37710923
Discovery of TeV Gamma-ray Emission from Tycho's Supernova Remnant
We report the discovery of TeV gamma-ray emission from the Type Ia supernova remnant (SNR) G120.1+1.4, known as Tycho's SNR. Observations performed in the period 2008-2010 with the VERITAS ground-based gamma-ray observatory reveal weak emission coming from the direction of the remnant, compatible with a point source located at 00h25m270, + 64°10'50'' (J2000). The TeV photon spectrum measured by VERITAS can be described with a power law dN/dE = C(E/3.42 TeV)–Γ with Γ = 1.95 ± 0.51stat ± 0.30sys and C = (1.55 ± 0.43stat ± 0.47sys) × 10–14 cm–2 s–1 TeV–1. The integral flux above 1 TeV corresponds to ~0.9% of the steady Crab Nebula emission above the same energy, making it one of the weakest sources yet detected in TeV gamma rays. We present both leptonic and hadronic models that can describe the data. The lowest magnetic field allowed in these models is ~80 μG, which may be interpreted as evidence for magnetic field amplification.
125665211
Branching fractions in $B \to \phi$ h and search for direct CP violation in $B^\pm \to \phi K^\pm$
124867075
An amplitude analysis of the decay $B^\pm \to \pi^\pm \pi^\pm \pi^\mp$
We present a Dalitz-plot analysis of charmless B+- decays to the final state pi+- pi+- pi-+ using 210 fb^-1 of data recorded by the BABAR experiment at sqrt(s) = 10.58 GeV. We measure the branching fractions B(B+- -> pi+- pi+- pi-+) = (16.2 +- 1.2 +- 0.9) x 10^-6 and B(B+- -> rho^0(770) pi+-) = (8.8 +- 1.0 +- 0.6 +0.1-0.7) x 10^-6. Measurements of branching fractions for the quasi-two-body decays B+- -> rho^0(1450) pi+-, B+- -> f_0(980) pi+- and B+- -> f_2(1270) pi+- are also presented. We observe no charge asymmetries for the above modes, and there is no evidence for the decays B+- -> chic0 pi+-, B+- -> f_0(1370) pi+- and B+- -> sigma pi+-.
126117137
Measurement of $\sin$ 2 beta in $B^0 \to \phi K^0_{s}$
18988438
VERITAS Discovery of >200 GeV Gamma-Ray Emission from the Intermediate-Frequency-Peaked BL Lacertae Object W Comae
We report the detection of very high-energy -ray emission from the intermediate-frequencypeaked BLLacertae object WComae (z = 0.102) by VERITAS, an array of four imaging atmospheric-Cherenkov telescopes. The source was observed between January and April 2008. A strong outburst of -ray emission was measured in the middle of March, lasting for only four days. The energy spectrum measured during the two highest flare nights is fit by a power-law and is found to be very steep, with a differential photon spectral index of = 3 .81±0.35stat±0.34syst. The integral photon flux above 200GeV during those two nights corresponds to roughly 9% of the flux from the Crab Nebula. Quasi-simultaneous Swift observations at X-ray energies were triggered by the VERITAS observations. The spectral energy distribution of the flare data can be described by synchrotron-self-Compton (SSC) or external-Compton (EC) leptonic jet models, with the latter offering a more natural set of parameters to fit the data.
118937544
VERITAS: Status and Highlights
The VERITAS telescope array has been operating smoothly since 2007, and has detected gamma-ray emission above 100 GeV from 40 astrophysical sources. These include blazars, pulsar wind nebulae, supernova remnants, gamma- ray binary systems, a starburst galaxy, a radio galaxy, the Crab pulsar, and gamma-ray sources whose origin remains unidentified. In 2009, the array was reconfigured, greatly im proving the sensitivity. We summarize the current status of the observatory, describe some of the scientific highlights since 2009, and outline plans for the future.
125322734
Measurement of the branching ratio of B ---> X e neutrino with lepton tags
15494223
Implications For The Origin Of GRB 051103 From LIGO Observations
We present the results of a LIGO search for gravitational waves (GWs) associated with GRB 051103, a short-duration hard-spectrum gamma-ray burst (GRB) whose electromagnetically determined sky position is coincident with the spiral galaxy M81, which is 3.6 Mpc from Earth. Possible progenitors for short-hard GRBs include compact object mergers and soft gamma repeater (SGR) giant flares. A merger progenitor would produce a characteristic GW signal that should be detectable at a distance of M81, while GW emission from an SGR is not expected to be detectable at that distance. We found no evidence of a GW signal associated with GRB 051103. Assuming weakly beamed γ-ray emission with a jet semi-angle of 30°, we exclude a binary neutron star merger in M81 as the progenitor with a confidence of 98%. Neutron star-black hole mergers are excluded with >99% confidence. If the event occurred in M81, then our findings support the hypothesis that GRB 051103 was due to an SGR giant flare, making it one of the most distant extragalactic magnetars observed to date.
14131306
Search for gravitational waves from low mass compact binary coalescence in 186 days of LIGO's fifth science run
We report on a search for gravitational waves from coalescing compact binaries, of total mass between 2 and 35M⊙, using LIGO observations between November 14, 2006 and May 18, 2007. No gravitational-wave signals were detected. We report upper limits on the rate of compact binary coalescence as a function of total mass. The LIGO cumulative 90%-confidence rate upper limits of the binary coalescence of neutron stars, black holes and black hole-neutron star systems are 1.4×10-2, 7.3×10-4 and 3.6×10-3  yr-1 L10-1, respectively, where L10 is 1010 times the blue solar luminosity.
2047800
Beating the Spin-down Limit on Gravitational Wave Emission from the Vela Pulsar
We present direct upper limits on gravitational wave emission from the Crab pulsar using data from the first 9 months of the fifth science run of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO). These limits are based on two searches. In the first we assume that the gravitational wave emission follows the observed radio timing, giving an upper limit on gravitational wave emission that beats indirect limits inferred from the spin-down and braking index of the pulsar and the energetics of the nebula. In the second we allow for a small mismatch between the gravitational and radio signal frequencies and interpret our results in the context of two possible gravitational wave emission mechanisms.
2034717
Upper limits on a stochastic gravitational-wave background using LIGO and Virgo interferometers at 600-1000 Hz
A stochastic background of gravitational waves is expected to arise from a superposition of many incoherent sources of gravitational waves, of either cosmological or astrophysical origin. This background is a target for the current generation of ground-based detectors. In this article we present the first joint search for a stochastic background using data from the LIGO and Virgo interferometers. In a frequency band of 600-1000 Hz, we obtained a 95% upper limit on the amplitude of ΩGW(f)=Ω3(f/900 Hz)3, of Ω3<0.32, assuming a value of the Hubble parameter of h100=0.71. These new limits are a factor of seven better than the previous best in this frequency band.