VERITAS Observations of the Microquasar SS 433
Microquasars are increasingly recognized as efficient particle accelerators, potentially contributing to the cosmic-ray flux up to the "knee". Among them, SS 433 stands out as a unique system with precessing relativistic jets embedded within the W50 supernova remnant. Recent detections of very- and ultra-high-energy gamma rays from SS 433 have solidified its role as a key laboratory for studying particle acceleration in jet-powered astrophysical sources. We present results from over 100 hours of observations of SS 433 with VERITAS, spanning more than a decade. These high-resolution measurements allow for a detailed morphological study of the eastern and western jet lobes with an angular resolution of <0.1°. By analyzing the spatial and spectral characteristics of the gamma-ray emission, we investigate the particle acceleration mechanisms within the jets and at the jet-medium interaction in W50.
Authors
- Tobias Kai Kleiner
Publication Details
- Published
- 2025-09-23
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.22323/1.501.0712
- Primary Topic
- Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Science Foundation
- Smithsonian Institution
- U.S. Department of Energy
- National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center
- Office of Science
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada