and Trichard, C. and Tuffs, R. and Valerius, K. and van der Walt, J. and van Eldik, C. and van Soelen, B. and Vasileiadis, G. and Veh, J. and Venter, C. and Viana, A. and Vincent, P. and Vink, J. and Voisin, F. and Voelk, H. J. and Vuillaume, T. and Wagner, S. J. and Wagner, P. and Wagner, R. M. and Weidinger, M. and White, R. and Wierzcholska, A. and Willmann, P. and Woernlein, A. and Wouters, D. and Yang, R. and Zabalza, V. and Zaborov, D. and Zacharias, M. and Zdziarski, A. A. and Zech, Alraune and Zefi, F. and Zywucka, N.}, title = {Detailed spectral and morphological analysis of the shell type supernova remnant RCW 86}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {612}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, organization = {H E S S Collaboration}, issn = {1432-0746}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201526545}, pages = {7}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Aims. We aim for an understanding of the morphological and spectral properties of the supernova remnant RCW 86 and for insights into the production mechanism leading to the RCW 86 very high-energy gamma-ray emission. Methods. We analyzed High Energy Spectroscopic System (H.E.S.S.) data that had increased sensitivity compared to the observations presented in the RCW 86 H.E.S.S. discovery publication. Studies of the morphological correlation between the 0.5-1 keV X-ray band, the 2-5 keV X-ray band, radio, and gamma-ray emissions have been performed as well as broadband modeling of the spectral energy distribution with two different emission models. Results. We present the first conclusive evidence that the TeV gamma-ray emission region is shell-like based on our morphological studies. The comparison with 2-5 keV X-ray data reveals a correlation with the 0.4-50 TeV gamma-ray emission. The spectrum of RCW 86 is best described by a power law with an exponential cutoff at E-cut = (3.5 +/- 1.2(stat)) TeV and a spectral index of Gamma approximate to 1.6 +/- 0.2. A static leptonic one-zone model adequately describes the measured spectral energy distribution of RCW 86, with the resultant total kinetic energy of the electrons above 1 GeV being equivalent to similar to 0.1\% of the initial kinetic energy of a Type Ia supernova explosion (10(51) erg). When using a hadronic model, a magnetic field of B approximate to 100 mu G is needed to represent the measured data. Although this is comparable to formerly published estimates, a standard E-2 spectrum for the proton distribution cannot describe the gamma-ray data. Instead, a spectral index of Gamma(p) approximate to 1.7 would be required, which implies that similar to 7 x 10(49)/n(cm-3) erg has been transferred into high-energy protons with the effective density n(cm-3) = n/1 cm(-3). This is about 10\% of the kinetic energy of a typical Type Ia supernova under the assumption of a density of 1 cm(-3).}, language = {en} } @article{AbramowskiAharonianBenkhalietal.2015, author = {Abramowski, Attila and Aharonian, Felix A. and Benkhali, Faical Ait and Akhperjanian, A. G. and Ang{\"u}ner, Ekrem Oǧuzhan and Backes, Michael and Balenderan, Shangkari and Balzer, Arnim and Barnacka, Anna and Becherini, Yvonne and Tjus, J. Becker and Berge, David and Bernhard, Sabrina and Bernl{\"o}hr, K. and Birsin, E. and Biteau, Jonathan and Boettcher, Markus and Boisson, Catherine and Bolmont, J. and Bordas, Pol and Bregeon, Johan and Brun, Francois and Brun, Pierre and Bryan, Mark and Bulik, Tomasz and Carrigan, Svenja and Casanova, Sabrina and Chadwick, Paula M. and Chakraborty, N. and Chalme-Calvet, R. and Chaves, Ryan C. G. and Chretien, M. and Colafrancesco, Sergio and Cologna, Gabriele and Conrad, Jan and Couturier, C. and Cui, Y. and Davids, I. D. and Degrange, B. and Deil, C. and deWilt, P. and Djannati-Ata{\"i}, A. and Domainko, W. and Donath, A. and Dubus, G. and Dutson, K. and Dyks, J. and Dyrda, M. and Edwards, T. and Egberts, Kathrin and Eger, P. and Espigat, P. and Farnier, C. and Fegan, S. and Feinstein, F. and Fernandes, M. V. and Fernandez, D. and Fiasson, A. and Fontaine, G. and Foerster, A. and F{\"u}ssling, Matthias and Gabici, S. and Gajdus, M. and Gallant, Y. A. and Garrigoux, T. and Giavitto, G. and Giebels, B. and Glicenstein, J. F. and Gottschall, D. and Grondin, M. -H. and Grudzinska, M. and Hadasch, D. and Haeffner, S. and Hahn, J. and Harris, J. and Heinzelmann, G. and Henri, G. and Hermann, G. and Hervet, O. and Hillert, A. and Hinton, James Anthony and Hofmann, W. and Hofverberg, P. and Holler, Maraike and Horns, D. and Ivascenko, A. and Jacholkowska, A. and Jahn, C. and Jamrozy, M. and Janiak, M. and Jankowsky, F. and Jung-Richardt, I. and Kastendieck, M. A. and Katarzynski, K. and Katz, U. and Kaufmann, S. and Khelifi, B. and Kieffer, M. and Klepser, S. and Klochkov, D. and Kluzniak, W. and Kolitzus, D. and Komin, Nu. and Kosack, K. and Krakau, S. and Krayzel, F. and Krueger, P. P. and Laffon, H. and Lamanna, G. and Lefaucheur, J. and Lefranc, V. and Lemiere, A. and Lemoine-Goumard, M. and Lenain, J. -P. and Lohse, T. and Lopatin, A. and Lu, C. -C. and Marandon, V. and Marcowith, Alexandre and Marx, R. and Maurin, G. and Maxted, N. and Mayer, Michael and McComb, T. J. L. and Mehault, J. and Meintjes, P. J. and Menzler, U. and Meyer, M. and Mitchell, A. M. W. and Moderski, R. and Mohamed, M. and Mora, K. and Moulin, Emmanuel and Murach, T. and de Naurois, M. and Niemiec, J. and Nolan, S. J. and Oakes, L. and Odaka, H. and Ohm, S. and Opitz, B. and Ostrowski, M. and Oya, I. and Panter, M. and Parsons, R. D. and Arribas, M. Paz and Pekeur, N. W. and Pelletier, G. and Petrucci, P. -O and Peyaud, B. and Pita, S. and Poon, H. and Puehlhofer, G. and Punch, M. and Quirrenbach, A. and Raab, S. and Reichardt, I. and Reimer, A. and Reimer, O. and Renaud, M. and de los Reyes, R. and Rieger, F. and Romoli, C. and Rosier-Lees, S. and Rowell, G. and Rudak, B. and Rulten, C. B. and Sahakian, V. and Salek, D. and Sanchez, David M. and Santangelo, A. and Schlickeiser, R. and Schuessler, F. and Schulz, A. and Schwanke, U. and Schwarzburg, S. and Schwemmer, S. and Sol, H. and Spanier, F. and Spengler, G. and Spies, F. and Stawarz, L. and Steenkamp, R. and Stegmann, Christian and Stinzing, F. and Stycz, K. and Sushch, Iurii and Tavernet, J. -P. and Tavernier, T. and Taylor, A. M. and Terrier, R. and Tluczykont, M. and Trichard, C. and Valerius, K. and van Eldik, C. and van Soelen, B. and Vasileiadis, G. and Veh, J. and Venter, C. and Viana, A. and Vincent, P. and Vink, J. and Voelk, H. J. and Volpe, F. and Vorster, M. and Vuillaume, T. and Wagner, S. J. and Wagner, P. and Wagner, R. M. and Ward, M. and Weidinger, M. and Weitzel, Q. and White, R. and Wierzcholska, A. and Willmann, P. and Woernlein, A. and Wouters, D. and Yang, R. and Zabalza, V. and Zaborov, D. and Zacharias, M. and Zdziarski, A. A. and Zech, Alraune and Zechlin, H. -S.}, title = {HESS reveals a lack of TeV emission from the supernova remnant Puppis A (Research Note)}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {575}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, organization = {HESS Collaboration}, issn = {0004-6361}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/2014424805}, pages = {6}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Context. Puppis A is an interesting similar to 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) gamma-rays. An analysis of the Fermi-LAT data has shown extended HE gamma-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 gamma-ray emission above 100 GeV. Aims. Very-high-energy (VHE, E >= 0.1 TeV) gamma-ray emission from Puppis A has been, for the first time, searched for with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS.). Methods. Stereoscopic imaging of Cherenkov radiation from extensive air showers is used to reconstruct the direction and energy of the incident gamma-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 HESS. data does not reveal any significant emission towards Puppis A. The derived upper limits on the differential photon flux imply that its broadband gamma-ray spectrum must exhibit a spectral break or cutoff. By combining Fermi-LAT and HESS. 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 in several other interacting SNRs, albeit at somewhat higher energies), owing to the interaction with dense and neutral material, in particular towards the NE region.}, language = {en} } @article{AbramowskiAharonianBenkhalietal.2014, author = {Abramowski, Attila and Aharonian, Felix A. and Benkhali, Faical Ait and Akhperjanian, A. G. and Uner, E. O. Ang and Backes, Michael and Balenderan, Shangkari and Balzer, Arnim and Barnacka, Anna and Becherini, Yvonne and Tjus, J. Becker and Berge, David and Bernhard, Sabrina and Bernl{\"o}hr, K. and Birsin, E. and Biteau, Jonathan and Boettcher, Markus and Boisson, Catherine and Bolmont, J. and Bordas, Pol and Bregeon, Johan and Brun, Francois and Brun, Pierre and Bryan, Mark and Bulik, Tomasz and Carrigan, Svenja and Casanova, Sabrina and Chadwick, Paula M. and Chakraborty, N. and Chalme-Calvet, R. and Chaves, Ryan C. G. and Chretien, M. and Colafrancesco, Sergio and Cologna, Gabriele and Conrad, Jan and Couturier, C. and Cui, Y. and Dalton, M. and Davids, I. D. and Degrange, B. and Deil, C. and deWilt, P. and Djannati-Ata{\"i}, A. and Domainko, W. and Donath, A. and Dubus, G. and Dutson, K. and Dyks, J. and Dyrda, M. and Edwards, T. and Egberts, Kathrin and Eger, P. and Espigat, P. and Farnier, C. and Fegan, S. and Feinstein, F. and Fernandes, M. V. and Fernandez, D. and Fiasson, A. and Fontaine, G. and Foerster, A. and Fuessling, M. and Gabici, S. and Gajdus, M. and Gallant, Y. A. and Garrigoux, T. and Giavitto, G. and Giebels, B. and Glicenstein, J. F. and Gottschall, D. and Grondin, M. -H. and Grudzinska, M. and Hadasch, D. and Haeffner, S. and Hahn, J. and Harris, J. and Heinzelmann, G. and Henri, G. and Hermann, G. and Hervet, O. and Hillert, A. and Hinton, James Anthony and Hofmann, W. and Hofverberg, P. and Holler, Markus and Horns, D. and Ivascenko, A. and Jacholkowska, A. and Jahn, C. and Jamrozy, M. and Janiak, M. and Jankowsky, F. and Jung-Richardt, I. and Kastendieck, M. A. and Katarzynski, K. and Katz, U. and Kaufmann, S. and Khelifi, B. and Kieffer, M. and Klepser, S. and Klochkov, D. and Kluzniak, W. and Kolitzus, D. and Komin, Nu. and Kosack, K. and Krakau, S. and Krayzel, F. and Krueger, P. P. and Laffon, H. and Lamanna, G. and Lau, J. and Lefaucheur, J. and Lefranc, V. and Lemiere, A. and Lemoine-Goumard, M. and Lenain, J. -P. and Lohse, T. and Lopatin, A. and Lu, C. -C. and Marandon, V. and Marcowith, Alexandre and Marx, R. and Maurin, G. and Maxted, N. and Mayer, M. and McComb, T. J. L. and Mehault, J. and Meintjes, P. J. and Menzler, U. and Meyer, M. and Mitchell, A. M. W. and Moderski, R. and Mohamed, M. and Mora, K. and Moulin, Emmanuel and Murach, T. and de Naurois, M. and Niemiec, J. and Nolan, S. J. and Oakes, L. and Odaka, H. and Ohm, S. and Opitz, B. and Ostrowski, M. and Oya, I. and Panter, M. and Parsons, R. D. and Arribas, M. Paz and Pekeur, N. W. and Pelletier, G. and Petrucci, P. -O. and Peyaud, B. and Pita, S. and Poon, H. and Puehlhofer, G. and Punch, M. and Quirrenbach, A. and Raab, S. and Reichardt, I. and Reimer, A. and Reimer, O. and Renaud, M. and Reyes, R. de Los and Rieger, F. and Romoli, C. and Rosier-Lees, S. and Rowell, G. and Rudak, B. and Rulten, C. B. and Sahakian, V. and Salek, D. and Sanchez, David M. and Santangelo, A. and Schlickeiser, R. and Schuessler, F. and Schulz, A. and Schwanke, U. and Schwarzburg, S. and Schwemmer, S. and Sol, H. and Spanier, F. and Spengler, G. and Spies, F. and Stawarz, L. and Steenkamp, R. and Stegmann, Christian and Stinzing, F. and Stycz, K. and Sushch, Iurii and Tavernet, J. -P. and Tavernier, T. and Taylor, A. M. and Terrier, R. and Tluczykont, M. and Trichard, C. and Valerius, K. and Van Eldik, C. and van Soelen, B. and Vasileiadis, G. and Veh, J. and Venter, C. and Viana, A. and Vincent, P. and Vink, J. and Voelk, H. J. and Volpe, F. and Vorster, M. and Vuillaume, T. and Wagner, S. J. and Wagner, P. and Wagner, R. M. and Ward, M. and Weidinger, M. and Weitzel, Q. and White, R. and Wierzcholska, A. and Willmann, P. and Woernlein, A. and Wouters, D. and Yang, R. and Zabalza, V. and Zaborov, D. and Zacharias, M. and Zdziarski, A. A. and Zech, Alraune and Zechlin, H. -S. and Fukui, Y. and Sano, H. and Fukuda, T. and Yoshiike, S.}, title = {Discovery of the hard spectrum VHE gamma-ray source Hess J1641-463}, series = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics ; Part 2, Letters}, volume = {794}, journal = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics ; Part 2, Letters}, number = {1}, publisher = {IOP Publ. Ltd.}, address = {Bristol}, organization = {HESS Collaboration}, issn = {2041-8205}, doi = {10.1088/2041-8205/794/1/L1}, pages = {6}, year = {2014}, abstract = {This Letter reports the discovery of a remarkably hard spectrum source, HESS J1641-463, by the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) in the very high energy (VHE) domain. HESS J1641-463 remained unnoticed by the usual analysis techniques due to confusion with the bright nearby source HESS J1640-465. It emerged at a significance level of 8.5 standard deviations after restricting the analysis to events with energies above 4 TeV. It shows a moderate flux level of phi(E > 1TeV) = (3.64 +/- 0.44(stat)+/- 0.73(sys)) x 10(-13) cm(-2) s(-1), corresponding to 1.8\% of the Crab Nebula flux above the same energy, and a hard spectrum with a photon index of Gamma = 2.07 +/- 0.11(stat)+/- 0.20(sys). It is a point-like source, although an extension up to a Gaussian width of sigma = 3 arcmin cannot be discounted due to uncertainties in the H.E.S.S. point-spread function. The VHE gamma-ray flux of HESS J1641-463 is found to be constant over the observed period when checking time binnings from the year-by-year to the 28 minute exposure timescales. HESS J1641-463 is positionally coincident with the radio supernova remnant SNR G338.5+0.1. No X-ray candidate stands out as a clear association; however, Chandra and XMM-Newton data reveal some potential weak counterparts. Various VHE gamma-ray production scenarios are discussed. If the emission from HESS J1641-463 is produced by cosmic ray protons colliding with the ambient gas, then their spectrum must extend close to 1 PeV. This object may represent a source population contributing significantly to the galactic cosmic ray flux around the knee.}, language = {en} }