Observations of the Crab Nebula with MACE (Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment)

• Published in: Astroparticle physics Vol. 159; p. 102960
• Main Authors: C., Borwankar, M., Sharma, J., Hariharan, K., Venugopal, S., Godambe, N., Mankuzhyil, P., Chandra, M., Khurana, A., Pathania, N., Chouhan, V.K., Dhar, R., Thubstan, S., Norlha, Keshavanand, D., Sarkar, Z.A., Dar, S.V., Kotwal, S., Godiyal, C.P., Kushwaha, K.K., Singh, M.P., Das, A., Tolamati, B., Ghosal, K., Chanchalani, P., Pandey, N., Bhatt, S., Bhattcharyya, S., Sahayanathan, M.K., Koul, P., Dorjey, N., Dorji, V.R., Chitnis, A.K., Tickoo, R.C., Rannot, K.K., Yadav
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.07.2024
• Subjects: Crab Nebula; Data analysis – individual; Gamma rays; General – telescopes – techniques; Miscellaneous – methods; Gamma rays; Crab Nebula; Data analysis – individual; General – telescopes – techniques; Miscellaneous – methods
• ISSN: 0927-6505; 1873-2852
• DOI: 10.1016/j.astropartphys.2024.102960

The Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment (MACE) is a large size (21 m) Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope (IACT) installed at an altitude of 4270 m above sea level at Hanle, Ladakh in northern India. Here we report the detection of Very High Energy (VHE) γ-ray emission from Crab Nebula above 80 GeV. We analyzed ∼ 15 h of data collected at low zenith angle between November 2022 and February 2023. The energy spectrum is well described by a log-parabola function with a flux of ∼(3.46±0.26stat)×10−10TeV−1cm−2s−1, at 400 GeV with spectral index of 2.09±0.06stat and a curvature parameter of 0.08±0.07stat. The γ-rays are detected in an energy range spanning from 80GeV to ∼5TeV. The energy resolution improves from ∼ 34% at an analysis energy threshold of 80GeV to ∼ 21% above 1TeV. The daily light curve and the spectral energy distribution obtained for the Crab Nebula is in agreement with previous measurements, considering statistical and systematic uncertainties.