Detection of very-high energy $\gamma$-ray emission from NGC 1275 by the MAGIC telescopes}

TitleDetection of very-high energy $\gamma$-ray emission from NGC 1275 by the MAGIC telescopes}
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2012
AuthorsAleksić J., Alvarez E.A, Antonelli L.A, Antoranz P., Asensio M., Backes M., U. de Almeida B, Barrio J.A, Bastieri D., J. González B et al.
JournalAstronomy and Astrophysics
Volume539
PaginationL2
Date Publishedmar
Keywordsgalaxies: active, galaxies: individual: IC310, galaxies: individual: NGC 1275, galaxies: jets, gamma rays: galaxies
Abstract

We report on the detection of very-high energy (VHE, E {\gt} 100 GeV) {$\gamma$}-ray emission from NGC 1275, the central radio galaxy of the Perseus cluster of galaxies. The source has been detected by the MAGIC telescopes with a statistical significance of 6.6{$\sigma$} above 100 GeV in 46 h of stereo observations carried out between August 2010 and February 2011. The measured differential energy spectrum between 70 GeV and 500 GeV can be described by a power law with a steep spectral index of {$\Gamma$} = -4.1 {\plusmn} 0.7$_{stat}$ {\plusmn} 0.3$_{syst}$, and the average flux above 100 GeV is F$_{gamma}$ = (1.3 {\plusmn} 0.2$_{stat}$ {\plusmn} 0.3$_{syst}$) {\times} 10$^{-11}$ cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$. These results, combined with the power-law spectrum measured in the first two years of observations by the Fermi-LAT above 100 MeV, with a spectral index of {$\Gamma$} {\sime} - 2.1, strongly suggest the presence of a break or cut-off around tens of GeV in the NGC 1275 spectrum. The light curve of the source above 100 GeV does not show hints of variability on a month time scale. Finally, we report on the nondetection in the present data of the radio galaxy IC 310, previously discovered by the Fermi-LAT and MAGIC. The derived flux upper limit F$^{U.L.}$$_{gamma}$ ({\gt}300 GeV) = 1.2 {\times} 10$^{-12}$ cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ is a factor \~{} 3 lower than the mean flux measured by MAGIC between October 2009 and February 2010, thus confirming the year time-scale variability of the source at VHE.

URLhttp://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2012A%26A...539L...2A
DOI10.1051/0004-6361/201118668