VHE Blazar Discoveries with VERITAS

TL;DR

This paper reports on the VERITAS telescope array's efforts since 2007 to discover and study VHE gamma-ray-emitting blazars, resulting in 10 new detections and advancing understanding of these energetic sources.

Contribution

It presents the first comprehensive summary of VHE blazar discoveries made with VERITAS since 2007, including observational strategies and results.

Findings

Discovered VHE emission from 10 blazars

Conducted over 1000 hours of targeted observations

Enhanced understanding of blazar gamma-ray emission

Abstract

The VERITAS array of 12-m atmospheric-Cherenkov telescopes is used in an intensive observation program focused on the discovery of VHE (E > 100 GeV) gamma-ray-emitting blazars. Since VERITAS began full-scale operation in 2007, more than 1000 hours of observation, on ~90 targets, have been devoted to the VHE blazar discovery effort and to timely follow-up in multi-wavelength (MWL) observation campaigns. These data have resulted in the discovery of VHE emission from 10 blazars (6 HBLs and 4 IBLs). A summary of these VHE discoveries is presented.