Peta-electron volt gamma-ray emission from the Crab Nebula The LHAASO Collaboration

Cao, Zhen; Aharonian, F.; An, Q.; Axikegu; Bai, L. X.; Bai, Y. X.; Bao, Y. W.; Bastieri, D.; Bi, X. J.; Bi, Y. J.; Cai, H.; Cai, J. T.; Cao, Zhe; Chang, J.; Chang, J. F.; Chen, B. M.; Chen, E. S.; Chen, J.; Chen, Liang; Chen, View Orcid ProfileLiang; 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.; Cheng, N.; Cheng, Y. D.; Cui, S. W.; Cui, X. H.; Cui, Y. D.; Piazzoli, B. D'Ettorre; Dai, B. Z.; Dai, H. L.; Dai, Z. G.; Danzengluobu

doi:10.1126/science.abg5137

Peta-electron volt gamma-ray emission from the Crab Nebula The LHAASO Collaboration

Cao, Zhen; Aharonian, F.; An, Q.; Axikegu; Bai, L. X.; Bai, Y. X.; Bao, Y. W.; Bastieri, D.; Bi, X. J.; Bi, Y. J.; Cai, H.; Cai, J. T.; Cao, Zhe; Chang, J.; Chang, J. F.; Chen, B. M.; Chen, E. S.; Chen, J.; Chen, Liang; Chen, View Orcid ProfileLiang; 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.; Cheng, N.; Cheng, Y. D.; Cui, S. W.; Cui, X. H.; Cui, Y. D.; Piazzoli, B. D'Ettorre; Dai, B. Z.; Dai, H. L.; Dai, Z. G.; Danzengluobu

Science, 2021, 373(6553): 425-+.

DOI: 10.1126/science.abg5137

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Summary

The Crab Nebula is a bright source of gamma rays powered by the Crab Pulsar's rotational energy through the formation and termination of a relativistic electron-positron wind. We report the detection of gamma rays from this source with energies from 5 x 10(-4) to 1.1 peta-electron volts with a spectrum showing gradual steepening over three energy decades. The ultrahigh-energy photons imply the presence of a peta-electron volt electron accelerator (a pevatron) in the nebula, with an acceleration rate exceeding 15% of the theoretical limit. We constrain the pevatron's size between 0.025 and 0.1 parsecs and the magnetic field to approximate to 110 microgauss. The production rate of peta-electron volt electrons, 2.5 x 10(36) ergs per second, constitutes 0.5% of the pulsar spin-down luminosity, although we cannot exclude a contribution of peta-electron volt protons to the production of the highest-energy gamma rays.

Keywords

PULSAR WIND NEBULAE; ENERGY COSMIC-RAYS; ACCELERATION; SPECTRUM; ORIGIN; SYNCHROTRON; PARTICLES; DISCOVERY; RADIATION; FLARES

Institution

Institute of High Energy Physics,Chinese Academy of Sciences

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