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arXiv · 2106.09865

Discovery of the Ultra-high energy gamma-ray source LHAASO J2108+5157

The LHAASO collaboration·Zhen Cao·F. Aharonian·Q. An·Axikegu·L. X. Bai·Y. X. Bai·Y. W. Bao·D. Bastieri·X. J. Bi·Y. J. Bi·H. Cai·J. T. Cai·Zhe Cao·J. Chang·J. F. Chang·B. M. Chen·E. S. Chen·J. Chen·Liang Chen·Long Chen·M. J. Chen·M. L. Chen·Q. H. Chen·S. H. Chen·S. Z. Chen·T. L. Chen·X. L. Chen·Y. Chen·N. Cheng·Y. D. Cheng·S. W. Cui·X. H. Cui·Y. D. Cui·B. D Ettorre Piazzoli·B. Z. Dai·H. L. Dai·Z. G. Dai·Danzengluobu·D. della Volpe·X. J. Dong·K. K. Duan·J. H. Fan·Y. Z. Fan·Z. X. Fan·J. Fang·K. Fang·C. F. Feng·L. Feng·S. H. Feng·Y. L. Feng·B. Gao·C. D. Gao·L. Q. Gao·Q. Gao·W. Gao·M. M. Ge·L. S. Geng·G. H. Gong·Q. B. Gou·M. H. Gu·F. L. Guo·J. G. Guo·X. L. Guo·Y. Q. Guo·Y. Y. Guo·Y. A. Han·H. H. He·H. N. He·J. C. He·S. L. He·X. B. He·Y. He·M. Heller·Y. K. Hor·C. Hou·H. B. Hu·S. Hu·S. C. Hu·X. J. Hu·D. H. Huang·Q. L. Huang·W. H. Huang·X. T. Huang·X. Y. Huang·Z. C. Huang·F. Ji·X. L. Ji·H. Y. Jia·K. Jiang·Z. J. Jiang·C. Ji·T. Ke·D. Kuleshov·K. Levochkin·B. B. Li·Cheng Li·Cong Li·F. Li·H. B. Li
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Abstract

We report the discovery of a UHE gamma-ray source, LHAASO J2108+5157, by analyzing the LHAASO-KM2A data of 308.33 live days. Significant excess of gamma-ray induced showers is observed in both energy bands of 25-100 TeV and $\gt$100 TeV with 9.5 sigma and 8.5 sigma, respectively. This source is not significantly favored as an extensive source with the angular extension smaller than the point-spread function of KM2A. The measured energy spectrum from 20 to 200 TeV can be approximately described by a power-law function with an index of -2.83$\pm$ 0.18stat. A harder spectrum is demanded at lower energies considering the flux upper limit set by Fermi-LAT observations. The position of the gamma-ray emission is correlated with a giant molecular cloud, which favors a hadronic origin. No obvious counterparts have been found, deeper multiwavelength observations will help to shed new light on this intriguing UHE source.

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The LHAASO collaboration, Zhen Cao, F. Aharonian, Q. An, Axikegu, L. X. Bai, Y. X. Bai, Y. W. Bao, D. Bastieri, X. J. Bi, Y. J. Bi, H. Cai, J. T. Cai, Zhe Cao, J. Chang, J. F. Chang, B. M. Chen, E. S. Chen, J. Chen, Liang Chen, Long Chen, M. J. Chen, M. L. Chen, Q. H. Chen, S. H. Chen, S. Z. Chen, T. L. Chen, X. L. Chen, Y. Chen, N. Cheng, Y. D. Cheng, S. W. Cui, X. H. Cui, Y. D. Cui, B. D Ettorre Piazzoli, B. Z. Dai, H. L. Dai, Z. G. Dai, Danzengluobu, D. della Volpe, X. J. Dong, K. K. Duan, J. H. Fan, Y. Z. Fan, Z. X. Fan, J. Fang, K. Fang, C. F. Feng, L. Feng, S. H. Feng, Y. L. Feng, B. Gao, C. D. Gao, L. Q. Gao, Q. Gao, W. Gao, M. M. Ge, L. S. Geng, G. H. Gong, Q. B. Gou, M. H. Gu, F. L. Guo, J. G. Guo, X. L. Guo, Y. Q. Guo, Y. Y. Guo, Y. A. Han, H. H. He, H. N. He, J. C. He, S. L. He, X. B. He, Y. He, M. Heller, Y. K. Hor, C. Hou, H. B. Hu, S. Hu, S. C. Hu, X. J. Hu, D. H. Huang, Q. L. Huang, W. H. Huang, X. T. Huang, X. Y. Huang, Z. C. Huang, F. Ji, X. L. Ji, H. Y. Jia, K. Jiang, Z. J. Jiang, C. Ji, T. Ke, D. Kuleshov, K. Levochkin, B. B. Li, Cheng Li, Cong Li, F. Li, H. B. Li. 2026-01-06. Discovery of the Ultra-high energy gamma-ray source LHAASO J2108+5157. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213%2Fac2579

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