TY  - JOUR
A1  - Abeysekara, A. U.
A1  - Benbow, Wystan
A1  - Bird, Ralph
A1  - Brill, A.
A1  - Brose, Robert
A1  - Buckley, J. H.
A1  - Chromey, A. J.
A1  - Daniel, M. K.
A1  - Falcone, A.
A1  - Finley, J. P.
A1  - Fortson, L.
A1  - Furniss, Amy
A1  - Gent, A.
A1  - Gillanders, Gerald H.
A1  - Hanna, David
A1  - Hassan, T.
A1  - Hervet, O.
A1  - Holder, J.
A1  - Hughes, G.
A1  - Humensky, T. B.
A1  - Kaaret, Philip
A1  - Kar, P.
A1  - Kertzman, M.
A1  - Kieda, David
A1  - Krause, Maria
A1  - Krennrich, F.
A1  - Kumar, S.
A1  - Lang, M. J.
A1  - Lin, T. T. Y.
A1  - Maier, Gernot
A1  - Moriarty, P.
A1  - Mukherjee, Reshmi
A1  - Ong, R. A.
A1  - Otte, Adam Nepomuk
A1  - Park, Nahee
A1  - Petrashyk, A.
A1  - Pohl, Martin
A1  - Pueschel, Elisa
A1  - Quinn, J.
A1  - Ragan, K.
A1  - Richards, Gregory T.
A1  - Roache, E.
A1  - Sadeh, I.
A1  - Santander, Marcos
A1  - Schlenstedt, S.
A1  - Sembroski, G. H.
A1  - Sushch, Iurii
A1  - Tyler, J.
A1  - Vassiliev, V. V.
A1  - Wakely, S. P.
A1  - Weinstein, A.
A1  - Wells, R. M.
A1  - Wilcox, P.
A1  - Wilhelm, Alina
A1  - Williams, David A.
A1  - Williamson, T. J.
A1  - Zitzer, B.
A1  - Acciari, V. A.
A1  - Ansoldi, S.
A1  - Antonelli, L. A.
A1  - Engels, A. Arbet
A1  - Baack, D.
A1  - Babic, A.
A1  - Banerjee, B.
A1  - de Almeida, U. Barres
A1  - Barrio, J. A.
A1  - Becerra Gonzalez, Josefa
A1  - Bednarek, Wlodek
A1  - Bernardini, Elisa
A1  - Berti, A.
A1  - Besenrieder, J.
A1  - Bhattacharyya, W.
A1  - Bigongiari, C.
A1  - Biland, A.
A1  - Blanch, O.
A1  - Bonnoli, G.
A1  - Busetto, G.
A1  - Carosi, R.
A1  - Ceribella, G.
A1  - Cikota, S.
A1  - Colak, S. M.
A1  - Colin, P.
A1  - Colombo, E.
A1  - Contreras, J. L.
A1  - Cortina, J.
A1  - Covino, S.
A1  - Da Vela, P.
A1  - Dazzi, F.
A1  - De Angelis, A.
A1  - De Lotto, B.
A1  - Delfino, M.
A1  - Delgado, J.
A1  - Di Pierro, F.
A1  - Do Souto Espinera, E.
A1  - Dominguez, A.
A1  - Prester, D. Dominis
A1  - Dorner, D.
A1  - Doro, M.
A1  - Einecke, S.
A1  - Elsaesser, D.
A1  - Ramazani, V. Fallah
A1  - Fattorini, A.
A1  - Fernandez-Barral, A.
A1  - Ferrara, G.
A1  - Fidalgo, D.
A1  - Foffano, L.
A1  - Fonseca, M. V.
A1  - Font, L.
A1  - Fruck, C.
A1  - Galindo, D.
A1  - Gallozzi, S.
A1  - Lopez, R. J. Garcia
A1  - Garczarczyk, M.
A1  - Gasparyan, S.
A1  - Gaug, Markus
A1  - Giammaria, P.
A1  - Godinovic, N.
A1  - Guberman, D.
A1  - Hadasch, D.
A1  - Hahn, A.
A1  - Herrera, J.
A1  - Hoang, J.
A1  - Hrupec, D.
A1  - Inoue, S.
A1  - Ishio, K.
A1  - Iwamura, Y.
A1  - Kubo, H.
A1  - Kushida, J.
A1  - Kuvezdic, D.
A1  - Lamastra, A.
A1  - Lelas, D.
A1  - Leone, Francesco
A1  - Lindfors, E.
A1  - Lombardi, S.
A1  - Longo, Francesco
A1  - Lopez, M.
A1  - Lopez-Oramas, A.
A1  - Machado de Oliveira Fraga, B.
A1  - Maggio, C.
A1  - Majumdar, P.
A1  - Makariev, M.
A1  - Mallamaci, M.
A1  - Maneva, G.
A1  - Manganaro, M.
A1  - Mannheim, K.
A1  - Maraschi, L.
A1  - Mariotti, M.
A1  - Martinez, M.
A1  - Masuda, S.
A1  - Mazin, D.
A1  - Minev, M.
A1  - Miranda, J. M.
A1  - Mirzoyan, R.
A1  - Molina, E.
A1  - Moralejo, A.
A1  - Moreno, V.
A1  - Moretti, E.
A1  - Munar-Adrover, Pere
A1  - Neustroev, V.
A1  - Niedzwiecki, Andrzej
A1  - Rosillo, Mireia Nievas
A1  - Nigro, C.
A1  - Nilsson, Kari
A1  - Ninci, D.
A1  - Nishijima, K.
A1  - Noda, K.
A1  - Nogues, L.
A1  - Noethe, M.
A1  - Paiano, Simona
A1  - Palacio, J.
A1  - Paneque, D.
A1  - Paoletti, R.
A1  - Paredes, J. M.
A1  - Pedaletti, G.
A1  - Penil, P.
A1  - Peresano, M.
A1  - Persic, M.
A1  - Moroni, P. G. Prada
A1  - Prandini, E.
A1  - Puljak, I.
A1  - Garcia, J. R.
A1  - Rhode, W.
A1  - Ribo, Marc
A1  - Rico, J.
A1  - Righi, C.
A1  - Rugliancich, A.
A1  - Saha, Lab
A1  - Sahakyan, Narek
A1  - Saito, T.
A1  - Satalecka, K.
A1  - Schweizer, T.
A1  - Sitarek, J.
A1  - Snidaric, I.
A1  - Sobczynska, D.
A1  - Somero, A.
A1  - Stamerra, A.
A1  - Strzys, M.
A1  - Suric, T.
A1  - Tavecchio, Fabrizio
A1  - Temnikov, P.
A1  - Terzic, T.
A1  - Teshima, M.
A1  - Torres-Alba, N.
A1  - Tsujimoto, S.
A1  - van Scherpenberg, J.
A1  - Vanzo, G.
A1  - Vazquez Acosta, M.
A1  - Vovk, I.
A1  - Will, M.
A1  - Zaric, D.
T1  - Periastron Observations of TeV Gamma-Ray Emission from a Binary System with a 50-year Period
JF  - The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics ; Part 2, Letters
N2  - We report on observations of the pulsar/Be star binary system PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 in the energy range between 100 GeV and 20 TeV with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array and Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov telescope arrays. The binary orbit has a period of approximately 50 years, with the most recent periastron occurring on 2017 November 13. Our observations span from 18 months prior to periastron to one month after. A new point-like gamma-ray source is detected, coincident with the location of PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213. The gamma-ray light curve and spectrum are well characterized over the periastron passage. The flux is variable over at least an order of magnitude, peaking at periastron, thus providing a firm association of the TeV source with the pulsar/Be star system. Observations prior to periastron show a cutoff in the spectrum at an energy around 0.5 TeV. This result adds a new member to the small population of known TeV binaries, and it identifies only the second source of this class in which the nature and properties of the compact object are firmly established. We compare the gamma-ray results with the light curve measured with the X-ray Telescope on board the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and with the predictions of recent theoretical models of the system. We conclude that significant revision of the models is required to explain the details of the emission that we have observed, and we discuss the relationship between the binary system and the overlapping steady extended source, TeV J2032+4130.
KW  - gamma rays: general
KW  - pulsars: individual (PSR J2032+4127, VER J2032+414, MAGIC J2032+4127)
KW  - stars: individual (MT91 213)
KW  - X-rays: binaries
Y1  - 2018
U6  - https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aae70e
SN  - 2041-8205
SN  - 2041-8213
VL  - 867
IS  - 1
PB  - IOP Publ. Ltd.
CY  - Bristol
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Abeysekara, A. U.
A1  - Archer, A.
A1  - Benbow, Wystan
A1  - Bird, Ralph
A1  - Brill, A.
A1  - Brose, Robert
A1  - Buckley, J. H.
A1  - Christiansen, Jessie L.
A1  - Chromey, A. J.
A1  - Daniel, M. K.
A1  - Falcone, A.
A1  - Feng, Qi
A1  - Finley, John P.
A1  - Fortson, L.
A1  - Furniss, Amy
A1  - Gillanders, Gerard H.
A1  - Gueta, O.
A1  - Hanna, David
A1  - Hervet, O.
A1  - Holder, J.
A1  - Hughes, G.
A1  - Humensky, T. B.
A1  - Johnson, Caitlin A.
A1  - Kaaret, Philip
A1  - Kar, P.
A1  - Kelley-Hoskins, N.
A1  - Kertzman, M.
A1  - Kieda, David
A1  - Krause, Maria
A1  - Krennrich, F.
A1  - Lang, M. J.
A1  - Moriarty, P.
A1  - Mukherjee, Reshmi
A1  - Ong, R. A.
A1  - Otte, A. N.
A1  - Park, N.
A1  - Petrashyk, A.
A1  - Pohl, Martin
A1  - Pueschel, Elisa
A1  - Quinn, J.
A1  - Ragan, K.
A1  - Reynolds, P. T.
A1  - Richards, Gregory T.
A1  - Roache, E.
A1  - Rulten, C.
A1  - Sadeh, I.
A1  - Santander, Marcos
A1  - Scott, S. S.
A1  - Sembroski, G. H.
A1  - Shahinyan, Karlen
A1  - Tyler, J.
A1  - Wakely, S. P.
A1  - Weinstein, A.
A1  - Wells, R. M.
A1  - Wilcox, P.
A1  - Wilhelm, Alina
A1  - Williams, D. A.
A1  - Williamson, T. J.
A1  - Zitzer, B.
A1  - Kaur, A.
T1  - VERITAS Observations of the BL Lac Object TXS 0506+056
JF  - The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics ; Part 2, Letters
N2  - On 2017 September 22, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory reported the detection of the high-energy neutrino event IC 170922A, of potential astrophysical origin. It was soon determined that the neutrino direction was consistent with the location of the gamma-ray blazar TXS 0506+056. (3FGL J0509.4+ 0541), which was in an elevated gamma-ray emission state as measured by the Fermi satellite. Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) observations of the neutrino/blazar region started on 2017 September 23 in response to the neutrino alert and continued through 2018 February 6. While no significant very-high-energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) emission was observed from the blazar by VERITAS in the two-week period immediately following the IceCube alert, TXS 0506+ 056 was detected by VERITAS with a significance of 5.8 standard deviations (sigma) in the full 35 hr data set. The average photon flux of the source during this period was (8.9 +/- 1.6). x. 10(-12) cm(-2) s(-1), or 1.6% of the Crab Nebula flux, above an energy threshold of 110 GeV, with a soft spectral index of 4.8. +/-. 1.3.
KW  - astroparticle physics
KW  - BL Lacertae objects: individual (TXS 0506+056, VER J0509+057)
KW  - gamma rays: galaxies
KW  - quasars: general
KW  - neutrinos
Y1  - 2018
U6  - https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aad053
SN  - 2041-8205
SN  - 2041-8213
VL  - 861
IS  - 2
PB  - IOP Publ. Ltd.
CY  - Bristol
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Abeysekara, A. U.
A1  - Archer, A.
A1  - Benbow, Wystan
A1  - Bird, Ralph
A1  - Brill, A.
A1  - Brose, Robert
A1  - Buchovecky, M.
A1  - Calderon-Madera, D.
A1  - Christiansen, J. L.
A1  - Cui, W.
A1  - Daniel, M. K.
A1  - Falcone, A.
A1  - Feng, Q.
A1  - Fernandez-Alonso, M.
A1  - Finley, J. P.
A1  - Fortson, Lucy
A1  - Furniss, Amy
A1  - Gent, A.
A1  - Giuri, C.
A1  - Gueta, O.
A1  - Hanna, David
A1  - Hassan, T.
A1  - Hervet, Oliver
A1  - Holder, J.
A1  - Hughes, G.
A1  - Humensky, T. B.
A1  - Johnson, Caitlin A.
A1  - Kaaret, P.
A1  - Kertzman, M.
A1  - Kieda, David
A1  - Krause, Maria
A1  - Krennrich, F.
A1  - Kumar, S.
A1  - Lang, M. J.
A1  - Maier, Gernot
A1  - Moriarty, P.
A1  - Mukherjee, Reshmi
A1  - Nievas-Rosillo, M.
A1  - Ong, R. A.
A1  - Pfrang, Konstantin Johannes
A1  - Pohl, Martin
A1  - Prado, R. R.
A1  - Pueschel, Elisa
A1  - Quinn, J.
A1  - Ragan, K.
A1  - Reynolds, P. T.
A1  - Ribeiro, D.
A1  - Richards, G. T.
A1  - Roache, E.
A1  - Rovero, A. C.
A1  - Sadeh, Iftach
A1  - Santander, M.
A1  - Sembroski, G. H.
A1  - Shahinyan, Karlen
A1  - Sushch, Iurii
A1  - Svraka, T.
A1  - Weinstein, A.
A1  - Wells, R. M.
A1  - Wilcox, Patrick
A1  - Wilhelm, Alina
A1  - Williams, David Arnold
A1  - Williamson, T. J.
A1  - Zitzer, B.
T1  - Measurement of the Extragalactic Background Light Spectral Energy Distribution with VERITAS
JF  - The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics
N2  - The extragalactic background light (EBL), a diffuse photon field in the optical and infrared range, is a record of radiative processes over the universe?s history. Spectral measurements of blazars at very high energies (>100 GeV) enable the reconstruction of the spectral energy distribution (SED) of the EBL, as the blazar spectra are modified by redshift- and energy-dependent interactions of the gamma-ray photons with the EBL. The spectra of 14 VERITAS-detected blazars are included in a new measurement of the EBL SED that is independent of EBL SED models. The resulting SED covers an EBL wavelength range of 0.56?56 ?m, and is in good agreement with lower limits obtained by assuming that the EBL is entirely due to radiation from cataloged galaxies.
KW  - Extragalactic astronomy
KW  - Active galactic nuclei
KW  - Diffuse radiation
KW  - Cosmology
Y1  - 2019
U6  - https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab4817
SN  - 0004-637X
SN  - 1538-4357
VL  - 885
IS  - 2
PB  - IOP Publ. Ltd.
CY  - Bristol
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Benbow, W.
A1  - Bird, R.
A1  - Brill, A.
A1  - Brose, Robert
A1  - Chromey, A. J.
A1  - Daniel, M. K.
A1  - Feng, Q.
A1  - Finley, J. P.
A1  - Fortson, L.
A1  - Furniss, A.
A1  - Gillanders, G. H.
A1  - Giuri, C.
A1  - Gueta, O.
A1  - Hanna, D.
A1  - Halpern, J. P.
A1  - Hassan, Tarek
A1  - Holder, J.
A1  - Hughes, G.
A1  - Humensky, T. B.
A1  - Joyce, Amy M.
A1  - Kaaret, P.
A1  - Kar, P.
A1  - Kelley-Hoskins, N.
A1  - Kertzman, M.
A1  - Kieda, D.
A1  - Krause, M.
A1  - Lang, M. J.
A1  - Lin, T. T. Y.
A1  - Maier, Gernot
A1  - Matthews, N.
A1  - Moriarty, P.
A1  - Mukherjee, R.
A1  - Nieto, D.
A1  - Nievas-Rosillos, M.
A1  - Ong, R. A.
A1  - Park, N.
A1  - Petrashyk, A.
A1  - Pohl, Martin
A1  - Pueschel, Elisa
A1  - Quinn, John
A1  - Ragan, K.
A1  - Reynolds, P. T.
A1  - Richards, G. T.
A1  - Roache, E.
A1  - Rulten, C.
A1  - Sadeh, Iftach
A1  - Santander, M.
A1  - Sembroski, G. H.
A1  - Shahinyan, K.
A1  - Sushch, Iurii
A1  - Wakely, S. P.
A1  - Wells, R. M.
A1  - Wilcox, P.
A1  - Wilhelm, Alina
A1  - Williams, David A.
A1  - Williamson, T. J.
T1  - Direct measurement of stellar angular diameters by the VERITAS Cherenkov telescopes
JF  - Nature astronomy
N2  - The angular size of a star is a critical factor in determining its basic properties1. Direct measurement of stellar angular diameters is difficult: at interstellar distances stars are generally too small to resolve by any individual imaging telescope. This fundamental limitation can be overcome by studying the diffraction pattern in the shadow cast when an asteroid occults a star2, but only when the photometric uncertainty is smaller than the noise added by atmospheric scintillation3. Atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes used for particle astrophysics observations have not generally been exploited for optical astronomy due to the modest optical quality of the mirror surface. However, their large mirror area makes them well suited for such high-time-resolution precision photometry measurements4. Here we report two occultations of stars observed by the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS)5 Cherenkov telescopes with millisecond sampling, from which we are able to provide a direct measurement of the occulted stars’ angular diameter at the ≤0.1 mas scale. This is a resolution never achieved before with optical measurements and represents an order of magnitude improvement over the equivalent lunar occultation method6. We compare the resulting stellar radius with empirically derived estimates from temperature and brightness measurements, confirming the latter can be biased for stars with ambiguous stellar classifications.
Y1  - 2019
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-019-0741-z
SN  - 2397-3366
VL  - 3
IS  - 6
SP  - 511
EP  - 516
PB  - Nature Publ. Group
CY  - London
ER  -