Fermi Large Area Telescope Observations Research Articles

A New Puzzling Periodic Signal in GeV Energies of the γ-Ray Binary LS I+61°303

LS I+61°303 is a high-mass X-ray binary system comprising a massive Be star and a rapidly rotating neutron star. Its spectral energy distribution across multiwavelengths categorizes it as a γ-ray binary system. In our analysis of LS I+61°303 using Fermi Large Area Telescope observations, we not only confirmed the three previously discussed periodicities of orbital, superorbital, and orbital–superorbital beat periods observed in multiwavelength observations, but also identified an additional periodic signal. This newly discovered signal exhibits a period of ∼26.3 days at a ∼7σ confidence level. Moreover, the power spectrum peak of the new signal gradually decreases as the energy increases across the energy ranges of 0.1–0.3, 0.3–1.0, and 1.0–500.0 GeV. Interestingly, a potential signal with a similar period was found in data obtained from the Owens Valley Radio Observatory 40 m telescope. We suggest that the newly discovered periodic signal may originate from a coupling between the orbital period and the retrograde stellar precession period.

Study of γ-Ray Emission from a Compact Radio Galaxy with the Fermi Large Area Telescope

The radio galaxy PKS 1007+142 is classified as a compact steep-spectrum source (CSS) and belongs to the class of young active galactic nuclei (AGNs). In this paper, we investigate the γ-ray emission from this CSS by conducting a comprehensive analysis of the 15 yr Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT) observation data. The Fermi-LAT latest Source Catalog, 4FGL-DR4, includes an unassociated γ-ray source, 4FGL J1010.0+1416, located at 0.°24 away from the radio position of PKS 1007+142. Using the 15 yr Fermi-LAT observation data, we reestimate the best-fit position of the γ-ray source and find that PKS 1007+142 is in close proximity to the γ-ray source and falls within its 68% error circle. Therefore, we conclude that PKS 1007+142 is the most plausible counterpart to the unassociated LAT source with detection test statistics ∼ 43.4 (∼6.6σ). PKS 1007+142 exhibits a steep power-law spectrum in the 0.1–300 GeV band, with a photon spectral index (Γ γ ) of 2.86 ± 0.17. The average flux in the considered time interval is (2.14 ± 0.34) × 10−12 erg cm−2 s−1. Comparing PKS 1007+142 with other γ-ray emitting AGNs in both the L γ –Γ γ and L γ –L 1.4 GHz planes, it shows a softer γ-ray spectrum and lower luminosity compared to other γ-ray emitting CSSs. Furthermore, the possible origins of γ-ray in PKS 1007+142 are also discussed.

First Constraints on the Photon Coupling of Axionlike Particles from Multimessenger Studies of the Neutron Star Merger GW170817.

We use multimessenger observations of the neutron star merger event GW170817 to derive new constraints on axionlike particles (ALPs) coupling to photons. ALPs are produced via Primakoff and photon coalescence processes in the merger, escape the remnant, and decay back into two photons, giving rise to a photon signal approximately along the line of sight to the merger. We analyze the spectral and temporal information of the ALP-induced photon signal and use the Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT) observations of GW170817 to derive our new ALP constraints. We also show the improved prospects with future MeV γ-ray missions, taking the spectral and temporal coverage of Fermi-LAT as an example.

Disentangling the Hadronic Components in NGC 1068

The recent detection of high-energy neutrinos by IceCube in the direction of the nearby Seyfert/starburst galaxy NGC 1068 implies that radio-quiet active galactic nuclei can accelerate cosmic-ray ions. Dedicated multimessenger analyses suggest that the interaction of these high-energy ions with ambient gas or photons happens in a region of the galaxy that is highly opaque for GeV–TeV gamma rays. Otherwise, the GeV–TeV emission would violate existing constraints provided by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) and the Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov. The conditions of high optical depth are realized near the central supermassive black hole (SMBH). At the same time, the GeV emission detected by the Fermi LAT is likely related to the galaxy’s sustained star formation activity. In this work, we derive a 20 MeV–1 TeV spectrum of NGC 1068 using 14 yr of Fermi LAT observations. We find that the starburst hadronic component is responsible for NGC 1068's emission above ∼500 MeV. However, below this energy, an additional component is required. In the 20–500 MeV range, the Fermi LAT data are consistent with hadronic emission initiated by non-thermal ions interacting with gas or photons in the vicinity of the central SMBH. This highlights the importance of the MeV band to discover hidden cosmic-ray accelerators.

How the dynamical properties of globular clusters impact their γ-ray and X-ray emission

ABSTRACT The X-ray and γ-ray emission of globular clusters (GCs) is attributed to their large fraction of compact binary systems, especially those with millisecond pulsars (MSPs). We analyse a population of 124 Galactic GCs to investigate how their dynamical properties affect the formation and evolution of compact binary systems and how this can be translated into the clusters’ observed X-ray and γ-ray emission. We use mainly Chandra X-ray Observatory and Fermi Large Area Telescope observations to achieve our goals and start by detecting 39 GCs in γ rays, seven of which are not listed in previous Fermi-LAT catalogs. Additionally, we find that the total number of X-ray sources within a GC and its γ-ray luminosity are linearly correlated with the stellar encounter rate, indicating that compact binary systems are mainly formed via close stellar encounters. We also find an unexpected rise in the number of X-ray sources for GCs with low rates of stellar encounters, suggesting that there is a dynamical threshold where the formation of X-ray sources is dominated by stellar encounters. Furthermore, we use the Heggie-Hills law to find that subsequent stellar encounters in these compact binaries will, on average, make the binaries even harder, with basically no possibility of binary ionization. Finally, we find that all GCs are point-like sources in γ rays, indicating that the MSPs are concentrated in the clusters’ cores, likely due to dynamical friction.

Effective shielding of ≲10 GeV cosmic rays from dense molecular clumps

The density of cosmic rays inside molecular clouds determines the ionization rate in the dense cores where stars form. It is also one of the drivers of astrochemistry leading to the creation of complex molecules. Through Fermi Large Area Telescope observations of nearby giant molecular clouds, we observed deficits (holes) in the gamma-ray residual map when modelling with the expected gamma-ray diffuse emission from uniform cosmic rays interacting with the molecular content. We propose that the deficit is due to the lack of penetration of the low-energy (sub-GeV to GeV) cosmic rays into denser regions or clumps. This differs from the prevailing view of fast cosmic ray transport in giant molecular clouds where the magnetic turbulence is suppressed by neutral-ion damping, as our results require a slow diffusion inside dense molecular clumps. Through modelling we find that while the shielding is negligible on the cloud scale, it becomes important in the denser, parsec-sized regions where the gravitational collapse is already at play, changing the initial condition of star formation and astrochemistry.

Return of the templates: Revisiting the Galactic Center excess with multimessenger observations

The Galactic center excess (GCE) remains one of the most intriguing discoveries from the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) observations. We revisit the characteristics of the GCE by first producing a new set of high-resolution galactic diffuse gamma-ray emission templates. This diffuse emission, which accounts for the bulk of the observed gamma rays, is ultimately due to cosmic-ray interactions with the interstellar medium. Using recent high-precision cosmic-ray observations, in addition to the continuing Fermi-LAT observations and observations from lower energy photons, we constrain the properties of the galactic diffuse emission. We describe a large set of diffuse gamma-ray emission templates which account for a very wide range of initial assumptions on the physical conditions in the inner galaxy. The broad properties of the GCE that we find in this work are qualitatively unchanged despite the introduction of this new set of templates, though its quantitative features appear mildly different than those obtained in previous analyses. In particular, we find a high-energy tail at higher significance than previously reported. This tail is very prominent in the northern hemisphere, and less so in the southern hemisphere. This strongly affects one prominent interpretation of the excess: known millisecond pulsars are incapable of producing this high-energy emission, even in the relatively softer southern hemisphere, and are therefore disfavored as the sole explanation of the GCE. The annihilation of dark matter particles of mass ${40}_{\ensuremath{-}7}^{+10}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV}$ (95% CL) to $b$ quarks with a cross-section of $⟨{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{A}v⟩=1.{4}_{\ensuremath{-}0.3}^{+0.6}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}26}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{3}\text{ }{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ provides a good fit to the excess especially in the relatively cleaner southern sky. Dark matter of the same mass range annihilating to $b$ quarks or heavier dark matter particles annihilating to heavier Standard Model bosons can combine with millisecond pulsars to provide a good fit to the southern hemisphere emission as well, as can a broken power-law spectrum which would be related to recent cosmic-ray burst activity. As part of this paper, we make publicly available all of our templates and the data covariance matrix we have generated to account for systematic uncertainties.

Indirect detection of secluded supersymmetric dark matter

Weak-scale secluded sector dark matter can reproduce the observed dark matter relic density with thermal freeze-out within that sector. If nature is supersymmetric, three portals to the visible sector---a gauge portal, a Higgs portal, and a gaugino portal---are present. We present gamma ray spectra relevant for indirect detection of dark matter annihilation in such setups. Since symmetries in the secluded sector can stabilize dark matter, $R$-parity is unnecessary, and we investigate the impact of $R$-parity violation on annihilation spectra. We present limits from the Fermi Large Area Telescope observations of dwarf galaxies and projections for Cherenkov Telescope Array observations of the galactic center. Many of our results are also applicable to generic, nonsupersymmetric setups.

Evidence for Gamma-Ray Pulsations from the Classical Nova ASASSN-16ma

Abstract I report here a new result extracted from the Fermi Large Area Telescope observation of the classical nova ASASSN-16ma that exhibits coherent γ-ray pulsations at 544.84(7) s during its outburst in 2016. Considering the number of independent trials, the significance of the evidence is 4.0σ, equivalent to a false-alarm probability of 5.9 × 10−5. The periodicity was steady during the 4 days of its appearance, indicating its origin as the spinning signal of the white dwarf. Given that the optical and γ-ray light curves of some shock-powered γ-ray novae have been recently shown to be closely correlated to each other, the γ-ray pulsation phenomenon likely implies an existence of associated optical pulsations, which would provide detailed ephemerides for these extreme white dwarf binaries for further investigations in the near future.

Fermi-LAT Observations of Sagittarius A*: Imaging Analysis

Abstract Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*)—the supermassive black hole (SMBH) in the center of our galaxy—has been observed in most of the electromagnetic spectrum, from radio to X-rays. Diffuse γ-ray emission has been observed around Sgr A* and a γ-ray point source has been detected coinciding with the SMBH’s position, although there is no definitive association between the two. In this work, we have used ∼11 yr of Fermi Large Area Telescope observations of the point source 4FGL J1745.6–2859 and performed a detailed imaging analysis across four energy bands. Our goal is to elucidate the nature of the γ-ray emission at the Galactic Center (GC) and whether it is associated with the SMBH. We find that the centroid of the emission approaches Sgr A*’s location as the energy increases. Assuming that the γ-ray point source is located at the GC, we estimate a luminosity of 2.61 × 1036 erg s−1 in the 100 MeV to 500 GeV energy range. This is consistent with Sgr A*’s bolometric luminosity. Based on the point source properties, we ruled out several potential candidates for its nature and favor a cosmic-ray origin either from protons, electrons, or both, accelerated by—or in the vicinity of—the SMBH. Our results indicate that the point source at the GC is indeed the γ-ray counterpart of Sgr A* in the GeV range.

A New Gamma-Ray-emitting Population of FR0 Radio Galaxies

Abstract The enigmatic class of Fanaroff–Riley type 0 (FR0) radio galaxies is emerging as the missing link between the faint yet numerous population of compact radio sources in nearby galaxies and the canonical Fanaroff–Riley classification scheme. This Letter reports the first γ-ray identification of three FR0 galaxies above 1 GeV using more than a decade of the Fermi Large Area Telescope observations. A cumulative γ-ray emission at >5σ significance was also detected from the γ-ray unresolved FR0 sources using the stacking technique, suggesting the FR0 population to be a γ-ray emitter as a whole. The multifrequency properties of the γ-ray-detected sources are similar to other FR0s, thus indicating the high-energy radiation to originate from misaligned jets. Given their large abundance, FR0 radio galaxies are proposed as plausible candidates for IceCube-detected neutrinos and the results presented in this Letter may provide crucial constraints on their γ-ray production mechanism and the origin of cosmic neutrinos.

Cosmological Evolution of Fermi Large Area Telescope Gamma-Ray Blazars Using Novel Nonparametric Methods

Abstract Multiwavelength analyses of spectra of active galactic nuclei provide useful information on the physical processes in the accretion disk and jets of black holes. This, however, is limited to bright sources and may not represent the population as a whole. Another approach is through the investigation of the cosmological evolution of the luminosity function (LF), which shows varied evolution (luminosity and density) at different wavelengths. These differences and the correlations between luminosities can shed light on the jet-accretion disk connection. Most such studies use forward fitting parametric methods that involve several functions and many parameters. We use nonparametric, nonbinning methods developed by Efron & Petrosian and Lynden-Bell, for obtaining unbiased description of the evolution of the LF, from data truncated by observational selection effects. We present an analysis of the evolution of gamma-ray LF of blazars with a main focus on flat-spectrum radio quasars. This requires analysis of both gamma-ray and optical data, essential for redshift measurements, and a description of the joint LF. We use a new approach that divides the sample into two subsamples, each with its own flux limit. We use the Fermi Large Area Telescope and GAIA observations, and present results on the gamma-ray LF and its evolution, and determine the intrinsic correlation between the gamma-ray and optical luminosities corrected for the well-known false correlation induced by their similar redshift dependence and evolution of the two luminosities. We also present a direct estimation of the contribution of blazars to the spectrum of the extragalactic gamma-ray background.

Constraining the Origin of the Puzzling Source HESS J1640−465 and the PeVatron Candidate HESS J1641−463 Using Fermi-Large Area Telescope Observations

Abstract There are only a few very-high-energy sources in our Galaxy that might accelerate particles up to the knee of the cosmic-ray spectrum. To understand the mechanisms of particle acceleration in these PeVatron candidates, Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) and High-Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) observations are essential to characterize their γ-ray emission. HESS J1640–465 and the PeVatron candidate HESS J1641–463 are two neighboring (0.25°) γ-ray sources, spatially coincident with the radio supernova remnants (SNRs) G338.3–0.0 and G338.5+0.1. Detected both by H.E.S.S. and the Fermi-LAT, we present here a morphological and spectral analysis of these two sources using 8 yr of Fermi-LAT data between 200 MeV and 1 TeV with multiwavelength observations to assess their nature. The morphology of HESS J1640–465 is described by a 2D Gaussian (σ = 0.053° ± 0.011°stat ± 0.03°syst) and its spectrum is modeled by a power law with a spectral index Γ = 1.8 ± 0.1stat ± 0.2syst. HESS J1641–463 is detected as a point-like source and its GeV emission is described by a logarithmic-parabola spectrum with α = 2.7 ± 0.1stat ± 0.2syst and significant curvature of β = 0.11 ± 0.03stat ± 0.05syst. Radio and X-ray flux upper limits were derived. We investigated scenarios to explain their emission, namely, the emission from accelerated particles within the SNRs spatially coincident with each source, molecular clouds illuminated by cosmic rays from the close-by SNRs, and a pulsar/pulsar wind nebula origin. Our new Fermi-LAT results and the radio and flux X-ray upper limits pose severe constraints on some of these models.

Interpreting correlated observations of cosmic rays and gamma-rays from Centaurus A with a proton blazar inspired model

ABSTRACT The nearest active radio galaxy Centaurus (Cen) A is a gamma-ray emitter in GeV–TeV energy scale. The high energy stereoscopic system (HESS) and non-simultaneous Fermi–Large Area Telescope observation indicate an unusual spectral hardening above few GeV energies in the gamma-ray spectrum of Cen A. Very recently the HESS observatory resolved the kilo parsec (kpc)-scale jets in Centaurus A at TeV energies. On the other hand, the Pierre Auger Observatory (PAO) detects a few ultrahigh energy cosmic ray (UHECR) events from Cen-A. The proton blazar inspired model, which considers acceleration of both electrons and hadronic cosmic rays in active galactic nuclei (AGN) jet, can explain the observed coincident high-energy neutrinos and gamma-rays from Ice-cube detected AGN jets. Here, we have employed the proton blazar inspired model to explain the observed GeV–TeV gamma-ray spectrum features including the spectrum hardening at GeV energies along with the PAO observation on cosmic rays from Cen-A. Our findings suggest that the model can explain consistently the observed electromagnetic spectrum in combination with the appropriate number of UHECRs from Cen A.

Modelling the broadband emission from the white dwarf binary system AR Scorpii

AR Scorpii is a compact binary system which consists of a magnetic white dwarf and an M-type main sequence cool star. This binary system was discovered as a source of pulsating radiation in radio, infrared, optical, ultraviolet and X-ray wavebands. In this work, we have analyzed the γ-ray data in the energy range 100 MeV to 500 GeV from the Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) observations for the period August 4, 2008 to March 31, 2019. The γ-ray emission from AR Scorpii over the last decade is not statistically significant and therefore 2σ upper limit on the integral flux above 100 MeV has been estimated. We reproduce the non-thermal broadband spectral energy distribution of AR Scorpii using an emission model having two synchrotron components due to the relativistic electrons in very high magnetic fields. The first component (Synchrotron-1) broadly describes the emissions at radio to high energy X-rays through the synchrotron radiation originating from a spherical region of radius ~ 1.8 × 1010 cm and a magnetic field strength of ~ 103 Gauss. The second component (Synchrotron-2) which reproduces the X-ray emission at lower energies and predicts the γ-ray emission, originates from another spherical region with radius ~ 1.4 × 1010 cm and a magnetic field strength of ~ 106 Gauss. The relativistic electron populations in both the emission regions are described by a smooth broken power law energy distribution. The γ-ray emission predicted by the Synchrotron-2 model is below the broadband sensitivity of the Fermi-LAT and is also consistent with the 95% confidence level upper limit on the integral flux above 100 MeV derived from more than 10 years of observations. According to our model, the binary system AR Scorpii could be a γ-ray source, although its emission level must be below the current detection limit of the Fermi-LAT.

Investigating the connection between γ-ray activity and the relativistic jet in 3C 273 during 2015−2019

Context. The powerful radiation over the entire electromagnetic spectrum and its radio jet activity of the blazar 3C 273 offer the opportunity of studying the physics of γ-ray emission from active galactic nuclei. Since the historically strong outburst in 2009, 3C 273 showed relatively weak emission in the γ-ray band over several years. However, recent Fermi-Large Area Telescope observations indicate higher activity during 2015−2019. Aims. We constrain the origin of the γ-ray outbursts toward 3C 273 and investigate their connection to the parsec-scale jet. Methods. We generated Fermi-LAT γ-ray light curves with multiple binning intervals and studied the spectral properties of the γ-ray emission. Using a 3 mm ALMA light curve, we studied the correlation between radio and γ-ray emission. The relevant activity in the parsec-scale jet of 3C 273 was investigated with 7 mm VLBA observations that were obtained close in time to notable γ-ray outbursts. Results. We find two prominent γ-ray outbursts in 2016 (MJD 57382) and 2017 (MJD 57883) accompanied by millimeter-wavelength flaring activity. The γ-ray photon index time series show a weak hump-like feature around the γ-ray outbursts. The monthly γ-ray flux–index plot indicates a transition from softer-when-brighter to harder-when-brighter states at 1.03 × 10−7 ph cm−2 s−1. A significant correlation between the γ-ray and millimeter-wavelength emission is found, and the radio lags the γ-rays by about 105−112 days. The 43 GHz jet images reveal the known stationary features (i.e., the core, S1, and S2) in a region upstream of the jet. We find an indication for a propagating disturbance and a polarized knot between the stationary components at about the times of the two γ-ray outbursts. Conclusions. Our results support a parsec-scale origin for the observed higher γ-ray activity, which suggests that this is associated with standing shocks in the jet.

A search for Centaurus A-like features in the spectra of Fermi-LAT detected radio galaxies

ABSTRACT Motivated by the detection of a hardening in the γ-ray spectrum of the radio galaxy Centaurus A, we have analysed $\mathord {\sim }10$ yr of Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) observations of 26 radio galaxies to search for similar spectral features. We find that the majority of the radio galaxies’ γ-ray spectral energy distributions are best fitted with a simple power-law model, and no spectral hardening similar to that found in Centaurus A was detected. We show that, had there been any such spectral features present in our sample of radio galaxies, they would have been seen, but note that seven of the radio galaxies (3C 111, 3C 120, 3C 264, IC 4516, NGC 1218, NGC 2892, and PKS 0625−35) show evidence for flux variability on 6-month time-scales, which makes the detection of any steady spectral features difficult. We find a strong positive correlation (r = 0.9) between the core radio power at 5 GHz and the γ-ray luminosity and, using a simple extrapolation to TeV energies, we expect around half of the radio galaxies studied will be detectable with the forthcoming Cherenkov Telescope Array.

Fermi-LAT Observations of γ-Ray Emission toward the Outer Halo of M31.

The Andromeda galaxy is the closest spiral galaxy to us and has been the subject of numerous studies. It harbors a massive dark matter halo, which may span up to ~600 kpc across and comprises ~90% of the galaxy's total mass. This halo size translates into a large diameter of 42° on the sky, for an M31-Milky Way (MW) distance of 785 kpc, but its presumably low surface brightness makes it challenging to detect with γ-ray telescopes. Using 7.6 yr of Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT) observations, we make a detailed study of the γ-ray emission between 1-100 GeV toward M31's outer halo, with a total field radius of 60° centered at M31, and perform an in-depth analysis of the systematic uncertainties related to the observations. We use the cosmic-ray propagation code GALPROP to construct specialized interstellar emission models to characterize the foreground γ-ray emission from the MW, including a self-consistent determination of the isotropic component. We find evidence for an extended excess that appears to be distinct from the conventional MW foreground, having a total radial extension upward of ~120-200 kpc from the center of M31. We discuss plausible interpretations of the excess emission, but emphasize that uncertainties in the MW foreground-and in particular, modeling of the H i-related components-have not been fully explored and may impact the results.

Robust constraint on Lorentz violation using Fermi-LAT gamma-ray burst data

Models of quantum gravity suggest that the vacuum should be regarded as a medium with quantum structure that may have non-trivial effects on photon propagation, including the violation of Lorentz invariance. Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) observations of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are sensitive probes of Lorentz invariance, via studies of energy-dependent timing shifts in their rapidly-varying photon emissions. In this paper we analyze the Fermi-LAT measurements of high-energy gamma rays from GRBs with known redshifts, allowing for the possibility of energy-dependent variations in emission times at the sources as well as a possible non-trivial refractive index in vacuo for photons. We use statistical estimators based on the irregularity, kurtosis and skewness of bursts that are relatively bright in the 100 MeV to multi-GeV energy band to constrain possible dispersion effects during propagation. We find that the energy scale characterizing a linear energy dependence of the refractive index should exceed a few $\times 10^{17}$ GeV, and we estimate the sensitivity attainable with additional future sources to be detected by Fermi-LAT.

Fermi-Large Area Telescope Observations of the Brightest Gamma-Ray Flare Ever Detected from CTA 102

Abstract We present a multiwavelength study of the FSRQ CTA 102 using Fermi-LAT and simultaneous Swift-XRT/UVOT observations. The Fermi-LAT telescope detected one of the brightest flares from this object during 2016 September to 2017 March. In the 190 days of the observation period, the source underwent four major flares. A detailed analysis of the temporal and spectral properties of these flares indicates the flare at MJD 57751.594 has a γ-ray flux of (30.12 ± 4.48) × 10−6 ph cm−2 s−1 (from 90 minutes binning) in the energy range of 0.1–300 GeV. This has been found to be the highest flux ever detected from CTA 102. Time dependent leptonic modeling of the preflare, rising state, flares and decaying state has been done. A single emission region of size 6.5 × 1016 cm has been used in our work to explain the multiwavelength spectral energy distributions. During flares, the luminosity in electrons increases nearly seventy times compared to the preflare state.