TeV gamma ray emission from southern sky objects and CANGAROO project

Abstract

We report recent results of the CANGAROO Collaboration on very high energy gamma ray emission from pulsars, their nebulae, SNR and AGN in the southern sky. Observations are made in South Australia using the imaging technique of detecting atmospheric Cerenkov light from gamma rays higher than about 1 TeV. The detected gamma rays are most likely produced by the inverse Compton process by electrons which also radiate synchrotron X-rays. Together with information from longer wavelengths, our results can be used to infer the strength of magnetic field in the emission region of gamma rays as well as the energy of the progenitor electrons. A description of the CANGAROO project is also given, as well as details of the new telescope of 7 m diameter which is scheduled to be in operation within two years.