Contribution to the 30th International Cosmic Ray Conference, Merida, Mexico, July 2007
As part of the normal operation of the Whipple 10m Gamma Ray telescope, ten minute drift scan " zenith" runs are made each night of observation for use as calibration. Most of the events reco rded during a zenith run are due to the background of cosmic ray showers. However, it would be possible for a hitherto unknown source of gamma rays to drift through the field. This paper rep orts the results of a search for serendipitous high energy gamma ray sources in the Whipple 10m nightly calibration zenith data. From 2000-2004 nightly calibration runs were taken at an elevation of 89 degrees. A 2-D analysis of these drift scan runs produces a strip of width ~ 3.5 degrees in declination and spanning the full range of right ascension. In the 2004-05 observing season the calibration runs were taken at elevations of 86 degrees and 83 degrees. Beginning in the 2005-06 season, the nightly calibration runs were taken at an elevation of 80 degrees. Collectively, these drift scans cover a strip approximately 12.5 degrees wide in declination, centered at declination 37.18 degrees, and spanning the full range of RA. The analysis procedures developed for drift scan data, the sensitivity of the method, and the results will be presented.
