Observation of the Galactic Center PeVatron beyond 100 TeV with HAWC

A. Albert; R. Alfaro; C. Alvarez; A. Andrés; J. C. Arteaga-Velázquez; D. Avila Rojas; H. A. Ayala Solares; R. Babu; E. Belmont-Moreno; A. Bernal; K. S. Caballero-Mora; T. Capistrán; A. Carramiñana; S. Casanova; U. Cotti; J. Cotzomi; S. Coutiño de León; E. De la Fuente; C. de León; D. Depaoli; N. Di Lalla; R. Diaz Hernandez; B. L. Dingus; M. A. DuVernois; J. C. Díaz-Vélez; K. Engel; T. Ergin; C. Espinoza; K. L. Fan; K. Fang; N. Fraija; S. Fraija; J. A. García-González; F. Garfias; H. Goksu; M. M. González; J. A. Goodman; S. Groetsch; J. P. Harding; S. Hernández-Cadena; I. Herzog; J. Hinton; D. Huang; F. Hueyotl-Zahuantitla; T. B. Humensky; P. Hüntemeyer; A. Iriarte; S. Kaufmann; D. Kieda; A. Lara; W. H. Lee; J. Lee; H. León Vargas; J. T. Linnemann; A. L. Longinotti; G. Luis-Raya; K. Malone; O. Martinez; J. Martínez-Castro; J. A. Matthews; P. Miranda-Romagnoli; J. A. Montes; J. A. Morales-Soto; E. Moreno; M. Mostafá; M. Najafi; L. Nellen; M. Newbold; M. U. Nisa; R. Noriega-Papaqui; L. Olivera-Nieto; N. Omodei; M. Osorio-Archila; Y. Pérez Araujo; E. G. Pérez-Pérez; C. D. Rho; D. Rosa-González; E. Ruiz-Velasco; H. Salazar; D. Salazar-Gallegos; A. Sandoval; M. Schneider; G. Schwefer; J. Serna-Franco; A. J. Smith; Y. Son; R. W. Springer; O. Tibolla; K. Tollefson; I. Torres; R. Torres-Escobedo; R. Turner; F. Ureña-Mena; E. Varela; X. Wang; Z. Wang; I. J. Watson; E. Willox; H. Wu; S. Yu; S. Yun-Cárcamo; H. Zhou

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ad772e

Observation of the Galactic Center PeVatron beyond 100 TeV with HAWC

A. Albert
, R. Alfaro
, C. Alvarez
, A. Andrés
, J. C. Arteaga-Velázquez
, D. Avila Rojas
, H. A. Ayala Solares
, R. Babu
, E. Belmont-Moreno
, A. Bernal
, K. S. Caballero-Mora
, T. Capistrán
, A. Carramiñana
, S. Casanova
, U. Cotti
, J. Cotzomi
, S. Coutiño de León
, E. De la Fuente
, C. de León
, D. Depaoli

N. Di Lalla, R. Diaz Hernandez, B. L. Dingus, M. A. DuVernois, J. C. Díaz-Vélez, K. Engel, T. Ergin, C. Espinoza, K. L. Fan, K. Fang, N. Fraija, S. Fraija, J. A. García-González, F. Garfias, H. Goksu, M. M. González, J. A. Goodman, S. Groetsch, J. P. Harding, S. Hernández-Cadena, I. Herzog, J. Hinton, D. Huang, F. Hueyotl-Zahuantitla, T. B. Humensky, P. Hüntemeyer, A. Iriarte, S. Kaufmann, D. Kieda, A. Lara, W. H. Lee, J. Lee, H. León Vargas, J. T. Linnemann, A. L. Longinotti, G. Luis-Raya, K. Malone, O. Martinez, J. Martínez-Castro, J. A. Matthews, P. Miranda-Romagnoli, J. A. Montes, J. A. Morales-Soto, E. Moreno, M. Mostafá, M. Najafi, L. Nellen, M. Newbold, M. U. Nisa, R. Noriega-Papaqui, L. Olivera-Nieto, N. Omodei, M. Osorio-Archila, Y. Pérez Araujo, E. G. Pérez-Pérez, C. D. Rho, D. Rosa-González, E. Ruiz-Velasco, H. Salazar, D. Salazar-Gallegos, A. Sandoval, M. Schneider, G. Schwefer, J. Serna-Franco, A. J. Smith, Y. Son, R. W. Springer, O. Tibolla, K. Tollefson, I. Torres, R. Torres-Escobedo, R. Turner, F. Ureña-Mena, E. Varela, X. Wang, Z. Wang, I. J. Watson, E. Willox, H. Wu, S. Yu, S. Yun-Cárcamo, H. Zhou

Department of Physics

Los Alamos National Laboratory
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Universidad Autonoma de Chiapas
Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolas de Hidalgo
Pennsylvania State University
Michigan State University
Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica Optica y Electronica
Polish Academy of Sciences
Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Universidad de Guadalajara
Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
Stanford University
University of Maryland, College Park
Instituto Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey
Michigan Technological University
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Universidad Politecnica de Pachuca
University of Utah
University of Seoul
Instituto Politécnico Nacional
University of New Mexico
Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Hidalgo
Temple University

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

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report an observation of ultrahigh-energy (UHE) gamma rays from the Galactic center (GC) region, using 7 yr of data collected by the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Observatory. The HAWC data are best described as a point-like source (HAWC J1746-2856) with a power-law spectrum ( d N / d E = ϕ E / 26 TeV γ ), where γ = −2.88 ± 0.15_stat − 0.1_sys and ϕ = 1.5 × 10⁻¹⁵ (TeV cm² s)⁻¹ ± 0.3 stat − 0.13 sys + 0.08 sys extending from 6 to 114 TeV. We find no evidence of a spectral cutoff up to 100 TeV using HAWC data. Two known point-like gamma-ray sources are spatially coincident with the HAWC gamma-ray excess: Sgr A* (HESS J1745-290) and the Arc (HESS J1746-285). We subtract the known flux contribution of these point sources from the measured flux of HAWC J1746-2856 to exclude their contamination and show that the excess observed by HAWC remains significant (>5σ), with the spectrum extending to >100 TeV. Our result supports that these detected UHE gamma rays can originate via hadronic interaction of PeV cosmic-ray protons with the dense ambient gas and confirms the presence of a proton PeVatron at the GC.

Original language	English
Article number	L34
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	973
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad772e
State	Published - 1 Sep 2024

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Albert, A., Alfaro, R., Alvarez, C., Andrés, A., Arteaga-Velázquez, J. C., Avila Rojas, D., Ayala Solares, H. A., Babu, R., Belmont-Moreno, E., Bernal, A., Caballero-Mora, K. S., Capistrán, T., Carramiñana, A., Casanova, S., Cotti, U., Cotzomi, J., Coutiño de León, S., De la Fuente, E., de León, C., ... Zhou, H. (2024). Observation of the Galactic Center PeVatron beyond 100 TeV with HAWC. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 973(1), Article L34. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad772e

@article{2abdeae6c7834519a523d9160c66f65b,

title = "Observation of the Galactic Center PeVatron beyond 100 TeV with HAWC",

abstract = "We report an observation of ultrahigh-energy (UHE) gamma rays from the Galactic center (GC) region, using 7 yr of data collected by the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Observatory. The HAWC data are best described as a point-like source (HAWC J1746-2856) with a power-law spectrum ( d N / d E = ϕ E / 26 TeV γ ), where γ = −2.88 ± 0.15stat − 0.1sys and ϕ = 1.5 × 10−15 (TeV cm2 s)−1 ± 0.3 stat − 0.13 sys + 0.08 sys extending from 6 to 114 TeV. We find no evidence of a spectral cutoff up to 100 TeV using HAWC data. Two known point-like gamma-ray sources are spatially coincident with the HAWC gamma-ray excess: Sgr A* (HESS J1745-290) and the Arc (HESS J1746-285). We subtract the known flux contribution of these point sources from the measured flux of HAWC J1746-2856 to exclude their contamination and show that the excess observed by HAWC remains significant (>5σ), with the spectrum extending to >100 TeV. Our result supports that these detected UHE gamma rays can originate via hadronic interaction of PeV cosmic-ray protons with the dense ambient gas and confirms the presence of a proton PeVatron at the GC.",

author = "A. Albert and R. Alfaro and C. Alvarez and A. Andr{\'e}s and Arteaga-Vel{\'a}zquez, \{J. C.\} and \{Avila Rojas\}, D. and \{Ayala Solares\}, \{H. A.\} and R. Babu and E. Belmont-Moreno and A. Bernal and Caballero-Mora, \{K. S.\} and T. Capistr{\'a}n and A. Carrami{\~n}ana and S. Casanova and U. Cotti and J. Cotzomi and \{Couti{\~n}o de Le{\'o}n\}, S. and \{De la Fuente\}, E. and \{de Le{\'o}n\}, C. and D. Depaoli and \{Di Lalla\}, N. and \{Diaz Hernandez\}, R. and Dingus, \{B. L.\} and DuVernois, \{M. A.\} and D{\'i}az-V{\'e}lez, \{J. C.\} and K. Engel and T. Ergin and C. Espinoza and Fan, \{K. L.\} and K. Fang and N. Fraija and S. Fraija and Garc{\'i}a-Gonz{\'a}lez, \{J. A.\} and F. Garfias and H. Goksu and Gonz{\'a}lez, \{M. M.\} and Goodman, \{J. A.\} and S. Groetsch and Harding, \{J. P.\} and S. Hern{\'a}ndez-Cadena and I. Herzog and J. Hinton and D. Huang and F. Hueyotl-Zahuantitla and Humensky, \{T. B.\} and P. H{\"u}ntemeyer and A. Iriarte and S. Kaufmann and D. Kieda and A. Lara and Lee, \{W. H.\} and J. Lee and Vargas, \{H. Le{\'o}n\} and Linnemann, \{J. T.\} and Longinotti, \{A. L.\} and G. Luis-Raya and K. Malone and O. Martinez and J. Mart{\'i}nez-Castro and Matthews, \{J. A.\} and P. Miranda-Romagnoli and Montes, \{J. A.\} and Morales-Soto, \{J. A.\} and E. Moreno and M. Mostaf{\'a} and M. Najafi and L. Nellen and M. Newbold and Nisa, \{M. U.\} and R. Noriega-Papaqui and L. Olivera-Nieto and N. Omodei and M. Osorio-Archila and Araujo, \{Y. P{\'e}rez\} and P{\'e}rez-P{\'e}rez, \{E. G.\} and Rho, \{C. D.\} and D. Rosa-Gonz{\'a}lez and E. Ruiz-Velasco and H. Salazar and D. Salazar-Gallegos and A. Sandoval and M. Schneider and G. Schwefer and J. Serna-Franco and Smith, \{A. J.\} and Y. Son and Springer, \{R. W.\} and O. Tibolla and K. Tollefson and I. Torres and R. Torres-Escobedo and R. Turner and F. Ure{\~n}a-Mena and E. Varela and X. Wang and Z. Wang and Watson, \{I. J.\} and E. Willox and H. Wu and S. Yu and S. Yun-C{\'a}rcamo and H. Zhou",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.",

year = "2024",

month = sep,

day = "1",

doi = "10.3847/2041-8213/ad772e",

language = "English",

volume = "973",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal Letters",

issn = "2041-8205",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

number = "1",

}

Albert, A, Alfaro, R, Alvarez, C, Andrés, A, Arteaga-Velázquez, JC, Avila Rojas, D, Ayala Solares, HA, Babu, R, Belmont-Moreno, E, Bernal, A, Caballero-Mora, KS, Capistrán, T, Carramiñana, A, Casanova, S, Cotti, U, Cotzomi, J, Coutiño de León, S, De la Fuente, E, de León, C, Depaoli, D, Di Lalla, N, Diaz Hernandez, R, Dingus, BL, DuVernois, MA, Díaz-Vélez, JC, Engel, K, Ergin, T, Espinoza, C, Fan, KL, Fang, K, Fraija, N, Fraija, S, García-González, JA, Garfias, F, Goksu, H, González, MM, Goodman, JA, Groetsch, S, Harding, JP, Hernández-Cadena, S, Herzog, I, Hinton, J, Huang, D, Hueyotl-Zahuantitla, F, Humensky, TB, Hüntemeyer, P, Iriarte, A, Kaufmann, S, Kieda, D, Lara, A, Lee, WH, Lee, J, Vargas, HL, Linnemann, JT, Longinotti, AL, Luis-Raya, G, Malone, K, Martinez, O, Martínez-Castro, J, Matthews, JA, Miranda-Romagnoli, P, Montes, JA, Morales-Soto, JA, Moreno, E, Mostafá, M, Najafi, M, Nellen, L, Newbold, M, Nisa, MU, Noriega-Papaqui, R, Olivera-Nieto, L, Omodei, N, Osorio-Archila, M, Araujo, YP, Pérez-Pérez, EG, Rho, CD, Rosa-González, D, Ruiz-Velasco, E, Salazar, H, Salazar-Gallegos, D, Sandoval, A, Schneider, M, Schwefer, G, Serna-Franco, J, Smith, AJ, Son, Y, Springer, RW, Tibolla, O, Tollefson, K, Torres, I, Torres-Escobedo, R, Turner, R, Ureña-Mena, F, Varela, E, Wang, X, Wang, Z, Watson, IJ, Willox, E, Wu, H, Yu, S, Yun-Cárcamo, S & Zhou, H 2024, 'Observation of the Galactic Center PeVatron beyond 100 TeV with HAWC', Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 973, no. 1, L34. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad772e

TY - JOUR

T1 - Observation of the Galactic Center PeVatron beyond 100 TeV with HAWC

AU - Albert, A.

AU - Alfaro, R.

AU - Alvarez, C.

AU - Andrés, A.

AU - Arteaga-Velázquez, J. C.

AU - Avila Rojas, D.

AU - Ayala Solares, H. A.

AU - Babu, R.

AU - Belmont-Moreno, E.

AU - Bernal, A.

AU - Caballero-Mora, K. S.

AU - Capistrán, T.

AU - Carramiñana, A.

AU - Casanova, S.

AU - Cotti, U.

AU - Cotzomi, J.

AU - Coutiño de León, S.

AU - De la Fuente, E.

AU - de León, C.

AU - Depaoli, D.

AU - Di Lalla, N.

AU - Diaz Hernandez, R.

AU - Dingus, B. L.

AU - DuVernois, M. A.

AU - Díaz-Vélez, J. C.

AU - Engel, K.

AU - Ergin, T.

AU - Espinoza, C.

AU - Fan, K. L.

AU - Fang, K.

AU - Fraija, N.

AU - Fraija, S.

AU - García-González, J. A.

AU - Garfias, F.

AU - Goksu, H.

AU - González, M. M.

AU - Goodman, J. A.

AU - Groetsch, S.

AU - Harding, J. P.

AU - Hernández-Cadena, S.

AU - Herzog, I.

AU - Hinton, J.

AU - Huang, D.

AU - Hueyotl-Zahuantitla, F.

AU - Humensky, T. B.

AU - Hüntemeyer, P.

AU - Iriarte, A.

AU - Kaufmann, S.

AU - Kieda, D.

AU - Lara, A.

AU - Lee, W. H.

AU - Lee, J.

AU - Vargas, H. León

AU - Linnemann, J. T.

AU - Longinotti, A. L.

AU - Luis-Raya, G.

AU - Malone, K.

AU - Martinez, O.

AU - Martínez-Castro, J.

AU - Matthews, J. A.

AU - Miranda-Romagnoli, P.

AU - Montes, J. A.

AU - Morales-Soto, J. A.

AU - Moreno, E.

AU - Mostafá, M.

AU - Najafi, M.

AU - Nellen, L.

AU - Newbold, M.

AU - Nisa, M. U.

AU - Noriega-Papaqui, R.

AU - Olivera-Nieto, L.

AU - Omodei, N.

AU - Osorio-Archila, M.

AU - Araujo, Y. Pérez

AU - Pérez-Pérez, E. G.

AU - Rho, C. D.

AU - Rosa-González, D.

AU - Ruiz-Velasco, E.

AU - Salazar, H.

AU - Salazar-Gallegos, D.

AU - Sandoval, A.

AU - Schneider, M.

AU - Schwefer, G.

AU - Serna-Franco, J.

AU - Smith, A. J.

AU - Son, Y.

AU - Springer, R. W.

AU - Tibolla, O.

AU - Tollefson, K.

AU - Torres, I.

AU - Torres-Escobedo, R.

AU - Turner, R.

AU - Ureña-Mena, F.

AU - Varela, E.

AU - Wang, X.

AU - Wang, Z.

AU - Watson, I. J.

AU - Willox, E.

AU - Wu, H.

AU - Yu, S.

AU - Yun-Cárcamo, S.

AU - Zhou, H.

PY - 2024/9/1

Y1 - 2024/9/1

N2 - We report an observation of ultrahigh-energy (UHE) gamma rays from the Galactic center (GC) region, using 7 yr of data collected by the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Observatory. The HAWC data are best described as a point-like source (HAWC J1746-2856) with a power-law spectrum ( d N / d E = ϕ E / 26 TeV γ ), where γ = −2.88 ± 0.15stat − 0.1sys and ϕ = 1.5 × 10−15 (TeV cm2 s)−1 ± 0.3 stat − 0.13 sys + 0.08 sys extending from 6 to 114 TeV. We find no evidence of a spectral cutoff up to 100 TeV using HAWC data. Two known point-like gamma-ray sources are spatially coincident with the HAWC gamma-ray excess: Sgr A* (HESS J1745-290) and the Arc (HESS J1746-285). We subtract the known flux contribution of these point sources from the measured flux of HAWC J1746-2856 to exclude their contamination and show that the excess observed by HAWC remains significant (>5σ), with the spectrum extending to >100 TeV. Our result supports that these detected UHE gamma rays can originate via hadronic interaction of PeV cosmic-ray protons with the dense ambient gas and confirms the presence of a proton PeVatron at the GC.

AB - We report an observation of ultrahigh-energy (UHE) gamma rays from the Galactic center (GC) region, using 7 yr of data collected by the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Observatory. The HAWC data are best described as a point-like source (HAWC J1746-2856) with a power-law spectrum ( d N / d E = ϕ E / 26 TeV γ ), where γ = −2.88 ± 0.15stat − 0.1sys and ϕ = 1.5 × 10−15 (TeV cm2 s)−1 ± 0.3 stat − 0.13 sys + 0.08 sys extending from 6 to 114 TeV. We find no evidence of a spectral cutoff up to 100 TeV using HAWC data. Two known point-like gamma-ray sources are spatially coincident with the HAWC gamma-ray excess: Sgr A* (HESS J1745-290) and the Arc (HESS J1746-285). We subtract the known flux contribution of these point sources from the measured flux of HAWC J1746-2856 to exclude their contamination and show that the excess observed by HAWC remains significant (>5σ), with the spectrum extending to >100 TeV. Our result supports that these detected UHE gamma rays can originate via hadronic interaction of PeV cosmic-ray protons with the dense ambient gas and confirms the presence of a proton PeVatron at the GC.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85205429298

U2 - 10.3847/2041-8213/ad772e

DO - 10.3847/2041-8213/ad772e

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85205429298

SN - 2041-8205

VL - 973

JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

IS - 1

M1 - L34

ER -

Observation of the Galactic Center PeVatron beyond 100 TeV with HAWC

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