VHE Observations of the Binary Candidate HESS J0632+057 with H.E.S.S. and VERITAS

TL;DR

This paper reports multi-year VHE gamma-ray observations of HESS J0632+057, confirming it as a new gamma-ray binary with significant detections and correlated X-ray data, expanding understanding of such rare systems.

Contribution

It provides the first extensive VHE gamma-ray observational dataset confirming HESS J0632+057 as a gamma-ray binary.

Findings

Confirmed HESS J0632+057 as a point-like VHE source with >12 sigma significance.

Detected correlated X-ray and VHE gamma-ray emission.

Extended the observational data over more than six years.

Abstract

HESS J0632+057 is an unidentified gamma-ray source located in the Monoceros region, probably associated with the massive Be star MWC 148. H.E.S.S. and VERITAS observations in the very high energy (VHE) range combined with Swift X-ray data indicate that this object is a new member of the elusive gamma-ray binary class. We present here results of VHE gamma-ray observations from VERITAS and HESS at energies above 100 GeV taken over more than six years. The observations confirm HESS J0632+057 as a point-like VHE source with a significance of more than 12 standard deviations. The VHE gamma-ray results are discussed in the context of contemporaneous X-ray observations with Swift XRT.