Journal Article

Fermi Gamma-Ray Imaging of a Radio Galaxy

Bonamente, E., de Palma, F., Giebels, B., Giordano, F., Hays, E., Harding, A. K., Hanabata, Y., Fortin, P., Fusco, P., Dumora, D., Davis, D. S., Cavazzuti, E., Claus, R., Cohen-Tanugi, J., Caliandro, G. A., Gargano, F., Lovellette, M. N., Costamante, L., do Couto e Silva, E., Bechtol, K., Hayashida, M., Cheung, C. C., Chekhtman, A., Burnett, T. H., Drell, P. S., Dermer, C. D., Longo, F., Gehrels, N., Germani, S., Bruel, P., Kocian, x. M. L., Latronico, L., Casandjian, J. M., Godfrey, G., Digel, S. W., Jackson, M. S., Baughman, B. M., Lubrano, P., Hughes, R. E., Barbiellini, G., Johnson, A. S., Guillemot, L., Georganopoulos, M., Atwood, W. B., Bellazzini, R., Berenji, B., Baldini, L., Fukazawa, Y., Giroletti, M., Abdo, A. A., Ballet, J., Caraveo, P. A., Loparco, F., Blandford, R. D., Katagiri, H., Kuss, M., Lande, J., Cecchi, C., Bloom, E. D., Grenier, I. A., de Angelis, A., Knodlseder, J., Grove, J. E., Lott, B., Glanzman, T., Dubois, R., Johnson, W. N., Brigida, M., Brez, A., Kerr, M., Finke, J., Kataoka, J., Chiang, x. J., Cameron, R. A., Cutini, S., Bastieri, D., Ciprini, S., Conrad, J., Ajello, M., Gasparrini, D., Cominsky, L. R., Lemoine-G

2010

Overview

The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has detected the γ-ray glow emanating from the giant radio lobes of the radio galaxy Centaurus A. The resolved γ-ray image shows the lobes clearly separated from the central active source. In contrast to all other active galaxies detected so far in high-energy γ-rays, the lobe flux constitutes a considerable portion (greater than one-half) of the total source emission. The γ-ray emission from the lobes is interpreted as inverse Compton-scattered relic radiation from the cosmic microwave background, with additional contribution at higher energies from the infrared-to-optical extragalactic background light.These measurements provide ã-ray constraints on the magnetic field and particle energy content in radio galaxy lobes, as well as a promising method to probe the cosmic relic photon fields.

• Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science,The American Association for the Advancement of Science,American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS),AAAS
• Subject: Astronomical observations / Astronomy / Astrophysics / Cosmic microwave background / Cosmic microwave background radiation / Earth, ocean, space / Electrons / Emission / Emissions / Exact sciences and technology / Fundamental astronomy and astrophysics. Instrumentation, techniques, and astronomical observations / Gamma ray astronomy / Gamma rays / High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena / Inverse / Lobes / Magnetic fields / Photons / Physics / Point sources / Quasars. Active or peculiar galaxies, objects, and systems / Radio astronomy / Radio galaxies / Radio observatories / Research universities / Sciences of the Universe / Space research / Space telescopes / Stars & galaxies / Stellar systems. Galactic and extragalactic objects and systems. The universe / TECHNOLOGY / TEKNIKVETENSKAP / γ-ray