Discovery of very high energy gamma radiation from IC 443 with the MAGIC telescope

Abstract

We report the detection of a new source of very high energy (VHE; E-gamma >= 100 GeV) gamma- ray emission located close to the Galactic plane, MAGIC J0616 + 225, which is spatially coincident with supernova remnant IC 443. The observations were carried out with the MAGIC telescope in the periods 2005 December-2006 January and 2006 December-2007 January. Here we present results from this source, leading to a VHE gamma-ray signal with a statistical significance of 5.7 sigma in the 2006/2007 data and a measured differential gamma-ray flux consistent with a power law, described as dN(gamma)/(dA dt dE) = (1.0 +/- 0.2) x 10(-11) (E/0.4 TeV)(-3.1 +/- 0.3) cm(-2) s(-1) TeV-1. We briefly discuss the observational technique used and the procedure implemented for the data analysis. The results are placed in the context of the multiwavelength emission and the molecular environment found in the region of IC 443.