학술논문

Fermi LARGE AREA TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS OF BLAZAR 3C 279 OCCULTATIONS BY THE SUN
Document Type
article
Source
The Astrophysical Journal. 784(2)
Subject
astroparticle physics
gamma rays: general
occultations
quasars: individual
Sun: X-rays
gamma rays
Astronomical and Space Sciences
Atomic
Molecular
Nuclear
Particle and Plasma Physics
Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Language
Abstract
Observations of occultations of bright γ-ray sources by the Sun may reveal predicted pair halos around blazars and/or new physics, such as, e.g., hypothetical light dark matter particles-axions. We use Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope (Fermi) data to analyze four occultations of blazar 3C 279 by the Sun on October 8 each year from 2008 to 2011. A combined analysis of the observations of these occultations allows a point-like source at the position of 3C 279 to be detected with significance of ≈3σ, but does not reveal any significant excess over the flux expected from the quiescent Sun. The likelihood ratio test rules out complete transparency of the Sun to the blazar γ-ray emission at a 3σ confidence level.