X-ray monitoring of the radio and gamma-ray loud Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 Galaxy PKS 2004-447

We present preliminary results of the X-ray analysis of XMM-Newton and Swift observations as part of a multi-wavelength monitoring campaign in 2012 of the radio-loud narrow line Seyfert 1 galaxy PKS 2004-447. The source was recently detected in gamma-rays by Fermi/LAT among only four other galaxies of that type. The 0.5-10 keV X-ray spectrum is well-described by a simple absorbed powerlaw (photon index ~ 1.6). The source brightness exhibits variability on timescales of months to years with indications for spectral variability, which follows a 'bluer-when-brighter' behaviour, similar to blazars.Comment: Proceedings for the 'Jet 2013' conference. Includes 3 pages, 3 figure

3D mapping of the neutral X-ray absorption in the local interstellar medium: The Gaia and XMM-Newton synergy

We present a three-dimensional map of the hydrogen density distribution in the Galactic interstellar medium. The hydrogen equivalent column densities were obtained from the Exploring the X-ray Transient and variable Sky project ({\sc EXTraS}) which provides equivalent $N_{\rm H}$ values from X-ray spectral fits of observations within the {\it XMM-Newton} Data Release. {\sc EXTraS} include multiple fits for each source, allowing an accurate determination of the equivalent column densities, which depends on the continuum modeling of the spectra. A cross-correlation between the {\sc EXTraS} catalogue and the first {\it Gaia} Data Release was performed in order to obtain accurate parallax and distance measurements. We use a Bayesian method explained in \citet{rez17} in order to predict the most probable distribution of the density at any arbitrary point, even for lines of sight along which there are no initial observation. The resulting map shows small-scale density structures which can not been modeled by using analytic density profiles. In this paper we present a proof of concept of the kind of science possible with the synergy of these catalogs. However, given the systematic uncertainties connected to the source identification and to the dependence of $N_{\rm H}$ on the spectral model, the present maps should be considered qualitatively at this point

3D mapping of the neutral X-ray absorption in the local interstellar medium: the Gaia and XMM-Newton synergy

We present a three-dimensional map of the hydrogen density distribution in the Galactic interstellar medium. The hydrogen-equivalent column densities were obtained from the Exploring the X-ray Transient and variable Sky project (EXTRAS) which provides equivalent N_H values from X-ray spectral fits of observations within the XMM-Newton Data Release. EXTRAS include multiple fits for each source, allowing an accurate determination of the equivalent column densities, which depends on the continuum modelling of the spectra. A cross-correlation between the EXTRAS catalogue and the first Gaia Data Release was performed in order to obtain accurate parallax and distance measurements. We use a Bayesian method explained in Rezaei Kh. et al. (2017) in order to predict the most probable distribution of the density at any arbitrary point, even for lines of sight along which there are no initial observation. The resulting map shows small-scale density structures which could not have been modelled by using analytic density profiles. In this paper, we present a proof of concept of the kind of science possible with the synergy of these catalogues. However, given the systematic uncertainties connected to the source identification and to the dependence of N_H on the spectral model, the present maps should be considered qualitatively at this point

The nature of the gamma-ray emitting PKS 2004-447

<p>PKS 2004-447 has been one of the five radio-loud Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxies that were first discovered to carry a powerful relativistic jet. Despite being the radio-loudest among the original gamma-ray emitting NLS1 sample it is also among the most disputed NLS1s because its classification is not unambiguously clear. We show new results from a large multiwavelength program from radio to gamma-rays spanning more than five years from 2011 until 2017. We studied the longterm broadband spectral evolution of this unique object using a series of spectral energy distributions and parsec-scale resolution VLBI observations. The source continues to be unique among gamma-ray emitting NLS1 and intriguing in comparison to other radio-loud AGN as the multiwavelength data exhibit typical blazar-like characteristics while the radio data reveal a powerful one-sided and a consistent radio spectrum. The radio proerties are consistent with CSS sources, a class of radio-loud AGN that is usually associated with young radio sources.</p

Klassifizierung des Hochenergiehimmels mittels spektralen und Zeitreihen-Methoden

Active galactic nuclei (AGN) are among the brightest and most frequent sources on the extragalactic X-ray and gamma-ray sky. Their central supermassive blackhole generates an enormous luminostiy through accretion of the surrounding gas. A few AGN harbor highly collimated, powerful jets in which are observed across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. If their jet axis is seen in a small angle to our line-of-sight (these objects are then called blazars) jet emission can outshine any other emission component from the system. Synchrotron emission from electrons and positrons clearly prove the existence of a relativistic leptonic component in the jet plasma. But until today, it is still an open question whether heavier particles, especially protons, are accelerated as well. If this is the case, AGN would be prime candidates for extragalactic PeV neutrino sources that are observed on Earth. Characteristic signatures for protons can be hidden in the variable high-energy emission of these objects. In this thesis I investigated the broadband emission, particularly the high-energy X-ray and gamma-ray emission of jetted AGN to address open questions regarding the particle acceleration and particle content of AGN jets, or the evolutionary state of the AGN itself. For this purpose I analyzed various multiwavelength observations from optical to gamma-rays over a period of time using a combination of state-of-the-art spectroscopy and timing analysis. By nature, AGN are highly variable. Time-resolved spectral analysis provided a new dynamic view of these sources which helped to determine distinct emission processes that are difficult to disentangle from spectral or timing methods alone. Firstly, this thesis tackles the problem of source classification in order to facilitate the search for interesting sources in large data archives and characterize new transient sources. I use spectral and timing analysis methods and supervised machine learning algorithms to design an automated source classification pipeline. The test and training sample were based on the third XMM-Newton point source catalog (3XMM-DR6). The set of input features for the machine learning algorithm was derived from an automated spectral modeling of all sources in the 3XMM-DR6, summing up to 137200 individual detections. The spectral features were complemented by results of a basic timing analysis as well as multiwavelength information provided by catalog cross-matches. The training of the algorithm and application to a test sample showed that the definition of the training sample was crucial: Despite oversampling minority source types with synthetic data to balance out the training sample, the algorithm preferably predicted majority source types for unclassified objects. In general, the training process showed that the combination of spectral, timing and multiwavelength features performed best with the lowest misclassification rate of \\sim2.4\\%. The methods of time-resolved spectroscopy was then used in two studies to investigate the properties of two individual AGN, Mrk 421 and PKS 2004-447, in detail. Both objects belong to the class of gamma-ray emitting AGN. A very elusive sub-class are gamma-ray emitting Narrow Line Seyfert 1 (gNLS1) galaxies. These sources have been discovered as gamma-ray sources only recently in 2010 and a connection to young radio galaxies especially compact steep spectrum (CSS) radio sources has been proposed. The only gNLS1 on the Southern Hemisphere so far is PKS2004-447 which lies at the lower end of the luminosity distribution of gNLS1. The source is part of the TANAMI VLBI program and is regularly monitored at radio frequencies. In this thesis, I presented and analyzed data from a dedicated multiwavelength campaign of PKS 2004-447 which I and my collaborators performed during 2012 and which was complemented by individual observations between 2013 and 2016. I focussed on the detailed analysis of the X-ray emission and a first analysis of its broadband spectrum from radio to gamma-rays. Thanks to the dynamic SED I could show that earlier studies misinterpreted the optical spectrum of the source which had led to an underestimation of the high-energy emission and had ignited a discussion on the source class. I show that the overall spectral properties are consistent with dominating jet emission comprised of synchrotron radiation and inverse Compton scattering from accelerated leptons. The broadband emission is very similar to typical examples of a certain type of blazars (flat-spectrum radio quasars) and does not present any unusual properties in comparison. Interestingly, the VLBI data showed a compact jet structure and a steep radio spectrum consistent with a compact steep spectrum source. This classified PKS 2004-447 as a young radio galaxy, in which the jet is still developing. The investigation of Mrk 421 introduced the blazar monitoring program which I and collaborator have started in 2014. By observing a blazar simultaneously from optical, X-ray and gamma-ray bands during a VHE outbursts, the program aims at providing extraordinary data sets to allow for the generation of a series of dynamical SEDs of high spectral and temporal resolution. The program makes use of the dense VHE monitoring by the FACT telescope. So far, there are three sources in our sample that we have been monitoring since 2014. I presented the data and the first analysis of one of the brightest and most variable blazar, Mrk 421, which had a moderate outbreak in 2015 and triggered our program for the first time. With spectral timing analysis, I confirmed a tight correlation between the X-ray and TeV energy bands, which indicated that these jet emission components are causally connected. I discovered that the variations of the optical band were both correlated and anti-correlated with the high-energy emission, which suggested an independent emission component. Furthermore, the dynamic SEDs showed two different flaring behaviors, which differed in the presence or lack of a peak shift of the low-energy emission hump. These results further supported the hypothesis that more than one emission region contributed to the broadband emission of Mrk 421 during the observations. Overall,the studies presented in this thesis demonstrated that time-resolved spectroscopy is a powerful tool to classify both source types and emission processes of astronomical objects, especially relativistic jets in AGN, and thus provide a deeper understanding and new insights of their physics and properties.Aktive Galaxienkerne (active galactic nuclei, AGN) gehören zu den hellsten und häufigsten Quellen am extragalaktischen Röntgen- und Gammastrahlenhimmel. Das zentrale supermassive Schwarze Loch erzeugt durch Akkretion des umgebenden Gases eine enorme Leuchtkraft. Einige AGN beherbergen zudem stark kollimierte, leuchtstarke Jets die im gesamten elektromagnetischen Spektrum beobachtet werden. Betrachtet man Jets unter einem kleinen Winkel zu unserer Sichtlinie (sog. Blazare), kann die Jetemission die anderen Strahlungskomponenten des Systems überstrahlen. Die Synchrotronemission von relativistischen Elektronen und Positronen beweist eindeutig die Existenz einer leptonischen Plasmakomponente in Jets. Bis heute aber ist es offen, ob auch schwerere Teilchen, insbesondere Protonen, beschleunigt werden können. Wenn dies der Fall ist, wären AGN vielversprechende Quellen für extragalaktische PeV-Neutrinos, die auf der Erde beobachtet werden. Charakteristische Merkmale von Protonen könnten in der variablen hochenergetischen Emission dieser Objekte verborgen sein. In dieser Arbeit untersuchte ich daher die Breitbandemission, insbesondere die hochenergetische Röntgen- und Gammastrahlung, von AGN mit Jets, um verschiedene offene Fragen bezüglich Jets in AGN zu adressieren. Thematisiert werden sowohl die Teilchenbeschleunigung, wie auch die Plasmakomposition von Jets, oder der evolutionäre Zustand eines AGN selbst. Zu diesem Zweck analysierte ich mittels einer Kombination aus hochmodernen Methoden der Spektroskopie und Zeitreihenanalyse verschiedene Wellenlängenbeobachtungen, die das Breitbandspektrum von optischen bis Gammastrahlen zu verschiedenen Zeitpunkten abdeckten. Von Natur aus sind AGN sehr variabel. Die Kombination der zeitaufgelöster Spektroskopie lieferte somit eine neue dynamische Sicht auf diese Quellen, die dazu beitrug, unterschiedliche Emissionsprozesse zu bestimmen, die sich nur schwer von getrennten Spektral- oder Zeitreihen-Verfahren unterscheiden lassen. Diese Arbeit behandelt zunächst das Problem der Quellenklassifikation, um die Suche nach interessanten Quellen in großen Datenarchiven zu erleichtern und neue variable Quellen zu charakterisieren. Ich nutzte die Zeit- und Spektralanalyse Methoden sowie überwachte Machine-Learning Algorithmen, um ein automatisiertes Verfahren zur Quellklassifizierung zu entwerfen. Das Auswahl der Test- und Trainingsbeispiele basierte auf dem dritten XMM-Newton Punktquellenkatalog (3XMM-DR6). Die Attribute für den maschinellen Lernalgorithmus wurden aus einer automatisierten Spektralmodellierung aller Quellen in dem 3XMM-DR6 definiert, die über 137200 individuelle Detektionen umfasst. Die spektralen Eigenschaften wurden durch Ergebnisse einer einfachen Zeitreihenanalyse sowie durch Multiwellenlängeninformationen ergänzt. Letztere ergaben sich aus den Abgleichen verschiedener Quellkataloge. Das Trainieren des Algorithmus und die Anwendung auf die Testquellen zeigte, dass die Definition der Trainingsquellen für die Vorhersage von Quellklassen unbekannter Quellen entscheidend war. Obwohl das Trainingsset mittels der Generierung von synthetischen Daten von Minderheitsquellklassen ausbalanciert wurde, prognostizierte der Algorithmus bevorzugt jene Quellentypen für nicht klassifizierte Objekte, die am häufigsten im ursprünglichen Trainingsset vorkamen. Im Allgemeinen zeigte der Trainingsprozess, dass die Kombination von Spektral-, Zeitreihen- und Multiwellenlängenattributen bei der Klassifizierung einer großen Menge von unbekannten Objekten mit der niedrigsten Fehlklassifizierungsrate von \\sim2.4\\% am besten war. Die zeitaufgelöste Spektroskopie wurde in zwei zusätzlichen Studien an einzelnen außergewöhnlichen Quellen, Mrk 421 und PKS 2004-447, benutzt, um deren Eigenschaften im Detail zu untersuchen. Beide Objekte gehören zu der Klasse von AGN, die Gammastrahlung emittieren. Eine sehr schwer fassbare Unterklasse sind sogenannte $\gamma$-emittierende Narrow Line Seyfert 1 (gNLS1) Galaxien. Gammastrahlung dieser Quellen wurden erst im Jahr 2010 entdeckt. Man vermutet eine Verbindung zu jungen Radiogalaxien, insbesondere zu kompakten Radioquellen mit einem steilen Radiospektrum (sog. Compact Steep Spectrum sources, CSS). Die bisher einzige bestätigte gNLS1 auf der südlichen Hemisphäre ist PKS 2004-447, die am unteren Ende der Helligkeitsverteilung von gNLS1 liegt. Die Quelle ist Teil des TANAMI VLBI-Programms und wird regelmäßig im Radiobereich beobachtet. In dieser Dissertation präsentiere ich Ergebnisse einer Multiwellenlängen-Kampagne von PKS 2004-447, die ich und meine Kollegen 2012 durchgeführt haben und die durch weitere Einzelbeobachtungen zwischen 2013 und 2016 ergänzt wurde. Ich konzentrierte mich auf die detaillierte Analyse der Röntgenemission und eine erste Analyse der dynamischen Multiwellenlängen Spektralen Energieverteilung (spectral energy distribution, SED) von Radio bis Gammastrahlung. Dank der dynamischen SED konnte ich zeigen, dass frühere Studien das optische Spektrum der Quelle falsch interpretierten, was zu einer Unterschätzung der hochenergetischen Emission führte und eine Diskussion über die Quellklasse entfachte. In meiner Studie zeigte ich, dass die gesamten spektralen Eigenschaften konsistent durch Jetemission erklärt werden kann, die Synchrotronstrahlung und Inverse Comptonstreuung von beschleunigten Leptonen umfasst. Die Breitbandemission ist typischen Exemplaren von Flachspektrum-Radio-Quasaren sehr ähnlich und weist im Vergleich keine ungewöhnlichen Eigenschaften auf. Interessanterweise zeigten die hochaufgelöste Radiobeobachtungen eine kompakte Jet-Struktur und ein steiles Radiospektrum, das mit den Eigenschaften von kompakten Quellen mit steilem Radiospektrum (compact steep spectrum sources, CSS sources) verträglich ist. Dies klassifiziert PKS 2004-447 als junge Radiogalaxie, in der sich der Jet noch entwickelt. Die Untersuchung von Mrk 421 führt das Blazar-Monitoring-Program ein, das ich und meine Mitarbeiter 2014 begonnen haben. Dabei werden Blazare während eines Strahlungsausbruchs im TeV Energieband gleichzeitig in den optischen, Röntgen- und Gammastrahlenbändern beobachtet. Das Ziel des Programms ist die Erzeugung von dynamischen SEDs von hoher spektraler und zeitlicher Auflösung zu ermöglichen. Das Programm nutzt dafür die dichte Überwachung von Blazaren im TeV Bereich durch das FACT-Teleskop. Seit 2014 sind drei markante Blazare Teil unseres Programms. 2015 zeigte eine unserer beobachteten Quellen, Mrk 421, einen moderaten Ausbruch im TeV Band und löste damit unser Programm zum ersten Mal aus. In dieser Arbeit habe ich unsere Beobachtungen im Optischen bis TeV Bereich dieser Quelle benutzt um eine erste zeitaufgelöste Spektroskopie der dynamischen SED dieser Quelle vorzunehmen. Die Analyse der Flussvariabilität in unterschiedlichen Energiebändern bestätigte eine enge Korrelation zwischen der Röntgen- und TeV-Emission. Dies deutet darauf hin, dass diese Strahlungskomponenten im Jet kausal verknüpft sind. Ich entdeckte, dass die Helligkeitsvariationen im optischen Band scheinbar sowohl korreliert als auch antikorreliert mit der Strahlung im Röntgen- und Gammaband waren, was auf eine unabhängige Emissionskomponente hinwies. Darüber hinaus zeigten die dynamischen SEDs zwei unterschiedliche Verhalten bei Strahlungsausbrüchen, die sich im Vorhandensein oder Fehlen einer Verschiebung des niederenergetischen Emissionsmaximums unterschieden. Diese Ergebnisse unterstützen die Hypothese, dass während der Beobachtungen von Mrk 421 mehr als eine Emissionsregion zu dessen Breitbandemission beigetragen haben. Die Studien in dieser Arbeit zeigen, dass die zeitaufgelöste Spektroskopie ein leistungsfähiges Werkzeug ist, um sowohl Quellentypen als auch die Emissionsprozesse einzelner Quellen zu klassifizieren und so ein tieferes Verständnis und neue Einblicke in die Physik und Eigenschaften astronomischer Objekte, insbesondere relativistischer Jets in AGN zu ermöglichen

Rapid variability of Markarian 421 during extreme flaring as seen through the eyes of XMM-Newton

By studying the variability of blazars across the electromagnetic spectrum, it is possible to resolve the underlying processes responsible for rapid flux increases, so-called flares. We report on an extremely bright X-ray flare in the high-peaked BL Lacertae object Markarian 421 (Mrk 421) that occurred simultaneously with enhanced γ-ray activity detected at very high energies by First G-APD Cherenkov Telescope on 2019 June 9. We triggered an observation with XMM-Newton, which observed the source quasi-continuously for 25 h. We find that the source was in the brightest state ever observed using XMM-Newton, reaching a flux of 2.8 × 10-9 over an energy range of 0.3-10 keV. We perform a spectral and timing analysis to reveal the mechanisms of particle acceleration and to search for the shortest source-intrinsic time-scales. Mrk 421 exhibits the typical harder-when-brighter behaviour throughout the observation and shows a clock-wise hysteresis pattern, which indicates that the cooling dominates over the acceleration process. While the X-ray emission in different sub-bands is highly correlated, we can exclude large time lags as the computed z-transformed discrete correlation functions are consistent with a zero lag. We find rapid variability on time-scales of 1 ks for the 0.3-10 keV band and down to 300 s in the hard X-ray band (4-10 keV). Taking these time-scales into account, we discuss different models to explain the observed X-ray flare, and find that a plasmoid-dominated magnetic reconnection process is able to describe our observation best.ISSN:0035-8711ISSN:1365-296

Multi-wavelength study of Mrk 421 during a TeV flare

The blazar Mrk 421 shows frequent, short flares in the TeV energy regime. Due to the fast nature of such episodes, we often fail to obtain sufficient simultaneous information about flux variations in several energy bands. To overcome this lack of multi-wavelength (MWL) coverage, especially for the pre- and post-flare periods, we have set up a monitoring program with the FACT telescope (TeV energies) and the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory (X-rays). On 2019 June 9, Mrk 421 showed a TeV outburst reaching a flux level of more than two times the flux of the Crab Nebula at TeV energies. We acquired simultaneous data in the X-rays with additional observations by XMM-Newton and INTEGRAL. For the first time, we can study a TeV blazar in outburst taking advantage of highly sensitive X-ray data from XMM-Newton and INTEGRAL combined. Our data set is complemented by pointed radio observations by Effelsberg at GHz frequencies. We present our first results, including the gamma-ray and X-ray light curves, a timing analysis of the X-ray data obtained with XMM-Newton, as well as the radio spectra before, during and after the flare.ISSN:1824-803