The detection of fast variations of the tera–electron volt (TeV) (1012 eV) γ-ray flux, on time scales of days, from the nearby radio galaxy M87 is reported. These variations are about 10 times as fast as those observed in any other wave band and imply a very compact emission region with a dimension similar to the Schwarzschild radius of the central black hole. We thus can exclude several other sites and processes of the γ-ray production. The observations confirm that TeV γ rays are emitted by extragalactic sources other than blazars, where jets are not relativistically beamed toward the observer.
Fast Variability of Tera–Electron Volt γ Rays from the Radio Galaxy M87
- F. Aharonian et al. (H.E.S.S. Collaboration)
- Science 314, 1424-1427 (2006)
- 2006
Abstract
Auxiliary informations
H.E.S.S. data points for Figure 2, differential energy spectrum 2004
Energy interval Flux Flux Error [TeV] [/TeV cm^2 s] 0.300 0.695 1.54957e-12 1.33032e-12 0.695 1.609 3.13068e-13 1.11412e-13 1.609 3.728 2.91819e-14 2.19046e-14 3.728 8.635 5.02887e-15 4.99152e-15 8.635 20.0 < 1.48982e-15
H.E.S.S. data points for Figure 2, differential energy spectrum 2005
Energy interval Flux Flux Error [TeV] [/TeV cm^2 s] 0.359 0.551 5.85658e-12 2.89838e-12 0.551 0.843 3.06705e-12 7.20425e-13 0.843 1.292 1.27911e-12 2.64765e-13 1.292 1.979 2.71384e-13 1.04742e-13 1.979 3.032 1.85008e-13 4.97183e-14 3.032 4.644 8.33122e-14 2.36797e-14 4.644 7.114 1.21226e-14 9.8121e-15 7.114 10.897 1.39392e-14 5.37183e-15 10.897 16.692 < 4.23960e-15 16.692 25.570 2.20066e-15 1.21183e-15 25.570 39.169 < 5.21826e-16
H.E.S.S. data points for Figure 3B, Year-by-year light curve (2003-2006)
Time interval Flux(E > 730 GeV) Flux Error [MJD] [/cm^2 s] 52751.0 52817.0 6.1e-13 1.6e-13 53050.13 53145.13 2.5e-13 1.1e-13 53412.08 53504.94 13.9e-13 2.9e-13 53846.86 53872.83 8.1e-14 2.3e-13
H.E.S.S. data points for Figure 3A, Night-by-night light curve for 2005 data
Time interval Flux(E > 730 GeV) Flux Error [MJD] [/cm^2 s] 53412.075 53412.139 7.535e-13 5.948e-13 53413.101 53413.139 2.485e-13 7.124e-13 53414.041 53414.082 -1.570e-13 5.501e-13 53437.064 53437.105 5.437e-12 1.485e-12 53438.109 53438.149 1.816e-13 1.737e-12 53439.036 53439.151 3.199e-12 8.649e-13 53440.053 53440.113 2.357e-12 9.484e-13 53441.058 53441.120 1.028e-12 8.105e-13 53443.054 53443.139 4.955e-13 6.820e-13 53444.112 53444.132 4.689e-13 2.106e-12 53461.844 53461.863 3.548e-12 2.128e-12 53462.948 53462.958 2.674e-12 1.995e-12 53463.848 53463.867 1.169e-12 1.528e-12 53464.866 53464.885 7.071e-13 1.207e-12 53490.854 53490.928 3.042e-12 8.634e-13 53491.848 53491.931 3.165e-12 7.229e-13 53493.811 53493.895 7.201e-13 4.736e-13 53494.828 53494.912 -1.208e-13 3.784e-13 53501.829 53501.870 3.655e-13 4.967e-13 53504.895 53504.936 -5.263e-13 6.126e-13
Remarks: Statistical errors only. Systematic error on energy scale estimated to 20%.
