Extended gamma-ray sources around pulsars constrain the origin of the positron flux at Earth

A. U. Abeysekara; A. Albert; R. Alfaro; C. Alvarez; J. D. Álvarez; R. Arceo; J. C. Arteaga-Velázquez; D. Avila Rojas; H. A. Ayala Solares; A. S. Barber; N. Bautista-Elivar; A. Becerril; E. Belmont-Moreno; S. Y. BenZvi; D. Berley; A. Bernal; J. Braun; C. Brisbois; K. S. Caballero-Mora; T. Capistrán; A. Carramiñana; S. Casanova; M. Castillo; U. Cotti; J. Cotzomi; S. Coutiño De León; C. De León; E. De La Fuente; B. L. Dingus; M. A. DuVernois; J. C. Díaz-Vélez; R. W. Ellsworth; K. Engel; O. Enríquez-Rivera; D. W. Fiorino; N. Fraija; J. A. García-González; F. Garfias; M. Gerhardt; A. González Muñoz; M. M. González; J. A. Goodman; Z. Hampel-Arias; J. P. Harding; S. Hernández; A. Hernández-Almada; J. Hinton; B. Hona; C. M. Hui; P. Hüntemeyer; A. Iriarte; A. Jardin-Blicq; V. Joshi; S. Kaufmann; D. Kieda; A. Lara; R. J. Lauer; W. H. Lee; D. Lennarz; H. León Vargas; J. T. Linnemann; A. L. Longinotti; G. Luis Raya; R. Luna-García; R. López-Coto; K. Malone; S. S. Marinelli; O. Martinez; I. Martinez-Castellanos; J. Martínez-Castro; H. Martínez-Huerta; J. A. Matthews; P. Miranda-Romagnoli; E. Moreno; M. Mostafá; L. Nellen; M. Newbold; M. U. Nisa; R. Noriega-Papaqui; R. Pelayo; J. Pretz; E. G. Pérez-Pérez; Z. Ren; C. D. Rho; C. Rivière; D. Rosa-González; M. Rosenberg; E. Ruiz-Velasco; H. Salazar; F. Salesa Greus; A. Sandoval; M. Schneider; H. Schoorlemmer; G. Sinnis; A. J. Smith; R. W. Springer; P. Surajbali; I. Taboada; O. Tibolla; K. Tollefson; I. Torres; T. N. Ukwatta; G. Vianello; T. Weisgarber; S. Westerhoff; I. G. Wisher; J. Wood; T. Yapici; G. Yodh; P. W. Younk; A. Zepeda; H. Zhou; F. Guo; J. Hahn; H. Li; H. Zhang

doi:10.1126/science.aan4880

Extended gamma-ray sources around pulsars constrain the origin of the positron flux at Earth

A. U. Abeysekara
, A. Albert
, R. Alfaro
, C. Alvarez
, J. D. Álvarez
, R. Arceo
, J. C. Arteaga-Velázquez
, D. Avila Rojas
, H. A. Ayala Solares
, A. S. Barber
, N. Bautista-Elivar
, A. Becerril
, E. Belmont-Moreno
, S. Y. BenZvi
, D. Berley
, A. Bernal
, J. Braun
, C. Brisbois
, K. S. Caballero-Mora
, T. Capistrán

A. Carramiñana, S. Casanova, M. Castillo, U. Cotti, J. Cotzomi, S. Coutiño De León, C. De León, E. De La Fuente, B. L. Dingus, M. A. DuVernois, J. C. Díaz-Vélez, R. W. Ellsworth, K. Engel, O. Enríquez-Rivera, D. W. Fiorino, N. Fraija, J. A. García-González, F. Garfias, M. Gerhardt, A. González Muñoz, M. M. González, J. A. Goodman, Z. Hampel-Arias, J. P. Harding, S. Hernández, A. Hernández-Almada, J. Hinton, B. Hona, C. M. Hui, P. Hüntemeyer, A. Iriarte, A. Jardin-Blicq, V. Joshi, S. Kaufmann, D. Kieda, A. Lara, R. J. Lauer, W. H. Lee, D. Lennarz, H. León Vargas, J. T. Linnemann, A. L. Longinotti, G. Luis Raya, R. Luna-García, R. López-Coto, K. Malone, S. S. Marinelli, O. Martinez, I. Martinez-Castellanos, J. Martínez-Castro, H. Martínez-Huerta, J. A. Matthews, P. Miranda-Romagnoli, E. Moreno, M. Mostafá, L. Nellen, M. Newbold, M. U. Nisa, R. Noriega-Papaqui, R. Pelayo, J. Pretz, E. G. Pérez-Pérez, Z. Ren, C. D. Rho, C. Rivière, D. Rosa-González, M. Rosenberg, E. Ruiz-Velasco, H. Salazar, F. Salesa Greus, A. Sandoval, M. Schneider, H. Schoorlemmer, G. Sinnis, A. J. Smith, R. W. Springer, P. Surajbali, I. Taboada, O. Tibolla, K. Tollefson, I. Torres, T. N. Ukwatta, G. Vianello, T. Weisgarber, S. Westerhoff, I. G. Wisher, J. Wood, T. Yapici, G. Yodh, P. W. Younk, A. Zepeda, H. Zhou, F. Guo, J. Hahn, H. Li, H. Zhang

University of Utah
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Universidad Autonoma de Chiapas
Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolas de Hidalgo
Michigan Technological University
Universidad Politecnica de Pachuca
University of Rochester
University of Maryland, College Park
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica Optica y Electronica
Polish Academy of Sciences
Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla
Universidad de Guadalajara
George Mason University
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
University of New Mexico
Georgia Institute of Technology
Michigan State University
Instituto Politécnico Nacional
Pennsylvania State University
Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional
Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Hidalgo
University of California at Santa Cruz
Stanford University
University of California at Irvine

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

509 Scopus citations

Abstract

The unexpectedly high flux of cosmic-ray positrons detected at Earth may originate from nearby astrophysical sources, dark matter, or unknown processes of cosmic-ray secondary production. We report the detection, using the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC), of extended tera–electron volt gamma-ray emission coincident with the locations of two nearby middle-aged pulsars (Geminga and PSR B0656+14). The HAWC observations demonstrate that these pulsars are indeed local sources of accelerated leptons, but the measured tera–electron volt emission profile constrains the diffusion of particles away from these sources to be much slower than previously assumed. We demonstrate that the leptons emitted by these objects are therefore unlikely to be the origin of the excess positrons, which may have a more exotic origin.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	911-914
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	358
Issue number	6365
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aan4880
State	Published - 17 Nov 2017
Externally published	Yes

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10.1126/science.aan4880

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Abeysekara, A. U., Albert, A., Alfaro, R., Alvarez, C., Álvarez, J. D., Arceo, R., Arteaga-Velázquez, J. C., Avila Rojas, D., Ayala Solares, H. A., Barber, A. S., Bautista-Elivar, N., Becerril, A., Belmont-Moreno, E., BenZvi, S. Y., Berley, D., Bernal, A., Braun, J., Brisbois, C., Caballero-Mora, K. S., ... Zhang, H. (2017). Extended gamma-ray sources around pulsars constrain the origin of the positron flux at Earth. Science, 358(6365), 911-914. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aan4880

@article{60101c3977a1434da9278677f3b8e9b7,

title = "Extended gamma-ray sources around pulsars constrain the origin of the positron flux at Earth",

abstract = "The unexpectedly high flux of cosmic-ray positrons detected at Earth may originate from nearby astrophysical sources, dark matter, or unknown processes of cosmic-ray secondary production. We report the detection, using the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC), of extended tera{\textendash}electron volt gamma-ray emission coincident with the locations of two nearby middle-aged pulsars (Geminga and PSR B0656+14). The HAWC observations demonstrate that these pulsars are indeed local sources of accelerated leptons, but the measured tera{\textendash}electron volt emission profile constrains the diffusion of particles away from these sources to be much slower than previously assumed. We demonstrate that the leptons emitted by these objects are therefore unlikely to be the origin of the excess positrons, which may have a more exotic origin.",

author = "Abeysekara, \{A. U.\} and A. Albert and R. Alfaro and C. Alvarez and {\'A}lvarez, \{J. D.\} and R. Arceo and Arteaga-Vel{\'a}zquez, \{J. C.\} and \{Avila Rojas\}, D. and \{Ayala Solares\}, \{H. A.\} and Barber, \{A. S.\} and N. Bautista-Elivar and A. Becerril and E. Belmont-Moreno and BenZvi, \{S. Y.\} and D. Berley and A. Bernal and J. Braun and C. Brisbois and Caballero-Mora, \{K. S.\} and T. Capistr{\'a}n and A. Carrami{\~n}ana and S. Casanova and M. Castillo and U. Cotti and J. Cotzomi and \{Couti{\~n}o De Le{\'o}n\}, S. and \{De Le{\'o}n\}, C. and \{De La Fuente\}, E. and Dingus, \{B. L.\} and DuVernois, \{M. A.\} and D{\'i}az-V{\'e}lez, \{J. C.\} and Ellsworth, \{R. W.\} and K. Engel and O. Enr{\'i}quez-Rivera and Fiorino, \{D. W.\} and N. Fraija and Garc{\'i}a-Gonz{\'a}lez, \{J. A.\} and F. Garfias and M. Gerhardt and \{Gonz{\'a}lez Mu{\~n}oz\}, A. and Gonz{\'a}lez, \{M. M.\} and Goodman, \{J. A.\} and Z. Hampel-Arias and Harding, \{J. P.\} and S. Hern{\'a}ndez and A. Hern{\'a}ndez-Almada and J. Hinton and B. Hona and Hui, \{C. M.\} and P. H{\"u}ntemeyer and A. Iriarte and A. Jardin-Blicq and V. Joshi and S. Kaufmann and D. Kieda and A. Lara and Lauer, \{R. J.\} and Lee, \{W. H.\} and D. Lennarz and \{Le{\'o}n Vargas\}, H. and Linnemann, \{J. T.\} and Longinotti, \{A. L.\} and \{Luis Raya\}, G. and R. Luna-Garc{\'i}a and R. L{\'o}pez-Coto and K. Malone and Marinelli, \{S. S.\} and O. Martinez and I. Martinez-Castellanos and J. Mart{\'i}nez-Castro and H. Mart{\'i}nez-Huerta and Matthews, \{J. A.\} and P. Miranda-Romagnoli and E. Moreno and M. Mostaf{\'a} and L. Nellen and M. Newbold and Nisa, \{M. U.\} and R. Noriega-Papaqui and R. Pelayo and J. Pretz and P{\'e}rez-P{\'e}rez, \{E. G.\} and Z. Ren and Rho, \{C. D.\} and C. Rivi{\`e}re and D. Rosa-Gonz{\'a}lez and M. Rosenberg and E. Ruiz-Velasco and H. Salazar and \{Salesa Greus\}, F. and A. Sandoval and M. Schneider and H. Schoorlemmer and G. Sinnis and Smith, \{A. J.\} and Springer, \{R. W.\} and P. Surajbali and I. Taboada and O. Tibolla and K. Tollefson and I. Torres and Ukwatta, \{T. N.\} and G. Vianello and T. Weisgarber and S. Westerhoff and Wisher, \{I. G.\} and J. Wood and T. Yapici and G. Yodh and Younk, \{P. W.\} and A. Zepeda and H. Zhou and F. Guo and J. Hahn and H. Li and H. Zhang",

year = "2017",

month = nov,

day = "17",

doi = "10.1126/science.aan4880",

language = "English",

volume = "358",

pages = "911--914",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

number = "6365",

}

Abeysekara, AU, Albert, A, Alfaro, R, Alvarez, C, Álvarez, JD, Arceo, R, Arteaga-Velázquez, JC, Avila Rojas, D, Ayala Solares, HA, Barber, AS, Bautista-Elivar, N, Becerril, A, Belmont-Moreno, E, BenZvi, SY, Berley, D, Bernal, A, Braun, J, Brisbois, C, Caballero-Mora, KS, Capistrán, T, Carramiñana, A, Casanova, S, Castillo, M, Cotti, U, Cotzomi, J, Coutiño De León, S, De León, C, De La Fuente, E, Dingus, BL, DuVernois, MA, Díaz-Vélez, JC, Ellsworth, RW, Engel, K, Enríquez-Rivera, O, Fiorino, DW, Fraija, N, García-González, JA, Garfias, F, Gerhardt, M, González Muñoz, A, González, MM, Goodman, JA, Hampel-Arias, Z, Harding, JP, Hernández, S, Hernández-Almada, A, Hinton, J, Hona, B, Hui, CM, Hüntemeyer, P, Iriarte, A, Jardin-Blicq, A, Joshi, V, Kaufmann, S, Kieda, D, Lara, A, Lauer, RJ, Lee, WH, Lennarz, D, León Vargas, H, Linnemann, JT, Longinotti, AL, Luis Raya, G, Luna-García, R, López-Coto, R, Malone, K, Marinelli, SS, Martinez, O, Martinez-Castellanos, I, Martínez-Castro, J, Martínez-Huerta, H, Matthews, JA, Miranda-Romagnoli, P, Moreno, E, Mostafá, M, Nellen, L, Newbold, M, Nisa, MU, Noriega-Papaqui, R, Pelayo, R, Pretz, J, Pérez-Pérez, EG, Ren, Z, Rho, CD, Rivière, C, Rosa-González, D, Rosenberg, M, Ruiz-Velasco, E, Salazar, H, Salesa Greus, F, Sandoval, A, Schneider, M, Schoorlemmer, H, Sinnis, G, Smith, AJ, Springer, RW, Surajbali, P, Taboada, I, Tibolla, O, Tollefson, K, Torres, I, Ukwatta, TN, Vianello, G, Weisgarber, T, Westerhoff, S, Wisher, IG, Wood, J, Yapici, T, Yodh, G, Younk, PW, Zepeda, A, Zhou, H, Guo, F, Hahn, J, Li, H & Zhang, H 2017, 'Extended gamma-ray sources around pulsars constrain the origin of the positron flux at Earth', Science, vol. 358, no. 6365, pp. 911-914. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aan4880

TY - JOUR

T1 - Extended gamma-ray sources around pulsars constrain the origin of the positron flux at Earth

AU - Abeysekara, A. U.

AU - Albert, A.

AU - Alfaro, R.

AU - Alvarez, C.

AU - Álvarez, J. D.

AU - Arceo, R.

AU - Arteaga-Velázquez, J. C.

AU - Avila Rojas, D.

AU - Ayala Solares, H. A.

AU - Barber, A. S.

AU - Bautista-Elivar, N.

AU - Becerril, A.

AU - Belmont-Moreno, E.

AU - BenZvi, S. Y.

AU - Berley, D.

AU - Bernal, A.

AU - Braun, J.

AU - Brisbois, C.

AU - Caballero-Mora, K. S.

AU - Capistrán, T.

AU - Carramiñana, A.

AU - Casanova, S.

AU - Castillo, M.

AU - Cotti, U.

AU - Cotzomi, J.

AU - Coutiño De León, S.

AU - De León, C.

AU - De La Fuente, E.

AU - Dingus, B. L.

AU - DuVernois, M. A.

AU - Díaz-Vélez, J. C.

AU - Ellsworth, R. W.

AU - Engel, K.

AU - Enríquez-Rivera, O.

AU - Fiorino, D. W.

AU - Fraija, N.

AU - García-González, J. A.

AU - Garfias, F.

AU - Gerhardt, M.

AU - González Muñoz, A.

AU - González, M. M.

AU - Goodman, J. A.

AU - Hampel-Arias, Z.

AU - Harding, J. P.

AU - Hernández, S.

AU - Hernández-Almada, A.

AU - Hinton, J.

AU - Hona, B.

AU - Hui, C. M.

AU - Hüntemeyer, P.

AU - Iriarte, A.

AU - Jardin-Blicq, A.

AU - Joshi, V.

AU - Kaufmann, S.

AU - Kieda, D.

AU - Lara, A.

AU - Lauer, R. J.

AU - Lee, W. H.

AU - Lennarz, D.

AU - León Vargas, H.

AU - Linnemann, J. T.

AU - Longinotti, A. L.

AU - Luis Raya, G.

AU - Luna-García, R.

AU - López-Coto, R.

AU - Malone, K.

AU - Marinelli, S. S.

AU - Martinez, O.

AU - Martinez-Castellanos, I.

AU - Martínez-Castro, J.

AU - Martínez-Huerta, H.

AU - Matthews, J. A.

AU - Miranda-Romagnoli, P.

AU - Moreno, E.

AU - Mostafá, M.

AU - Nellen, L.

AU - Newbold, M.

AU - Nisa, M. U.

AU - Noriega-Papaqui, R.

AU - Pelayo, R.

AU - Pretz, J.

AU - Pérez-Pérez, E. G.

AU - Ren, Z.

AU - Rho, C. D.

AU - Rivière, C.

AU - Rosa-González, D.

AU - Rosenberg, M.

AU - Ruiz-Velasco, E.

AU - Salazar, H.

AU - Salesa Greus, F.

AU - Sandoval, A.

AU - Schneider, M.

AU - Schoorlemmer, H.

AU - Sinnis, G.

AU - Smith, A. J.

AU - Springer, R. W.

AU - Surajbali, P.

AU - Taboada, I.

AU - Tibolla, O.

AU - Tollefson, K.

AU - Torres, I.

AU - Ukwatta, T. N.

AU - Vianello, G.

AU - Weisgarber, T.

AU - Westerhoff, S.

AU - Wisher, I. G.

AU - Wood, J.

AU - Yapici, T.

AU - Yodh, G.

AU - Younk, P. W.

AU - Zepeda, A.

AU - Zhou, H.

AU - Guo, F.

AU - Hahn, J.

AU - Li, H.

AU - Zhang, H.

PY - 2017/11/17

Y1 - 2017/11/17

N2 - The unexpectedly high flux of cosmic-ray positrons detected at Earth may originate from nearby astrophysical sources, dark matter, or unknown processes of cosmic-ray secondary production. We report the detection, using the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC), of extended tera–electron volt gamma-ray emission coincident with the locations of two nearby middle-aged pulsars (Geminga and PSR B0656+14). The HAWC observations demonstrate that these pulsars are indeed local sources of accelerated leptons, but the measured tera–electron volt emission profile constrains the diffusion of particles away from these sources to be much slower than previously assumed. We demonstrate that the leptons emitted by these objects are therefore unlikely to be the origin of the excess positrons, which may have a more exotic origin.

AB - The unexpectedly high flux of cosmic-ray positrons detected at Earth may originate from nearby astrophysical sources, dark matter, or unknown processes of cosmic-ray secondary production. We report the detection, using the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC), of extended tera–electron volt gamma-ray emission coincident with the locations of two nearby middle-aged pulsars (Geminga and PSR B0656+14). The HAWC observations demonstrate that these pulsars are indeed local sources of accelerated leptons, but the measured tera–electron volt emission profile constrains the diffusion of particles away from these sources to be much slower than previously assumed. We demonstrate that the leptons emitted by these objects are therefore unlikely to be the origin of the excess positrons, which may have a more exotic origin.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85034022123

U2 - 10.1126/science.aan4880

DO - 10.1126/science.aan4880

M3 - Article

C2 - 29146808

AN - SCOPUS:85034022123

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 358

SP - 911

EP - 914

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6365

ER -

Extended gamma-ray sources around pulsars constrain the origin of the positron flux at Earth

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