Fast Variability of Tera-Electron Volt Rays from the Radio Galaxy M87
Date
2006
Authors
Aharonian, F.
Akhperjanian, A.
Bazer-Bachi, A.
Beilicke, M.
Benbow, W.
Berge, D.
Bernlohr, K.
Boisson, C.
Bolz, O.
Borrel, V.
Editors
Advisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type:
Journal article
Citation
Science, 2006; 314(5804):1424-1427
Statement of Responsibility
F. Aharonian, A.G. Akhperjanian, A.R. Bazer-Bachi, M. Beilicke, W. Benbow, D. Berge, K. Bernlohr, C. Boisson, O. Bolz, V. Borrel, I. Braun, A.M. Brown, R. Buhler, I. Busching, S. Carrigan, P.M. Chadwick, L.-M. Chounet, G. Coignet, R. Cornils, L. Costamante, B. Degrange, H.J. Dickinson, A. Djannati-Atai, L. O'C. Drury, G. Dubus, K. Egberts, D. Emmanoulopoulos, P. Espigat, F. Feinstein, E. Ferrero, A. Fiasson, G. Fontaine, Seb. Funk, S. Funk, M. Fussling, Y.A. Gallant, B. Giebels, J.F. Glicenstein, P. Goret, C. Hadjichristidis, D. Hauser, M. Hauser, G. Heinzelmann, G. Henri, G. Hermann, J.A. Hinton, A. Hoffmann, W. Hofmann, M. Holleran, S. Hoppe, D. Horns, A. Jacholkowska, O.C. de Jager, E. Kendziorra, M. Kerschhaggl, B. Khelifi, Nu. Komin, A. Konopelko, K. Kosack, G. Lamanna, I.J. Latham, R. Le Gallou, A. Lemiere, M. Lemoine-Goumard, J.-P. Lenain, T. Lohse, J.M. Martin, O. Martineau-Huynh, A. Marcowith, C. Masterson, G. Maurin, T.J.L. McComb, E. Moulin, M. de Naurois, D. Nedbal, S.J. Nolan, A. Noutsos, K.J. Orford, J.L. Osborne, M. Ouchrif, M. Panter, Pelletier G., S. Pita, G. Puhlhofer, M. Punch, S. Ranchon, B.C. Raubenheimer, M. Raue, S.M. Rayner, A. Reimer, J. Ripken, L. Rob, L. Rolland, S. Rosier-Lees, G. Rowell, V. Sahakian, A. Santangelo, L. Sauge, S. Schlenker, R. Schlickeiser, R. Schroder, U. Schwanke, S. Schwarzburg, S. Schwemmer, A. Shalchi, H. Sol, D. Spangler, F. Spanier, R. Steenkamp, C. Stegmann, G. Superina, P.H. Tam, J.-P. Tavernet, R. Terrier, M. Tluczykont, C. van Eldik, G. Vasileiadis, C. Venter, J.P. Vialle, P. Vincent, H.J. Volk, S.J. Wagner and M. Ward.
Conference Name
Abstract
The detection of fast variations of the tera-electron volt (TeV) (10(12) eV) gamma-ray flux, on time scales of days, from the nearby radio galaxy M87 is reported. These variations are about 10 times as fast as those observed in any other wave band and imply a very compact emission region with a dimension similar to the Schwarzschild radius of the central black hole. We thus can exclude several other sites and processes of the gamma-ray production. The observations confirm that TeV gamma rays are emitted by extragalactic sources other than blazars, where jets are not relativistically beamed toward the observer.