Observation of TeV gamma-rays from the unidentified source HESS J1841-055 with the ARGO-YBJ experiment

TL;DR

This paper reports the detection of very high energy gamma-ray emission from the source HESS J1841-055 using the ARGO-YBJ experiment, confirming and extending previous observations with new spectral and spatial measurements.

Contribution

The study provides the first extended observation of HESS J1841-055 with ARGO-YBJ, including spectral analysis and source extension estimation, contributing new data to understand this unidentified gamma-ray source.

Findings

Detected gamma-ray emission with 5.3 sigma significance

Estimated source extension of approximately 0.4 degrees

Measured flux above 1 TeV is about 3.2 times HESS's flux

Abstract

We report the observation of a very high energy \gamma-ray source, whose position is coincident with HESS J1841-055. This source has been observed for 4.5 years by the ARGO-YBJ experiment from November 2007 to July 2012. Its emission is detected with a statistical significance of 5.3 standard deviations. Parameterizing the source shape with a two-dimensional Gaussian function we estimate an extension \sigma=(0.40(+0.32,-0.22}) degree, consistent with the HESS measurement. The observed energy spectrum is dN/dE =(9.0-+1.6) x 10^{-13}(E/5 TeV)^{-2.32-+0.23} photons cm^{-2} s^{-1} TeV^{-1}, in the energy range 0.9-50 TeV. The integral \gamma-ray flux above 1 TeV is 1.3-+0.4 Crab units, which is 3.2-+1.0 times the flux derived by HESS. The differences in the flux determination between HESS and ARGO-YBJ, and possible counterparts at other wavelengths are discussed.