Skip to main navigation Skip to search Skip to main content

Egret upper limits on the high-energy gamma-ray emission of galaxy clusters

  • O. Reimer*
  • , M. Pohl
  • , P. Sreekumar
  • , J. R. Mattox
  • *Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We report EGRET upper limits on the high-energy gamma-ray emission from clusters of galaxies. EGRET observations between 1991 and 2000 were analyzed at positions of 58 individual clusters from a flux-limited sample of nearby X-ray-bright galaxy clusters. Subsequently, a co-added image from individual galaxy clusters has been analyzed using an adequately adapted diffuse gamma-ray foreground model. The resulting upper 2 σ limit for the average cluster is ∼6 × 10-9 cm-2 s-1 for E >100 MeV. Implications of the nondetection of prominent individual clusters and of the general inability to detect the X-ray-brightest galaxy clusters as a class of gamma-ray emitters are discussed. We compare our results with model predictions on the highenergy gamma-ray emission from galaxy clusters as well as with recent claims of an association between unidentified or unresolved gamma-ray sources and Abell clusters of galaxies and find these contradictory.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)155-164
Number of pages10
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume588
Issue number1 I
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01-05-2003

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Egret upper limits on the high-energy gamma-ray emission of galaxy clusters'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this