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Cherenkov Telescope results on gamma-ray binaries

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High-Energy Emission from Pulsars and their Systems

Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings ((ASSSP))

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Abstract

In the past ten years of regular operations, a new generation of Cherenkov telescopes have established binary systems as a new class of Very High Energy γ- ray (VHE) emitters. Particle acceleration in these systems may occur either in an accretion-powered jet (“microquasar”) or in the shock between a pulsar wind and a stellar wind (“wind-wind”). This paper describes the phenomenology of the three VHE binaries PSR B1259-63, LS 5039 and LS I+61?303. Two other objects may belong to this new class: HESS J0632+057 is a point-like variable VHE source whose multiwavelength behaviour resembles that of the other binaries, whereas Cyg X-1 is a well-known accreting system which may have been detected in VHE during a flaring episode. The paper concludes with a review of the latest searches for other binaries with Cherenkov telescopes, with special emphasis on Cyg X-3.

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  1. Institut de Fisica d’Altes Energies (IFAE), Edifici CN, Campus UAB, Cerdanyola del Valles, E-08193, Barcelona, Spain

    Juan Cortina

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  1. Inst. Ciències de l'Espai, CSIC Bellaterra, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193, Spain

    Diego F. Torres

  2. Inst. Ciències de l'Espai, CSIC Bellaterra, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193, Spain

    Nanda Rea

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Cortina, J. (2011). Cherenkov Telescope results on gamma-ray binaries. In: Torres, D., Rea, N. (eds) High-Energy Emission from Pulsars and their Systems. Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-17251-9_42

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-17251-9_42

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