Microquasars are increasingly recognized as efficient particle accelerators, potentially contributing to the cosmic-ray flux up to the "knee". Among them, SS 433 stands out as a unique system with precessing relativistic jets embedded within the W50 supernova remnant. Recent detections of very- and ultra-high-energy gamma rays from SS 433 have solidified its role as a key laboratory for studying particle acceleration in jet-powered astrophysical sources. We present results from over 100 hours of observations of SS 433 with VERITAS, spanning more than a decade. These high-resolution measurements allow for a detailed morphological study of the eastern and western jet lobes with an angular resolution of <0.1{\deg}. By analyzing the spatial and spectral characteristics of the gamma-ray emission, we investigate the particle acceleration mechanisms within the jets and at the jet-medium interaction in W50.
@article{arxiv.2509.21063,
title = {VERITAS Observations of the Microquasar SS 433},
author = {Tobias Kleiner and for the VERITAS Collaboration},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2509.21063},
year = {2025}
}
Comments
Submitted to Proceedings of Science "39th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2025)"