The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 684:L73–L77

ArXiv:0808.0889

We report the detection of very high energy γ-ray emission from the intermediate-frequency-peaked BL Lacertae object W Comae ( ) by VERITAS. The source was observed between 2008 January and April. A strong outburst of γ-ray emission was measured in the middle of March, lasting for only 4 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 . The integral photon flux above during those two nights corresponds to roughly 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.

Multiwavelength Observations of TeV Blazars in 2006-07

John Toner

Supervisors: Dr. Mark Lang and Dr. Gary Gillanders

 National University of Ireland, Galway

School of Physics

August 2008

Proceedings of the 4th Heidelberg International Symposium on High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy 2008

arXiv:0811.1197

A snapshot is presented of the present status of our knowledge of the TeV gamma-ray universe. Emphasis is put on observations made using the imaging atmospheric Cherenkov technique. The capabilities of the present generation of telescopes is listed. Progress has been dramatic and several features have been different from what was anticipated. The catalog of sources includes some 78 objects and these are tabulated as extragalactic sources (24), supernovae remnants (11), pulsar wind nebulae (10), binaries (4), miscellaneous (9), diffuse high energy sources (3) and unidentified sources (20). Some comments are made on the factors influencing the past and future development of the field.

Proceedings of "4th Heidelberg International Symposium on High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy 2008"

arXiv:0810.0474

VERITAS, an Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope (IACT) system for gammma-ray astronomy in the GeV-TeV range, has recently completed its first season of observations with a full array of four telescopes. A number of astrophysical gamma-ray sources have been detected, both galactic and extragalactic, including sources previously unknown at TeV energies. We describe the status of the array and some highlight results, and assess the technical performance, sensitivity and shower reconstruction capabilities.