On the possibility of sub-TeV -ray emission from Cyg X-3

Abstract

The compact X-ray binary system Cyg X-3 has been recently discovered as a source of GeV gamma-rays by the AGILE and the {\it Fermi} satellites. It shows emission features in the GeV gamma-rays similar to other gamma-ray binaries which were also observed in the TeV gamma-rays (LS 5039 and LSI +61 303). The question appears whether Cyg X-3 can be also detected in the TeV gamma-rays by the Cherenkov telescopes. Here we discuss this problem in detail based on the anisotropic inverse Compton (IC) e-p pair cascade model successfully applied to TeV gamma-ray binaries. We calculate the gamma-ray light curves and gamma-ray spectra expected from the cascade process occurring inside the Cyg X-3 binary system. It is found that the gamma-ray light curves at GeV energies can be consistent with the gamma-ray light curve observed by the Fermi for reasonable parameters of the orbit of the injection source of relativistic electrons. Moreover, we show that in such a model the sub-TeV gamma-ray emission (above 100 GeV) is expected to be below sensitivities of the present Cherenkov telescopes assuming that electrons are accelerated in Cyg X-3 to TeV energies. The next stage Cherenkov telescopes (MAGIC II, HESS II) should have the energy threshold in the range 20-30 GeV, in order to have a chance to detect the signal from Cyg X-3. Otherwise, the positive detection of gamma-rays at energies above a few tens of GeV requires a telescope with the sensitivity of ~0.1% of Crab Units. We conclude that detection of sub-TeV gamma-rays from Cyg X-3 by on-ground telescopes has to probably wait for construction of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA).