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Search for pulsed γ-ray emission from globular cluster M28
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Search for pulsed γ-ray emission from globular cluster M28

J.H.K. Wu, C.Y. Hui, E.M.H. Wu, A.K.H. Kong, R.H.H. Huang, P.H.T. Tam, J. Takata and K.S. Cheng
Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol.765(2), L47
10/03/2013

Abstract

gamma rays: stars globular clusters: individual (M28, NGC 6626) pulsars: individual (PSR B1821-24, PSR J1824-2452A)
Using the data from the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, we have searched for γ-ray pulsations from the direction of the globular cluster M28 (NGC 6626). We report the discovery of a signal with a frequency consistent with that of the energetic millisecond pulsar (MSP) PSR B1821-24 in M28. A weighted H-test test statistic of 28.8 is attained, which corresponds to a chance probability of 10 -5 (4.3σ detection). With a phase-resolved analysis, the pulsed component is found to contribute 25% of the total observed γ-ray emission from the cluster. However, the unpulsed level provides a constraint for the underlying MSP population and the fundamental plane relations for the scenario of inverse Compton scattering. Follow-up timing observations in radio/X-ray are encouraged to further investigate this periodic signal candidate. © 2013 The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.
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https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/765/2/L47View
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