Fermi large area telescope gamma-ray detection of the radio galaxy m87

A. A. Abdo; M. Ackermann; M. Ajello; W. B. Atwood; M. Axelsson; 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; J. Bregeon; A. Brez; M. Brigida; P. Bruel; T. H. Burnett; G. A. Caliandro; R. A. Cameron; A. Cannon; P. A. Caraveo; J. M. Casandjian; E. Cavazzuti; C. Cecchi; Ö Çelik; E. Charles; C. C. Cheung; J. Chiang; S. Ciprini; R. Claus; J. Cohen-Tanugi; S. Colafrancesco; J. Conrad; L. Costamante; S. Cutini; D. S. Davis; C. D. Dermer; A. De Angelis; F. De Palma; S. W. Digel; D. Donato; E. Do Couto E Silva; P. S. Drell; R. Dubois; D. Dumora; Y. Edmonds; C. Farnier; C. Favuzzi; S. J. Fegan; J. Finke; W. B. Focke; P. Fortin; M. Frailis; Y. Fukazawa; S. Funk; P. Fusco; F. Gargano; D. Gasparrini; N. Gehrels; M. Georganopoulos; S. Germani; B. Giebels; N. Giglietto; P. Giommi; F. Giordano; M. Giroletti; T. Glanzman; G. Godfrey; I. A. Grenier; M. H. Grondin; J. E. Grove; L. Guillemot; S. Guiriec; Y. Hanabata; A. K. Harding; M. Hayashida; E. Hays; D. Horan; G. Jóhannesson; A. S. Johnson; R. P. Johnson; T. J. Johnson; W. N. Johnson; T. Kamae; H. Katagiri; J. Kataoka; N. Kawai; M. Kerr; J. Knödlseder; M. L. Kocian; M. Kuss; J. Lande; L. Latronico; M. Lemoine-Goumard; F. Longo; F. Loparco; B. Lott; M. N. Lovellette; P. Lubrano; G. M. Madejski; A. Makeev; M. N. Mazziotta; W. McConville; J. E. McEnery; C. Meurer; P. F. Michelson; W. Mitthumsiri; T. Mizuno; A. A. Moiseev; C. Monte; M. E. Monzani; A. Morselli; I. V. Moskalenko; S. Murgia; P. L. Nolan; J. P. Norris; E. Nuss; T. Ohsugi; N. Omodei; E. Orlando; J. F. Ormes; M. Ozaki; D. Paneque; J. H. Panetta; D. Parent; V. Pelassa; M. Pepe; M. Pesce-Rollins; F. Piron; T. A. Porter; S. Rainò; R. Rando; M. Razzano; A. Reimer; O. Reimer; T. Reposeur; S. Ritz; L. S. Rochester; A. Y. Rodriguez; R. W. Romani; M. Roth; F. Ryde; H. F.W. Sadrozinski; R. Sambruna; D. Sanchez; A. Sander; P. M. Saz Parkinson; J. D. Scargle; C. Sgrò; M. S. Shaw; D. A. Smith; P. D. Smith; G. Spandre; P. Spinelli; M. S. Strickman; D. J. Suson; H. Tajima; H. Takahashi; T. Tanaka; G. B. Taylor; J. B. Thayer; D. J. Thompson; L. Tibaldo; D. F. Torres; G. Tosti; A. Tramacere; Y. Uchiyama; T. L. Usher; V. Vasileiou; N. Vilchez; A. P. Waite; P. Wang; B. L. Winer; K. S. Wood; T. Ylinen; M. Ziegler; D. E. Harris; F. Massaro; L. Stawarz

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/707/1/55

Fermi large area telescope gamma-ray detection of the radio galaxy m87

A. A. Abdo, M. Ackermann, M. Ajello, W. B. Atwood, M. Axelsson, 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, J. Bregeon, A. Brez, M. Brigida, P. BruelT. H. Burnett, G. A. Caliandro, R. A. Cameron, A. Cannon, P. A. Caraveo, J. M. Casandjian, E. Cavazzuti, C. Cecchi, Ö Çelik, E. Charles, C. C. Cheung, J. Chiang, S. Ciprini, R. Claus, J. Cohen-Tanugi, S. Colafrancesco, J. Conrad, L. Costamante, S. Cutini, D. S. Davis, C. D. Dermer, A. De Angelis, F. De Palma, S. W. Digel, D. Donato, E. Do Couto E Silva, P. S. Drell, R. Dubois, D. Dumora, Y. Edmonds, C. Farnier, C. Favuzzi, S. J. Fegan, J. Finke, W. B. Focke, P. Fortin, M. Frailis, Y. Fukazawa, S. Funk, P. Fusco, F. Gargano, D. Gasparrini, N. Gehrels, M. Georganopoulos, S. Germani, B. Giebels, N. Giglietto, P. Giommi, F. Giordano, M. Giroletti, T. Glanzman, G. Godfrey, I. A. Grenier, M. H. Grondin, J. E. Grove, L. Guillemot, S. Guiriec, Y. Hanabata, A. K. Harding, M. Hayashida, E. Hays, D. Horan, G. Jóhannesson, A. S. Johnson, R. P. Johnson, T. J. Johnson, W. N. Johnson, T. Kamae, H. Katagiri, J. Kataoka, N. Kawai, M. Kerr, J. Knödlseder, M. L. Kocian, M. Kuss, J. Lande, L. Latronico, M. Lemoine-Goumard, F. Longo, F. Loparco, B. Lott, M. N. Lovellette, P. Lubrano, G. M. Madejski, A. Makeev, M. N. Mazziotta, W. McConville, J. E. McEnery, C. Meurer, P. F. Michelson, W. Mitthumsiri, T. Mizuno, A. A. Moiseev, C. Monte, M. E. Monzani, A. Morselli, I. V. Moskalenko, S. Murgia, P. L. Nolan, J. P. Norris, E. Nuss, T. Ohsugi, N. Omodei, E. Orlando, J. F. Ormes, M. Ozaki, D. Paneque, J. H. Panetta, D. Parent, V. Pelassa, M. Pepe, M. Pesce-Rollins, F. Piron, T. A. Porter, S. Rainò, R. Rando, M. Razzano, A. Reimer, O. Reimer, T. Reposeur, S. Ritz, L. S. Rochester, A. Y. Rodriguez, R. W. Romani, M. Roth, F. Ryde, H. F.W. Sadrozinski, R. Sambruna, D. Sanchez, A. Sander, P. M. Saz Parkinson, J. D. Scargle, C. Sgrò, M. S. Shaw, D. A. Smith, P. D. Smith, G. Spandre, P. Spinelli, M. S. Strickman, D. J. Suson, H. Tajima, H. Takahashi, T. Tanaka, G. B. Taylor, J. B. Thayer, D. J. Thompson, L. Tibaldo, D. F. Torres, G. Tosti, A. Tramacere, Y. Uchiyama, T. L. Usher, V. Vasileiou, N. Vilchez, A. P. Waite, P. Wang, B. L. Winer, K. S. Wood, T. Ylinen, M. Ziegler, D. E. Harris, F. Massaro, L. Stawarz

School of Advanced Science and Engineering

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

150 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We report the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) discovery of high-energy (MeV/GeV) γ-ray emission positionally consistent with the center of the radio galaxy M87, at a source significance of over 10σ in 10 months of all-sky survey data. Following the detections of Cen A and Per A, this makes M87 the third radio galaxy seen with the LAT. The faint point-like γ-ray source has a >100 MeV flux of 2.45 (?± 0.63) × 10^-8 photons cm^-2 s^-1 (photon index = 2.26 ± 0.13) with no significant variability detected within the LAT observation. This flux is comparable with the previous EGRET upper limit (<2.18 × 10^-8 photons cm^-2 s^-1, 2σ), thus there is no evidence for a significant MeV/GeV flare on decade timescales. Contemporaneous Chandra and Very Long Baseline Array data indicate low activity in the unresolved X-ray and radio core relative to previous observations, suggesting M87 is in a quiescent overall level over the first year of Fermi-LAT observations. The LAT γ-ray spectrum is modeled as synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission from the electron population producing the radio-to-X-ray emission in the core. The resultant SSC spectrum extrapolates smoothly from the LAT band to the historical-minimum TeV emission. Alternative models for the core and possible contributions from the kiloparsec-scale jet in M87 are considered, and cannot be excluded.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	55-60
Number of pages	6
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	707
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/707/1/55
Publication status	Published - 2009

Keywords

Galaxies: active
Galaxies: individual (M87)
Galaxies: jets
Gamma rays: observations
Radiation mechanisms: non-thermal

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1088/0004-637X/707/1/55

Cite this

Abdo, A. A., Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Atwood, W. B., Axelsson, M., 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., Bregeon, J., Brez, A., Brigida, M., ... Stawarz, L. (2009). Fermi large area telescope gamma-ray detection of the radio galaxy m87. Astrophysical Journal, 707(1), 55-60. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/707/1/55

Abdo, AA, Ackermann, M, Ajello, M, Atwood, WB, Axelsson, M, Baldini, L, Ballet, J, Barbiellini, G, Bastieri, D, Bechtol, K, Bellazzini, R, Berenji, B, Blandford, RD, Bloom, ED, Bonamente, E, Borgland, AW, Bregeon, J, Brez, A, Brigida, M, Bruel, P, Burnett, TH, Caliandro, GA, Cameron, RA, Cannon, A, Caraveo, PA, Casandjian, JM, Cavazzuti, E, Cecchi, C, Çelik, Ö, Charles, E, Cheung, CC, Chiang, J, Ciprini, S, Claus, R, Cohen-Tanugi, J, Colafrancesco, S, Conrad, J, Costamante, L, Cutini, S, Davis, DS, Dermer, CD, De Angelis, A, De Palma, F, Digel, SW, Donato, D, Couto E Silva, ED, Drell, PS, Dubois, R, Dumora, D, Edmonds, Y, Farnier, C, Favuzzi, C, Fegan, SJ, Finke, J, Focke, WB, Fortin, P, Frailis, M, Fukazawa, Y, Funk, S, Fusco, P, Gargano, F, Gasparrini, D, Gehrels, N, Georganopoulos, M, Germani, S, Giebels, B, Giglietto, N, Giommi, P, Giordano, F, Giroletti, M, Glanzman, T, Godfrey, G, Grenier, IA, Grondin, MH, Grove, JE, Guillemot, L, Guiriec, S, Hanabata, Y, Harding, AK, Hayashida, M, Hays, E, Horan, D, Jóhannesson, G, Johnson, AS, Johnson, RP, Johnson, TJ, Johnson, WN, Kamae, T, Katagiri, H, Kataoka, J, Kawai, N, Kerr, M, Knödlseder, J, Kocian, ML, Kuss, M, Lande, J, Latronico, L, Lemoine-Goumard, M, Longo, F, Loparco, F, Lott, B, Lovellette, MN, Lubrano, P, Madejski, GM, Makeev, A, Mazziotta, MN, McConville, W, McEnery, JE, Meurer, C, Michelson, PF, Mitthumsiri, W, Mizuno, T, Moiseev, AA, Monte, C, Monzani, ME, Morselli, A, Moskalenko, IV, Murgia, S, Nolan, PL, Norris, JP, Nuss, E, Ohsugi, T, Omodei, N, Orlando, E, Ormes, JF, Ozaki, M, Paneque, D, Panetta, JH, Parent, D, Pelassa, V, Pepe, M, Pesce-Rollins, M, Piron, F, Porter, TA, Rainò, S, Rando, R, Razzano, M, Reimer, A, Reimer, O, Reposeur, T, Ritz, S, Rochester, LS, Rodriguez, AY, Romani, RW, Roth, M, Ryde, F, Sadrozinski, HFW, Sambruna, R, Sanchez, D, Sander, A, Saz Parkinson, PM, Scargle, JD, Sgrò, C, Shaw, MS, Smith, DA, Smith, PD, Spandre, G, Spinelli, P, Strickman, MS, Suson, DJ, Tajima, H, Takahashi, H, Tanaka, T, Taylor, GB, Thayer, JB, Thompson, DJ, Tibaldo, L, Torres, DF, Tosti, G, Tramacere, A, Uchiyama, Y, Usher, TL, Vasileiou, V, Vilchez, N, Waite, AP, Wang, P, Winer, BL, Wood, KS, Ylinen, T, Ziegler, M, Harris, DE, Massaro, F & Stawarz, L 2009, 'Fermi large area telescope gamma-ray detection of the radio galaxy m87', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 707, no. 1, pp. 55-60. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/707/1/55

@article{6af60cb592e84277b8dbaa0b17a1a436,

title = "Fermi large area telescope gamma-ray detection of the radio galaxy m87",

abstract = "We report the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) discovery of high-energy (MeV/GeV) γ-ray emission positionally consistent with the center of the radio galaxy M87, at a source significance of over 10σ in 10 months of all-sky survey data. Following the detections of Cen A and Per A, this makes M87 the third radio galaxy seen with the LAT. The faint point-like γ-ray source has a >100 MeV flux of 2.45 (?± 0.63) × 10-8 photons cm-2 s-1 (photon index = 2.26 ± 0.13) with no significant variability detected within the LAT observation. This flux is comparable with the previous EGRET upper limit (<2.18 × 10-8 photons cm-2 s-1, 2σ), thus there is no evidence for a significant MeV/GeV flare on decade timescales. Contemporaneous Chandra and Very Long Baseline Array data indicate low activity in the unresolved X-ray and radio core relative to previous observations, suggesting M87 is in a quiescent overall level over the first year of Fermi-LAT observations. The LAT γ-ray spectrum is modeled as synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission from the electron population producing the radio-to-X-ray emission in the core. The resultant SSC spectrum extrapolates smoothly from the LAT band to the historical-minimum TeV emission. Alternative models for the core and possible contributions from the kiloparsec-scale jet in M87 are considered, and cannot be excluded.",

keywords = "Galaxies: active, Galaxies: individual (M87), Galaxies: jets, Gamma rays: observations, Radiation mechanisms: non-thermal",

author = "Abdo, {A. A.} and M. Ackermann and M. Ajello and Atwood, {W. B.} and M. Axelsson 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 J. Bregeon and A. Brez and M. Brigida and P. Bruel and Burnett, {T. H.} and Caliandro, {G. A.} and Cameron, {R. A.} and A. Cannon and Caraveo, {P. A.} and Casandjian, {J. M.} and E. Cavazzuti and C. Cecchi and {\"O} {\c C}elik and E. Charles and Cheung, {C. C.} and J. Chiang and S. Ciprini and R. Claus and J. Cohen-Tanugi and S. Colafrancesco and J. Conrad and L. Costamante and S. Cutini and Davis, {D. S.} and Dermer, {C. D.} and {De Angelis}, A. and {De Palma}, F. and Digel, {S. W.} and D. Donato and {Couto E Silva}, {E. Do} and Drell, {P. S.} and R. Dubois and D. Dumora and Y. Edmonds and C. Farnier and C. Favuzzi and Fegan, {S. J.} and J. Finke 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 M. Georganopoulos and S. Germani and B. Giebels and N. Giglietto and P. Giommi 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 L. Guillemot and S. Guiriec and Y. Hanabata and Harding, {A. K.} and M. Hayashida and E. Hays and D. Horan and G. J{\'o}hannesson and Johnson, {A. S.} and Johnson, {R. P.} and Johnson, {T. J.} and Johnson, {W. N.} and T. Kamae and H. Katagiri and J. Kataoka and N. Kawai and M. Kerr and J. Kn{\"o}dlseder and Kocian, {M. L.} and M. Kuss and J. Lande and L. Latronico and M. Lemoine-Goumard and F. Longo and F. Loparco and B. Lott and Lovellette, {M. N.} and P. Lubrano and Madejski, {G. M.} and A. Makeev and Mazziotta, {M. N.} and W. McConville and McEnery, {J. E.} and C. Meurer 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 Nolan, {P. L.} and Norris, {J. P.} and E. Nuss and T. Ohsugi and N. Omodei and E. Orlando and Ormes, {J. F.} and M. Ozaki and D. Paneque and Panetta, {J. H.} and D. Parent and V. Pelassa and M. Pepe and M. Pesce-Rollins and F. Piron and Porter, {T. A.} and S. Rain{\`o} and R. Rando and M. Razzano and A. Reimer and O. Reimer and T. Reposeur and S. Ritz and Rochester, {L. S.} and Rodriguez, {A. Y.} and Romani, {R. W.} and M. Roth and F. Ryde and Sadrozinski, {H. F.W.} and R. Sambruna and D. Sanchez and A. Sander and {Saz Parkinson}, {P. M.} and Scargle, {J. D.} and C. Sgr{\`o} and Shaw, {M. S.} and Smith, {D. A.} and Smith, {P. D.} and G. Spandre and P. Spinelli and Strickman, {M. S.} and Suson, {D. J.} and H. Tajima and H. Takahashi and T. Tanaka and Taylor, {G. B.} and Thayer, {J. B.} and Thompson, {D. J.} and L. Tibaldo and Torres, {D. F.} and G. Tosti and A. Tramacere and Y. Uchiyama and Usher, {T. L.} and V. Vasileiou and N. Vilchez and Waite, {A. P.} and P. Wang and Winer, {B. L.} and Wood, {K. S.} and T. Ylinen and M. Ziegler and Harris, {D. E.} and F. Massaro and L. Stawarz",

year = "2009",

doi = "10.1088/0004-637X/707/1/55",

language = "English",

volume = "707",

pages = "55--60",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Fermi large area telescope gamma-ray detection of the radio galaxy m87

AU - Abdo, A. A.

AU - Ackermann, M.

AU - Ajello, M.

AU - Atwood, W. B.

AU - Axelsson, M.

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 - Bregeon, J.

AU - Brez, A.

AU - Brigida, M.

AU - Bruel, P.

AU - Burnett, T. H.

AU - Caliandro, G. A.

AU - Cameron, R. A.

AU - Cannon, A.

AU - Caraveo, P. A.

AU - Casandjian, J. M.

AU - Cavazzuti, E.

AU - Cecchi, C.

AU - Çelik, Ö

AU - Charles, E.

AU - Cheung, C. C.

AU - Chiang, J.

AU - Ciprini, S.

AU - Claus, R.

AU - Cohen-Tanugi, J.

AU - Colafrancesco, S.

AU - Conrad, J.

AU - Costamante, L.

AU - Cutini, S.

AU - Davis, D. S.

AU - Dermer, C. D.

AU - De Angelis, A.

AU - De Palma, F.

AU - Digel, S. W.

AU - Donato, D.

AU - Couto E Silva, E. Do

AU - Drell, P. S.

AU - Dubois, R.

AU - Dumora, D.

AU - Edmonds, Y.

AU - Farnier, C.

AU - Favuzzi, C.

AU - Fegan, S. J.

AU - Finke, J.

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 - Georganopoulos, M.

AU - Germani, S.

AU - Giebels, B.

AU - Giglietto, N.

AU - Giommi, P.

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 - Guillemot, L.

AU - Guiriec, S.

AU - Hanabata, Y.

AU - Harding, A. K.

AU - Hayashida, M.

AU - Hays, E.

AU - Horan, D.

AU - Jóhannesson, G.

AU - Johnson, A. S.

AU - Johnson, R. P.

AU - Johnson, T. J.

AU - Johnson, W. N.

AU - Kamae, T.

AU - Katagiri, H.

AU - Kataoka, J.

AU - Kawai, N.

AU - Kerr, M.

AU - Knödlseder, J.

AU - Kocian, M. L.

AU - Kuss, M.

AU - Lande, J.

AU - Latronico, L.

AU - Lemoine-Goumard, M.

AU - Longo, F.

AU - Loparco, F.

AU - Lott, B.

AU - Lovellette, M. N.

AU - Lubrano, P.

AU - Madejski, G. M.

AU - Makeev, A.

AU - Mazziotta, M. N.

AU - McConville, W.

AU - McEnery, J. E.

AU - Meurer, C.

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 - Nolan, P. L.

AU - Norris, J. P.

AU - Nuss, E.

AU - Ohsugi, T.

AU - Omodei, N.

AU - Orlando, E.

AU - Ormes, J. F.

AU - Ozaki, M.

AU - Paneque, D.

AU - Panetta, J. H.

AU - Parent, D.

AU - Pelassa, V.

AU - Pepe, M.

AU - Pesce-Rollins, M.

AU - Piron, F.

AU - Porter, T. A.

AU - Rainò, S.

AU - Rando, R.

AU - Razzano, M.

AU - Reimer, A.

AU - Reimer, O.

AU - Reposeur, T.

AU - Ritz, S.

AU - Rochester, L. S.

AU - Rodriguez, A. Y.

AU - Romani, R. W.

AU - Roth, M.

AU - Ryde, F.

AU - Sadrozinski, H. F.W.

AU - Sambruna, R.

AU - Sanchez, D.

AU - Sander, A.

AU - Saz Parkinson, P. M.

AU - Scargle, J. D.

AU - Sgrò, C.

AU - Shaw, M. S.

AU - Smith, D. A.

AU - Smith, P. D.

AU - Spandre, G.

AU - Spinelli, P.

AU - Strickman, M. S.

AU - Suson, D. J.

AU - Tajima, H.

AU - Takahashi, H.

AU - Tanaka, T.

AU - Taylor, G. B.

AU - Thayer, J. B.

AU - Thompson, D. J.

AU - Tibaldo, L.

AU - Torres, D. F.

AU - Tosti, G.

AU - Tramacere, A.

AU - Uchiyama, Y.

AU - Usher, T. L.

AU - Vasileiou, V.

AU - Vilchez, N.

AU - Waite, A. P.

AU - Wang, P.

AU - Winer, B. L.

AU - Wood, K. S.

AU - Ylinen, T.

AU - Ziegler, M.

AU - Harris, D. E.

AU - Massaro, F.

AU - Stawarz, L.

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - We report the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) discovery of high-energy (MeV/GeV) γ-ray emission positionally consistent with the center of the radio galaxy M87, at a source significance of over 10σ in 10 months of all-sky survey data. Following the detections of Cen A and Per A, this makes M87 the third radio galaxy seen with the LAT. The faint point-like γ-ray source has a >100 MeV flux of 2.45 (?± 0.63) × 10-8 photons cm-2 s-1 (photon index = 2.26 ± 0.13) with no significant variability detected within the LAT observation. This flux is comparable with the previous EGRET upper limit (<2.18 × 10-8 photons cm-2 s-1, 2σ), thus there is no evidence for a significant MeV/GeV flare on decade timescales. Contemporaneous Chandra and Very Long Baseline Array data indicate low activity in the unresolved X-ray and radio core relative to previous observations, suggesting M87 is in a quiescent overall level over the first year of Fermi-LAT observations. The LAT γ-ray spectrum is modeled as synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission from the electron population producing the radio-to-X-ray emission in the core. The resultant SSC spectrum extrapolates smoothly from the LAT band to the historical-minimum TeV emission. Alternative models for the core and possible contributions from the kiloparsec-scale jet in M87 are considered, and cannot be excluded.

AB - We report the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) discovery of high-energy (MeV/GeV) γ-ray emission positionally consistent with the center of the radio galaxy M87, at a source significance of over 10σ in 10 months of all-sky survey data. Following the detections of Cen A and Per A, this makes M87 the third radio galaxy seen with the LAT. The faint point-like γ-ray source has a >100 MeV flux of 2.45 (?± 0.63) × 10-8 photons cm-2 s-1 (photon index = 2.26 ± 0.13) with no significant variability detected within the LAT observation. This flux is comparable with the previous EGRET upper limit (<2.18 × 10-8 photons cm-2 s-1, 2σ), thus there is no evidence for a significant MeV/GeV flare on decade timescales. Contemporaneous Chandra and Very Long Baseline Array data indicate low activity in the unresolved X-ray and radio core relative to previous observations, suggesting M87 is in a quiescent overall level over the first year of Fermi-LAT observations. The LAT γ-ray spectrum is modeled as synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission from the electron population producing the radio-to-X-ray emission in the core. The resultant SSC spectrum extrapolates smoothly from the LAT band to the historical-minimum TeV emission. Alternative models for the core and possible contributions from the kiloparsec-scale jet in M87 are considered, and cannot be excluded.

KW - Galaxies: active

KW - Galaxies: individual (M87)

KW - Galaxies: jets

KW - Gamma rays: observations

KW - Radiation mechanisms: non-thermal

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=72849139693&partnerID=8YFLogxK

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U2 - 10.1088/0004-637X/707/1/55

DO - 10.1088/0004-637X/707/1/55

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:72849139693

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 707

SP - 55

EP - 60

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1

ER -

Fermi large area telescope gamma-ray detection of the radio galaxy m87

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