Unraveling the Nature of HAWC J1844-034 with Fermi-LAT Data Analysis and Multi-wavelength Modeling

TL;DR

This study analyzes the gamma-ray source HAWC J1844-034 using Fermi-LAT data and multi-wavelength modeling, suggesting it may be a pulsar wind nebula powered by a nearby pulsar, with detailed spectral and morphological insights.

Contribution

The paper provides the first detailed Fermi-LAT analysis of HAWC J1844-034, identifying its GeV counterpart and modeling its multi-wavelength spectrum as a pulsar wind nebula.

Findings

Identified the GeV counterpart PS J1844.2-0342 with >5σ significance.

Provided upper limits on the photon flux after pulsar contribution removal.

Modeled the source as a pulsar wind nebula based on spectral energy distribution.

Abstract

The extended ultra-high-energy (UHE) gamma-ray source HAWC J1844-034 is closely associated with two other sources, HAWC J1843-032 and HWC J1846-025. Moreover, other gamma-ray observatories like H.E.S.S., LHAASO, and Tibet AS$_{\gamma}$ have detected UHE gamma-ray sources whose spatial positions coincide with the position of HAWC J1844-034. The UHE gamma-ray data from several observatories help analyse the spectral features of this source in detail at TeV energies. Of the four pulsars near HAWC J1844-034, PSR J1844-0346 is closest to it and possibly supplies the cosmic-ray leptons to power this source. We have analysed the Fermi-LAT data to explore this source's morphology and identify its spectral feature in the Fermi-LAT energy band. After removing the contribution of the pulsar to the gamma-ray spectral energy distribution by pulsar phased analysis, we have obtained upper limits on the photon flux and identified the GeV counterpart PS J1844.2-0342 in the Fermi-LAT energy band with more than 5$\sigma$ significance, which may be a pulsar wind nebula (PWN). Finally, the multi-wavelength spectral energy distribution is modeled, assuming HAWC J1844-034 is a PWN.