Detection of diffuse TeV gamma-ray emission from the nearby starburst galaxy NGC 253

Abstract

We report the TeV gamma-ray observations of the nearby normal spiral galaxy NGC 253. At a distance of $\sim$2.5 Mpc, NGC 253 is one of the nearest starburst galaxies. This relative closeness, coupled with the high star formation rate in the galaxy, make it a good candidate TeV gamma-ray source. Observations were carried out in 2000 and 2001 with the CANGAROO-II 10 m imaging atmospheric Cerenkov telescope. TeV gamma-ray emission is detected at the $\sim 11\sigma$ level with a flux of $(7.8\pm 2.5)\times 10^{-12}{\mathrm{cm}}^{-2}{\sec }^{-1}$ at energies $>$0.5 TeV. The data indicate that the emission region is broader than the point spread function of our telescope.

4 pages, double colomn, 3 figures, aa.cls

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• CHANDRA/VLA Follow-up of TeV J2032+4131, the Only Unidentified TeV Gamma-ray Source
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• High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy
• Extragalactic Sources of TeV Gamma Rays: A Summary
• Water vapor in the starburst galaxy NGC 253: A new nuclear maser?
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• A search for very high energy gamma-ray emission from the starburst galaxy NGC 253 with H.E.S.S
• Galactic Gamma-Ray Halo of the Nearby Starburst Galaxy NGC 253
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• Constraints on Cold Dark Matter in the Gamma-ray Halo of NGC 253
• Search for TeV gamma-rays from SN 1987A in 2001
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