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Astrophysics, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, astro-ph.HE
Abstract:
The High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) is an array of four imaging
atmospheric-Cherenkov telescopes located in Namibia and designed to detect
extensive air showers initiated by gamma-rays in the very-high-energy domain.
It is an ideal instrument for surveying the Galactic plane in search of new
sources, thanks to its location in the Southern Hemisphere, its excellent
sensitivity, and its large field-of-view. The efforts of the H.E.S.S. Galactic
Plane Survey, the first comprehensive survey of the inner Galaxy at TeV
energies, have contributed to the discovery of an unexpectedly large and
diverse population of over 60 sources of VHE gamma rays within its current
range of l=250 to 65 degrees in longitude and |b|<=3.5 degrees in latitude. The
population of VHE gamma-ray emitters is dominated by the pulsar wind nebula and
supernova remnant source classes, although nearly a third remain unidentified
or confused.
The sensitivity of H.E.S.S. to sources in the inner Galaxy has improved
significantly over the past two years, from continued survey observations,
dedicated follow-up observations of interesting source candidates, and from the
development of advanced methods for discrimination of gamma-ray-induced showers
from the dominant background of hadron-induced showers. The latest maps of the
Galaxy at TeV energies will be presented, and a few remarkable new sources will
be highlighted.
