50 research outputs found
Dissecting the long-term emission behaviour of the BL Lac object Mrk 421
We report on long-term multiwavelengthmonitoring of blazar Mrk 421 by the GLAST-AGILE
Support Program of the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (GASP-WEBT) collaboration and
Steward Observatory, and by the Swift and Fermi satellites. We study the source behaviour in
the period 2007–2015, characterized by several extreme flares. The ratio between the optical,
X-ray and γ -ray fluxes is very variable. The γ -ray flux variations show a fair correlation with
the optical ones starting from 2012.We analyse spectropolarimetric data and find wavelengthdependence
of the polarization degree (P), which is compatible with the presence of the
host galaxy, and no wavelength dependence of the electric vector polarization angle (EVPA).
Optical polarimetry shows a lack of simple correlation between P and flux and wide rotations of
the EVPA.We build broad-band spectral energy distributions with simultaneous near-infrared
and optical data from the GASP-WEBT and ultraviolet and X-ray data from the Swift satellite.
They show strong variability in both flux and X-ray spectral shape and suggest a shift of
the synchrotron peak up to a factor of ∼50 in frequency. The interpretation of the flux and
spectral variability is compatible with jet models including at least two emitting regions that
can change their orientation with respect to the line of sight.http://10.0.4.69/mnras/stx2185Accepted manuscrip
Charged particle densities from Au+Au collisions at sqrt{s_{NN}}=130 GeV
We present charged particle densities as a function of pseudorapidity and
collision centrality for the 197Au+197Au reaction at sqrt{s_{NN}}=130 GeV. An
integral charged particle multiplicity of 3860+/-300 is found for the 5% most
central events within the pseudorapidity range -4.7 <= eta <= 4.7. At
mid-rapidity an enhancement in the particle yields per participant nucleon pair
is observed for central events. Near to the beam rapidity, a scaling of the
particle yields consistent with the ``limiting fragmentation'' picture is
observed. Our results are compared to other recent experimental and theoretical
discussions of charged particle densities in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion
collisions.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures; to be published in Phys. Lett.
A new activity phase of the blazar 3C 454.3. Multifrequency observations by the WEBT and XMM-Newton in 2007-2008
We present and analyse the WEBT multifrequency observations of 3C 454.3 in
the 2007-2008 observing season, including XMM-Newton observations and near-IR
spectroscopic monitoring, and compare the recent emission behaviour with the
past one. In the optical band we observed a multi-peak outburst in July-August
2007, and other faster events in November 2007 - February 2008. During these
outburst phases, several episodes of intranight variability were detected. A mm
outburst was observed starting from mid 2007, whose rising phase was
contemporaneous to the optical brightening. A slower flux increase also
affected the higher radio frequencies, the flux enhancement disappearing below
8 GHz. The analysis of the optical-radio correlation and time delays, as well
as the behaviour of the mm light curve, confirm our previous predictions,
suggesting that changes in the jet orientation likely occurred in the last few
years. The historical multiwavelength behaviour indicates that a significant
variation in the viewing angle may have happened around year 2000. Colour
analysis reveals a complex spectral behaviour, which is due to the interplay of
different emission components. All the near-IR spectra show a prominent Halpha
emission line, whose flux appears nearly constant. The analysis of the
XMM-Newton data indicates a correlation between the UV excess and the
soft-X-ray excess, which may represent the head and the tail of the big blue
bump, respectively. The X-ray flux correlates with the optical flux, suggesting
that in the inverse-Compton process either the seed photons are synchrotron
photons at IR-optical frequencies or the relativistic electrons are those that
produce the optical synchrotron emission. The X-ray radiation would thus be
produced in the jet region from where the IR-optical emission comes.Comment: 10 pages, 12 figures (7 included in the text, 5 in GIF format),
accepted for publication in A&
Long-term multi-wavelength variability and correlation study of Markarian 421 from 2007 to 2009
We study the multi-band variability and correlations of the TeV blazar Mrk
421 on year time scales, which can bring additional insight on the processes
responsible for its broadband emission. We observed Mrk 421 in the very high
energy (VHE) gamma-ray range with the Cherenkov telescope MAGIC-I from March
2007 to June 2009 for a total of 96 hours of effective time after quality cuts.
The VHE flux variability is quantified with several methods, including the
Bayesian Block algorithm, which is applied to data from Cherenkov telescopes
for the first time. The 2.3 year long MAGIC light curve is complemented with
data from the Swift/BAT and RXTE/ASM satellites and the KVA, GASP-WEBT, OVRO,
and Mets\"ahovi telescopes from February 2007 to July 2009, allowing for an
excellent characterisation of the multi-band variability and correlations over
year time scales. Mrk 421 was found in different gamma-ray emission states
during the 2.3 year long observation period. Flares and different levels of
variability in the gamma-ray light curve could be identified with the Bayesian
Block algorithm. The same behaviour of a quiet and active emission was found in
the X-ray light curves measured by Swift/BAT and the RXTE/ASM, with a direct
correlation in time. The behaviour of the optical light curve of GASP-WEBT and
the radio light curves by OVRO and Mets\"ahovi are different as they show no
coincident features with the higher energetic light curves and a less variable
emission. The fractional variability is overall increasing with energy. The
comparable variability in the X-ray and VHE bands and their direct correlation
during both high- and low-activity periods spanning many months show that the
electron populations radiating the X-ray and gamma-ray photons are either the
same, as expected in the Synchrotron-Self-Compton mechanism, or at least
strongly correlated, as expected in electromagnetic cascades.Comment: Corresponding authors: Ann-Kristin Overkemping
([email protected]), Marina Manganaro
([email protected]), Diego Tescaro ([email protected]), To be published
in Astronomy&Astrophysics (A&A), 12 pages, 9 figure
The 2009 multiwavelength campaign on Mrk 421: Variability and correlation studies
We performed a 4.5-month multi-instrument campaign (from radio to VHE gamma
rays) on Mrk421 between January 2009 and June 2009, which included VLBA,
F-GAMMA, GASP-WEBT, Swift, RXTE, Fermi-LAT, MAGIC, and Whipple, among other
instruments and collaborations. Mrk421 was found in its typical (non-flaring)
activity state, with a VHE flux of about half that of the Crab Nebula, yet the
light curves show significant variability at all wavelengths, the highest
variability being in the X-rays. We determined the power spectral densities
(PSD) at most wavelengths and found that all PSDs can be described by
power-laws without a break, and with indices consistent with pink/red-noise
behavior. We observed a harder-when-brighter behavior in the X-ray spectra and
measured a positive correlation between VHE and X-ray fluxes with zero time
lag. Such characteristics have been reported many times during flaring
activity, but here they are reported for the first time in the non-flaring
state. We also observed an overall anti-correlation between optical/UV and
X-rays extending over the duration of the campaign.
The harder-when-brighter behavior in the X-ray spectra and the measured
positive X-ray/VHE correlation during the 2009 multi-wavelength campaign
suggests that the physical processes dominating the emission during non-flaring
states have similarities with those occurring during flaring activity. In
particular, this observation supports leptonic scenarios as being responsible
for the emission of Mrk421 during non-flaring activity. Such a temporally
extended X-ray/VHE correlation is not driven by any single flaring event, and
hence is difficult to explain within the standard hadronic scenarios. The
highest variability is observed in the X-ray band, which, within the one-zone
synchrotron self-Compton scenario, indicates that the electron energy
distribution is most variable at the highest energies.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A, 18 pages, 14 figures (v2 has a small
modification in the acknowledgments, and also corrects a typo in the field
"author" in the metadata
Blazar spectral variability as explained by a twisted inhomogeneous jet
Blazars are active galactic nuclei, which are powerful sources of radiation whose central engine is located in the core of the host galaxy. Blazar emission is dominated by non-thermal radiation from a jet that moves relativistically towards us, and therefore undergoes Doppler beaming1. This beaming causes flux enhancement and contraction of the variability timescales, so that most blazars appear as luminous sources characterized by noticeable and fast changes in brightness at all frequencies. The mechanism that produces this unpredictable variability is under debate, but proposed mechanisms include injection, acceleration and cooling of particles2, with possible intervention of shock waves3,4 or turbulence5. Changes in the viewing angle of the observed emitting knots or jet regions have also been suggested as an explanation of flaring events6,7,8,9,10 and can also explain specific properties of blazar emission, such as intra-day variability11, quasi-periodicity12,13 and the delay of radio flux variations relative to optical changes14. Such a geometric interpretation, however, is not universally accepted because alternative explanations based on changes in physical conditions—such as the size and speed of the emitting zone, the magnetic field, the number of emitting particles and their energy distribution—can explain snapshots of the spectral behaviour of blazars in many cases15,16. Here we report the results of optical-to-radio-wavelength monitoring of the blazar CTA 102 and show that the observed long-term trends of the flux and spectral variability are best explained by an inhomogeneous, curved jet that undergoes changes in orientation over time. We propose that magnetohydrodynamic instabilities17 or rotation of the twisted jet6 cause different jet regions to change their orientation and hence their relative Doppler factors. In particular, the extreme optical outburst of 2016–2017 (brightness increase of six magnitudes) occurred when the corresponding emitting region had a small viewing angle. The agreement between observations and theoretical predictions can be seen as further validation of the relativistic beaming theory
Supplement: "Localization and broadband follow-up of the gravitational-wave transient GW150914" (2016, ApJL, 826, L13)
This Supplement provides supporting material for Abbott et al. (2016a). We briefly summarize past electromagnetic (EM) follow-up efforts as well as the organization and policy of the current EM follow-up program. We compare the four probability sky maps produced for the gravitational-wave transient GW150914, and provide additional details of the EM follow-up observations that were performed in the different bands
Unprecedented study of the broadband emission of Mrk 421 during flaring activity in March 2010
A flare from the TeV blazar Mrk 421, occurring in March 2010, was observed
for 13 consecutive days from radio to very high energy (VHE, E > 100 GeV)
gamma-rays with MAGIC, VERITAS, Whipple, FermiLAT, MAXI, RXTE, Swift,
GASP-WEBT, and several optical and radio telescopes. We model the day-scale
SEDs with one-zone and two-zone synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) models,
investigate the physical parameters, and evaluate whether the observed
broadband SED variability can be associated to variations in the relativistic
particle population.
Flux variability was remarkable in the X-ray and VHE bands while it was minor
or not significant in the other bands. The one-zone SSC model can describe
reasonably well the SED of each day for the 13 consecutive days. This flaring
activity is also very well described by a two-zone SSC model, where one zone is
responsible for the quiescent emission while the other smaller zone, which is
spatially separated from the first one, contributes to the daily-variable
emission occurring in X-rays and VHE gamma-rays.
Both the one-zone SSC and the two-zone SSC models can describe the daily SEDs
via the variation of only four or five model parameters, under the hypothesis
that the variability is associated mostly to the underlying particle
population. This shows that the particle acceleration and cooling mechanism
producing the radiating particles could be the main one responsible for the
broadband SED variations during the flaring episodes in blazars. The two-zone
SSC model provides a better agreement to the observed SED at the narrow peaks
of the low- and high-energy bumps during the highest activity, although the
reported one-zone SSC model could be further improved by the variation of the
parameters related to the emitting region itself (, and ), in
addition to the parameters related to the particle population.Comment: Published in A&A, 30 pages, 15 figures, 6 tables. Online-data:
multi-wavelength light curves (data in Fig. 1) and broadband spectral energy
distributions (the data in Figs. 6, and B1-B4) are available at the CDS via
anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via
http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/578/A22. Corresponding authors:
David Paneque ([email protected]), Shangyu Sun ([email protected]), Hajime
Takami ([email protected]
Blazar spectral variability as explained by a twisted inhomogeneous jet
© 2017 Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature. All rights reserved. Blazars are active galactic nuclei, which are powerful sources of radiation whose central engine is located in the core of the host galaxy. Blazar emission is dominated by non-thermal radiation from a jet that moves relativistically towards us, and therefore undergoes Doppler beaming. This beaming causes flux enhancement and contraction of the variability timescales, so that most blazars appear as luminous sources characterized by noticeable and fast changes in brightness at all frequencies. The mechanism that produces this unpredictable variability is under debate, but proposed mechanisms include injection, acceleration and cooling of particles, with possible intervention of shock waves or turbulence. Changes in the viewing angle of the observed emitting knots or jet regions have also been suggested as an explanation of flaring events and can also explain specific properties of blazar emission, such as intra-day variability, quasi-periodicity and the delay of radio flux variations relative to optical changes. Such a geometric interpretation, however, is not universally accepted because alternative explanations based on changes in physical conditions - such as the size and speed of the emitting zone, the magnetic field, the number of emitting particles and their energy distribution - can explain snapshots of the spectral behaviour of blazars in many cases. Here we report the results of optical-to-radio-wavelength monitoring of the blazar CTA 102 and show that the observed long-term trends of the flux and spectral variability are best explained by an inhomogeneous, curved jet that undergoes changes in orientation over time. We propose that magnetohydrodynamic instabilities or rotation of the twisted jet cause different jet regions to change their orientation and hence their relative Doppler factors. In particular, the extreme optical outburst of 2016-2017 (brightness increase of six magnitudes) occurred when the corresponding emitting region had a small viewing angle. The agreement between observations and theoretical predictions can be seen as further validation of the relativistic beaming theory
Dissecting the long-term emission behaviour of the BL Lac object Mrk 421
© 2017 The Authors Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. We report on long-term multiwavelength monitoring of blazar Mrk 421 by the GLAST-AGILE Support Program of the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (GASP-WEBT) collaboration and Steward Observatory, and by the Swift and Fermi satellites. We study the source behaviour in the period 2007-2015, characterized by several extreme flares. The ratio between the optical, X-ray and γ-ray fluxes is very variable. The γ-ray flux variations show a fair correlation with the optical ones starting from 2012. We analyse spectropolarimetric data and find wavelength-dependence of the polarization degree (P), which is compatible with the presence of the host galaxy, and no wavelength dependence of the electric vector polarization angle (EVPA). Optical polarimetry shows a lack of simple correlation between P and flux and wide rotations of the EVPA. We build broad-band spectral energy distributions with simultaneous near-infrared and optical data from the GASP-WEBT and ultraviolet and X-ray data from the Swift satellite. They show strong variability in both flux and X-ray spectr al shape and suggest a shift of the synchrotron peak up to a factor of ~50 in frequency. The interpretation of the flux and spectral variability is compatible with jet models including at least two emitting regions that can change their orientation with respect to the line of sight