DOE OSTI · 3728568
Prompt Searches for Very-high-energy γ -Ray Counterparts to IceCube Astrophysical Neutrino Alerts
Abstract
The search for sources of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos can be significantly advanced through a multimessenger approach, which seeks to detect the γ-rays that accompany neutrinos as they are produced at their sources. Multimessenger observations have so far provided the first evidence for a neutrino source, illustrated by the joint detection of the flaring blazar TXS 0506+056 in high-energy (E > 1 GeV) and very-high-energy (VHE; E > 100 GeV) γ-rays in coincidence with the high-energy neutrino IceCube-170922A, identified by IceCube. Imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs), namely FACT, H.E.S.S., MAGIC, and VERITAS, continue to conduct extensive neutrino target-of-opportunity follow-up programs. These programs have two components: follow-up observations of single astrophysical neutrino candidate events (such as IceCube-170922A), and observation of known γ-ray sources after the identification of a cluster of neutrino events by IceCube. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of follow-up observations of high-energy neutrino events observed by the four IACTs between 2017 September (after the IceCube-170922A event) and 2021 January. Our study found no associations between γ-ray sources and the observed neutrino events. We provide a detailed overview of each neutrino event and its potential counterparts. Furthermore, a joint analysis of all IACT data is included, yielding combined upper limits on the VHE γ-ray flux.
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Abhir, J. [Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Zurich (Switzerland); et al.] (ORCID:0000000182154377), Biland, A. (ORCID:000000021288833X), Brand, K., Bretz, T. (ORCID:0000000315006571), Dorner, D. (ORCID:000000018823479X), Eisenberger, L., Elsaesser, D. (ORCID:0000000167963205), Günther, P., Hasan, S., Hildebrand, D., Mannheim, K., Linhoff, M., Pfeifle, F., Rhode, W., Schleicher, B., Sliusar, V., Vorbrugg, M., Walter, R., Aharonian, F., Ait Benkhali, F., Aschersleben, J., Ashkar, H. (ORCID:0000000221531818), Backes, M. (ORCID:0000000293266400), Barbosa Martins, V. (ORCID:0000000250858828), Batzofin, R. (ORCID:0000000257973386), Becherini, Y. (ORCID:0000000221152930), Berge, D. (ORCID:0000000229181824), Böttcher, M. (ORCID:0000000284345692), Boisson, C. (ORCID:0000000158931797), Bolmont, J., Borowska, J., Brose, R. (ORCID:0000000283126930), Brown, A., Brun, F. (ORCID:0000000307709007), Bruno, B., Casanova, S. (ORCID:0000000261449122), Celic, J., Cerruti, M. (ORCID:000000017891699X), Chen, A. (ORCID:0000000164255692), Chernyakova, M., Chibueze, J., Chibueze, O., Cornejo, B., Cotter, G. (ORCID:0000000299751829), Cozzolongo, G., Damascene Mbarubucyeye, J. (ORCID:0000000249916576), de Assis Scarpin, J., Delgado Giles, A., Djannati-Ataï, A. (ORCID:0000000249241708), Djuvsland, J., Dmytriiev, A., Egberts, K., Egg, K., Einecke, S., Ernenwein, J.-P., Escañuela Nieves, C., Feijen, K., Filipovic, M., Fontaine, G. (ORCID:0000000264435025), Funk, S. (ORCID:0000000220120080), Gabici, S., Glicenstein, J.F. (ORCID:0000000325811742), Goswami, P., Grolleron, G., Hess, B., Hinton, J.A., Holler, M., Jamrozy, M. (ORCID:0000000208707778), Jankowsky, F., Jung-Richardt, I., Kasai, E., Katarzyński, K., Katjaita, H., Kerszberg, D., Khatoon, R., Khélifi, B. (ORCID:0000000168765577), Kluźniak, W., Komin, Nu. (ORCID:0000000332800582), Konno, R. (ORCID:0000000318922356), Kosack, K., Kostunin, D. (ORCID:0000000204870076), Kukec Mezek, G. (ORCID:0000000184611922), Lang, R.G., Lemière, A., Lemoine-Goumard, M. (ORCID:0000000244623686), Lenain, J.-P. (ORCID:0000000172849220), Luashvili, A. (ORCID:0000000343841638), Mackey, J. (ORCID:0000000254496131), Marandon, V. (ORCID:0000000190774058), Martí-Devesa, G. (ORCID:0000000307666473), Marx, R. (ORCID:0000000265574924), Mayer, M., Mehta, A., Mitchell, A. (ORCID:0000000336315648), Moderski, R., Moghadam, M.O., Mohrmann, L. (ORCID:0000000296678654), Moulin, E. (ORCID:0000000340070145), de Naurois, M., Niemiec, J. (ORCID:0000000160368569). 2026-01-20. Prompt Searches for Very-high-energy γ -Ray Counterparts to IceCube Astrophysical Neutrino Alerts. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357%2Fae2c4e
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