Abstract
The light emitted by stars and accreting compact objects through the history of the universe is encoded in the intensity of the extragalactic background light (EBL). Knowledge of the EBL is important to understand the nature of star formation and galaxy evolution, but direct measurements of the EBL are limited by galactic and other foreground emissions. Here, we report an absorption feature seen in the combined spectra of a sample of gamma-ray blazars out to a redshift of z ∼ 1.6. This feature is caused by attenuation of gamma rays by the EBL at optical to ultraviolet frequencies and allowed us to measure the EBL flux density in this frequency band.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1190-1192 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | Science |
| Volume | 338 |
| Issue number | 6111 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2012 Nov 30 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General
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The imprint of the extragalactic background light in the gamma-ray spectra of blazars. / Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; Allafort, A.; Schady, P.; Baldini, L.; Ballet, J.; Barbiellini, G.; Bastieri, D.; Bellazzini, R.; Blandford, R. D.; Bloom, E. D.; Borgland, A. W.; Bottacini, E.; Bouvier, A.; Bregeon, J.; Brigida, M.; Bruel, P.; Buehler, R.; Buson, S.; Caliandro, G. A.; Cameron, R. A.; Caraveo, P. A.; Cavazzuti, E.; Cecchi, C.; Charles, E.; Chaves, R. C.G.; Chekhtman, A.; Cheung, C. C.; Chiang, J.; Chiaro, G.; Ciprini, S.; Claus, R.; Cohen-Tanugi, J.; Conrad, J.; Cutini, S.; D'Ammando, F.; De Palma, F.; Dermer, C. D.; Digel, S. W.; Do Couto E Silva, E.; Domínguez, A.; Drell, P. S.; Drlica-Wagner, A.; Favuzzi, C.; Fegan, S. J.; Focke, W. B.; Franckowiak, A.; 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, I. A.; Grove, J. E.; Guiriec, S.; Gustafsson, M.; Hadasch, D.; Hayashida, M.; Hays, E.; Jackson, M. S.; Jogler, T.; Kataoka, J.; Knödlseder, J.; Kuss, M.; Lande, J.; Larsson, S.; Latronico, L.; Longo, F.; Loparco, F.; Lovellette, M. N.; Lubrano, P.; Mazziotta, M. N.; McEnery, J. E.; Mehault, J.; Michelson, P. F.; Mizuno, T.; Monte, C.; Monzani, M. E.; Morselli, A.; Moskalenko, I. V.; Murgia, S.; Tramacere, A.; Nuss, E.; Greiner, J.; Ohno, M.; Ohsugi, T.; Omodei, N.; Orienti, M.; Orlando, E.; Ormes, J. F.; Paneque, D.; Perkins, J. S.; Pesce-Rollins, M.; Piron, F.; Pivato, G.; Porter, T. A.; Rainò, S.; Rando, R.; Razzano, M.; Razzaque, S.; Reimer, A.; Reimer, O.; Reyes, L. C.; Ritz, S.; Rau, A.; Romoli, C.; Roth, M.; Sánchez-Conde, M.; Sanchez, D. A.; Scargle, J. D.; Sgrò, C.; Siskind, E. J.; Spandre, G.; Spinelli, P.; Stawarz, Łukasz; Suson, D. J.; Takahashi, H.; Tanaka, T.; Thayer, J. G.; Thompson, D. J.; Tibaldo, L.; Tinivella, M.; Torres, D. F.; Tosti, G.; Troja, E.; Usher, T. L.; Vandenbroucke, J.; Vasileiou, V.; Vianello, G.; Vitale, V.; Waite, A. P.; Winer, B. L.; Wood, K. S.; Wood, M.
In: Science, Vol. 338, No. 6111, 30.11.2012, p. 1190-1192.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The imprint of the extragalactic background light in the gamma-ray spectra of blazars
AU - Ackermann, M.
AU - Ajello, M.
AU - Allafort, A.
AU - Schady, P.
AU - Baldini, L.
AU - Ballet, J.
AU - Barbiellini, G.
AU - Bastieri, D.
AU - Bellazzini, R.
AU - Blandford, R. D.
AU - Bloom, E. D.
AU - Borgland, A. W.
AU - Bottacini, E.
AU - Bouvier, A.
AU - Bregeon, J.
AU - Brigida, M.
AU - Bruel, P.
AU - Buehler, R.
AU - Buson, S.
AU - Caliandro, G. A.
AU - Cameron, R. A.
AU - Caraveo, P. A.
AU - Cavazzuti, E.
AU - Cecchi, C.
AU - Charles, E.
AU - Chaves, R. C.G.
AU - Chekhtman, A.
AU - Cheung, C. C.
AU - Chiang, J.
AU - Chiaro, G.
AU - Ciprini, S.
AU - Claus, R.
AU - Cohen-Tanugi, J.
AU - Conrad, J.
AU - Cutini, S.
AU - D'Ammando, F.
AU - De Palma, F.
AU - Dermer, C. D.
AU - Digel, S. W.
AU - Do Couto E Silva, E.
AU - Domínguez, A.
AU - Drell, P. S.
AU - Drlica-Wagner, A.
AU - Favuzzi, C.
AU - Fegan, S. J.
AU - Focke, W. B.
AU - Franckowiak, A.
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 - Grove, J. E.
AU - Guiriec, S.
AU - Gustafsson, M.
AU - Hadasch, D.
AU - Hayashida, M.
AU - Hays, E.
AU - Jackson, M. S.
AU - Jogler, T.
AU - Kataoka, J.
AU - Knödlseder, J.
AU - Kuss, M.
AU - Lande, J.
AU - Larsson, S.
AU - Latronico, L.
AU - Longo, F.
AU - Loparco, F.
AU - Lovellette, M. N.
AU - Lubrano, P.
AU - Mazziotta, M. N.
AU - McEnery, J. E.
AU - Mehault, J.
AU - Michelson, P. F.
AU - Mizuno, T.
AU - Monte, C.
AU - Monzani, M. E.
AU - Morselli, A.
AU - Moskalenko, I. V.
AU - Murgia, S.
AU - Tramacere, A.
AU - Nuss, E.
AU - Greiner, J.
AU - Ohno, M.
AU - Ohsugi, T.
AU - Omodei, N.
AU - Orienti, M.
AU - Orlando, E.
AU - Ormes, J. F.
AU - Paneque, D.
AU - Perkins, J. S.
AU - Pesce-Rollins, M.
AU - Piron, F.
AU - Pivato, G.
AU - Porter, T. A.
AU - Rainò, S.
AU - Rando, R.
AU - Razzano, M.
AU - Razzaque, S.
AU - Reimer, A.
AU - Reimer, O.
AU - Reyes, L. C.
AU - Ritz, S.
AU - Rau, A.
AU - Romoli, C.
AU - Roth, M.
AU - Sánchez-Conde, M.
AU - Sanchez, D. A.
AU - Scargle, J. D.
AU - Sgrò, C.
AU - Siskind, E. J.
AU - Spandre, G.
AU - Spinelli, P.
AU - Stawarz, Łukasz
AU - Suson, D. J.
AU - Takahashi, H.
AU - Tanaka, T.
AU - Thayer, J. G.
AU - Thompson, D. J.
AU - Tibaldo, L.
AU - Tinivella, M.
AU - Torres, D. F.
AU - Tosti, G.
AU - Troja, E.
AU - Usher, T. L.
AU - Vandenbroucke, J.
AU - Vasileiou, V.
AU - Vianello, G.
AU - Vitale, V.
AU - Waite, A. P.
AU - Winer, B. L.
AU - Wood, K. S.
AU - Wood, M.
PY - 2012/11/30
Y1 - 2012/11/30
N2 - The light emitted by stars and accreting compact objects through the history of the universe is encoded in the intensity of the extragalactic background light (EBL). Knowledge of the EBL is important to understand the nature of star formation and galaxy evolution, but direct measurements of the EBL are limited by galactic and other foreground emissions. Here, we report an absorption feature seen in the combined spectra of a sample of gamma-ray blazars out to a redshift of z ∼ 1.6. This feature is caused by attenuation of gamma rays by the EBL at optical to ultraviolet frequencies and allowed us to measure the EBL flux density in this frequency band.
AB - The light emitted by stars and accreting compact objects through the history of the universe is encoded in the intensity of the extragalactic background light (EBL). Knowledge of the EBL is important to understand the nature of star formation and galaxy evolution, but direct measurements of the EBL are limited by galactic and other foreground emissions. Here, we report an absorption feature seen in the combined spectra of a sample of gamma-ray blazars out to a redshift of z ∼ 1.6. This feature is caused by attenuation of gamma rays by the EBL at optical to ultraviolet frequencies and allowed us to measure the EBL flux density in this frequency band.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84870185806&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84870185806&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1126/science.1227160
DO - 10.1126/science.1227160
M3 - Article
C2 - 23118013
AN - SCOPUS:84870185806
VL - 338
SP - 1190
EP - 1192
JO - Science
JF - Science
SN - 0036-8075
IS - 6111
ER -