Date of Award
2022
Document Type
Open Access Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Physics (MS)
Administrative Home Department
Department of Physics
Advisor 1
Petra Huentemeyer
Committee Member 1
Brian Fick
Committee Member 2
Elena Giusarma
Abstract
HAWC J2031+415 is a probable pulsar wind nebula (PWN) located in the Cygnus Cocoon region near a complex OB star cluster. First observed by the High-Energy-Gamma-Ray Astronomy (HEGRA) observatory in the TeV energy regime, the source had no apparent counterpart in lower energy ranges. Previous work using 1343 days of data from the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Gamma-Ray Observatory has determined that three sources are present in the Region of Interest (ROI): HAWC J2031+415, HAWC J2030+409 (also known as the Cocoon), and 3HWC J2020+403 (associated with the Gamma Cygni supernova remnant) \cite{Ian_01, Binita_01}.
In this work, I use the newest data set containing 2000 days of data from HAWC to analyze the region. I apply a systematic source searching method to determine the number of sources, their locations, and spectra. Three estimators are used to determine the spectral energy distribution for HAWC J2031+415 and the best fit is found to be a power law with an exponential cut-off. I then isolate HAWC J2031+415 and perform an energy-dependent morphology study of the source. No measurable energy dependence of the morphology was found. Additional data will allow for more detailed studies of the region.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Herzog, Ian, "A Combined Spectral and Energy Morphology Analysis of Gamma Ray Source HAWC J2031+415 in the Cygnus Constellation", Open Access Master's Thesis, Michigan Technological University, 2022.
Included in
Other Astrophysics and Astronomy Commons, Stars, Interstellar Medium and the Galaxy Commons