Speaker
Dr
Wystan Benbow
(Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory)
Description
The VERITAS array of four 12-m imaging atmospheric-Cherenkov telescopes began full-scale operations in 2007, and is one of the world’s most sensitive detectors of astrophysical VHE (E>100 GeV) gamma rays. Observations of active galactic nuclei (AGN) are a major focus of the VERITAS Collaboration, and more than 50 active galactic nuclei (AGN), primarily blazars, are known to emit VHE photons. Approximately 3000 hours have been devoted to the VERITAS AGN observation program and roughly 150 AGN are already observed with the array, in most cases with the deepest VHE exposure to date. These observations have resulted in 32 detections, most of which are accompanied by contemporaneous, broadband observations, enabling a more detailed study of the underlying jet-powered processes. Recent highlights of the VERITAS AGN observation program, and the collaboration's long-term AGN observation strategy, will be presented.
| Registration number following "ICRC2015-I/" | 583 |
|---|---|
| Collaboration | VERITAS |
Primary author
Dr
Wystan Benbow
(Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory)
