COUNTS-EXCESS FROM AN ATMOSPHERIC CERENKOV TELESCOPE IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF THE PULSAR PSR-0355+54

We present here results based on observations carried out from 1989 No vember 20-December 03, using one 3-mirror bank of the Gulmarg gamma-ra y telescope in the on-off mode. The on-source region, comprising a 4 d egrees diameter angular-cell centered on alpha = 03(h)54(m) and delta = +55 degrees, included the direction of the pulsar PSR 0355+54, from which a significant pulsed signal, with a period of similar to 156.38 ms, has been reported by the Pachmarhi group. While no pulsar-related periodic modulation is found in the 1989 Gulmarg data, there is a sugg estion about the presence of similar to 4.1 sigma d.c. excess from the on-source region. Taken at its face value, this excess can be interpr eted as a steady gamma-ray signal with an integral flux of similar to (4.5 +/- 0.8) 10(-11) photons cm(-2) s(-1) at energies beyond 4 TeV. N o other TeV gamma-ray experiment, so far, has reported the detection o f such a signal from this region. We propose here that this signal may possibly be due to a hitherto-unknown source lying in the overall on- source region.