VERITAS Observations of X-ray Binaries

TL;DR

This paper reports VERITAS telescope observations of several X-ray binaries, exploring their potential as sources of TeV gamma-ray emission and investigating particle acceleration mechanisms.

Contribution

It provides new observational data on multiple X-ray binaries, enhancing understanding of their high-energy emission and potential TeV gamma-ray production.

Findings

Detected no significant TeV gamma-ray emission from observed sources.

Established upper limits on gamma-ray flux for several X-ray binaries.

Contributed to the understanding of high-energy processes in X-ray binaries.

Abstract

X-ray binaries stand as the brightest X-ray sources in the galaxy, showing both variable X-ray emission and extreme flares. Some of these systems have been recently discovered to be TeV gamma-ray emitters, with the high energy emission posited as resulting from particle acceleration in relativistic jets or from shocks between pulsar and stellar winds. VERITAS, an array of four 12m imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes has accrued more than 100 hours of observation time on X-ray binaries. Here we present the results of observations on 3A 1954+319, XTE J2012+381, 1A 0620-00, EXO 2030+375, KS 1947+300, SS 433, Cygnus X-1 and Cygnus X-3.