A Cosmic-ray Electron Spectrum with VERITAS

TL;DR

This paper discusses the status of VERITAS's measurement of the cosmic-ray electron and positron spectrum in the TeV range, which helps probe local astrophysical sources and potential dark matter signals.

Contribution

It presents the first or ongoing measurement of the CRE spectrum at TeV energies using VERITAS, expanding ground-based observations in this energy range.

Findings

VERITAS can measure CREs into the TeV band.

CRE measurements help identify local astrophysical sources.

Potential to detect signals from dark matter annihilation or decay.

Abstract

Cosmic-ray electrons and positrons (CREs) at GeV-TeV energies are a unique probe of our local Galactic neighbourhood. CREs lose energy rapidly via inverse Compton scattering and synchrotron processes while propagating in the Galaxy, effectively placing a maximal propagation distance for TeV electrons of order ~1 kpc. Within this window, detected CREs can come from only a handful of known, nearby astrophysical sources capable of exciting CREs to that energy or from more exotic production mechanisms, like particle dark matter. HESS, and later MAGIC, have shown that ground-based imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes have the capability to measure CREs into the TeV band. In this proceedings we'll discuss the status of a VERITAS measurement of the electron plus positron cosmic ray spectrum.