Open AccessCentaurus X‐3: A Source of High‐Energy Gamma Rays
Author(s) -
P. M. Chadwick,
M. Dickinson,
N. A. Dipper,
T. R. Kendall,
T. J. L. McComb,
K. J. Orford,
J. L. Osborne,
S. M. Rayner,
Ian Roberts,
S. E. Shaw,
K. E. Turver
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
the astrophysical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.376
H-Index - 489
eISSN - 1538-4357
pISSN - 0004-637X
DOI - 10.1086/305998
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , gamma ray , neutron star , centaurus a , flux (metallurgy) , astronomy , accretion (finance) , telescope , active galactic nucleus , galaxy , materials science , metallurgy
Centaurus X-3 is a well-studied high-mass accreting X-ray binary and avariable source of high energy gamma rays with energies from 100 MeV to 1 TeV.Previous results have suggested that the origin of the gamma rays is not theimmediate vicinity of the neutron star but is sited in the accretion disc,perhaps in an accretion wake. The Durham Mark 6 gamma ray telescope has beenused to measure the gamma ray flux from Centaurus X-3 with much highersensitivity than previous ground-based measurements. The flux above ~ 400 GeVwas measured to be (2 +/- 0.3) x 10^-11 cm^-2 s^-1 and appears constant over aperiod of 2 - 3 months. In 10 hours of observations there is no evidence forperiodicity in the detected gamma rays at the X-ray spin period either from asite in the region of the neutron star, or from any other potential site in theorbit.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journa
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