66 research outputs found
Multiband optical variability of the blazar OJ 287 during its outbursts in 2015 -- 2016
We present recent optical photometric observations of the blazar OJ 287 taken
during September 2015 -- May 2016. Our intense observations of the blazar
started in November 2015 and continued until May 2016 and included detection of
the large optical outburst in December 2016 that was predicted using the binary
black hole model for OJ 287. For our observing campaign, we used a total of 9
ground based optical telescopes of which one is in Japan, one is in India,
three are in Bulgaria, one is in Serbia, one is in Georgia, and two are in the
USA. These observations were carried out in 102 nights with a total of ~ 1000
image frames in BVRI bands, though the majority were in the R band. We detected
a second comparably strong flare in March 2016. In addition, we investigated
multi-band flux variations, colour variations, and spectral changes in the
blazar on diverse timescales as they are useful in understanding the emission
mechanisms. We briefly discuss the possible physical mechanisms most likely
responsible for the observed flux, colour and spectral variability.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, 4 tables; Accepted for publication in MNRA
Multi-band Optical Variability of the TeV Blazar PG 1553+113 in 2019
We report the flux and spectral variability of PG 1553+113 on intra-night
(IDV) to short-term timescales using BVRI data collected over 91 nights from 28
February to 8 November 2019 employing ten optical telescopes: three in
Bulgaria, two each in India and Serbia, and one each in Greece, Georgia, and
Latvia. We monitored the blazar quasi-simultaneously for 16 nights in the V and
R bands and 8 nights in the V, R, I bands and examined the light curves (LCs)
for intra-day flux and colour variations using two powerful tests: the
power-enhanced F-test and the nested ANOVA test. The source was found to be
significantly (> 99%) variable in 4 nights out of 27 in R-band, 1 out of 16 in
V-band, and 1 out of 6 nights in I-band. No temporal variations in the colours
were observed on IDV timescale. During the course of these observations the
total variation in R-band was 0.89 mag observed. We also investigated the
spectral energy distribution (SED) using B, V, R, and I band data. We found
optical spectral indices in the range of 0.878+-0.029 to 1.106+-0.065 by
fitting a power law to these SEDs of PG 1553+113. We found that the source
follows a bluer-when-brighter trend on IDV timescales. We discuss possible
physical causes of the observed spectral variability.Comment: 13 pages,8 figures, 7 tables, Accepted for publication in MNRA
Characterizing optical variability of OJ 287 in 2016 - 2017
We report on a recent multi-band optical photometric and polarimetric
observational campaign of the blazar OJ 287 which was carried out during
September 2016 -- December 2017. We employed nine telescopes in Bulgaria,
China, Georgia, Japan, Serbia, Spain and the United States. We collected over
1800 photometric image frames in BVRI bands and over 100 polarimetric
measurements over ~175 nights. In 11 nights with many quasi-simultaneous
multi-band (V, R, I) observations, we did not detect any genuine intraday
variability in flux or color. On longer timescales, multiple flaring events
were seen. Large changes in color with respect to time and in a
color--magnitude diagram were seen, and while only a weak systematic
variability trend was noticed in color with respect to time, the
color--magnitude diagram shows a bluer-when-brighter trend. Large changes in
the degree of polarization, and substantial swings in the polarization angle
were detected. The fractional Stokes parameters of the polarization showed a
systematic trend with time in the beginning of these observations, followed by
chaotic changes and then an apparently systematic variation at the end. These
polarization changes coincide with the detection and duration of the source at
very high energies as seen by VERITAS. The spectral index shows a systematic
variation with time and V-band magnitude. We briefly discuss possible physical
mechanisms that could explain the observed flux, color, polarization, and
spectral variability.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures, 7 tables; Accepted for Publication to A
Total eclipse of the heart: the AM CVn Gaia14aae/ASSASN-14cn
We report the discovery and characterization of a deeply eclipsing AM CVn-system, Gaia14aae (=ASSASN-14cn). Gaia14aae was identified independently by the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN; Shappee et al.) and by the Gaia Science Alerts project, during two separate outbursts. A third outburst is seen in archival Pan-STARRS-1 (PS1; Schlafly et al.; Tonry et al.; Magnier et al.) and ASAS-SN data. Spectroscopy reveals a hot, hydrogen-deficient spectrum with clear double-peaked emission lines, consistent with an accreting double-degenerate classification. We use follow-up photometry to constrain the orbital parameters of the system. We find an orbital period of 49.71min, which places Gaia14aae at the long period extremum of the outbursting AM CVn period distribution. Gaia14aae is dominated by the light from its accreting white dwarf (WD). Assuming an orbital inclination of 90° for the binary system, the contact phases of the WD lead to lower limits of 0.78 and 0.015Mâ on the masses of the accretor and donor, respectively, and a lower limit on the mass ratio of 0.019. Gaia14aae is only the third eclipsing AM CVn star known, and the first in which the WD is totally eclipsed. Using a helium WD model, we estimate the accretor's effective temperature to be 12â900 ± 200K. The three outburst events occurred within four months of each other, while no other outburst activity is seen in the previous 8yr of Catalina Real-time Transient Survey (CRTS; Drake et al.), Pan-STARRS-1 and ASAS-SN data. This suggests that these events might be rebrightenings of the first outburst rather than individual event
The ever-surprising blazar OJ 287: Multiwavelength study and appearance of a new component in X-rays
© 2018 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. We present a multiwavelength spectral and temporal investigation of OJ 287 emission during its strong optical-to-X-ray activity between 2016 July and 2017 July. The daily γ -ray fluxes from Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) are consistent with no variability. The strong opticalto- X-ray variability is accompanied by a change in power-law spectral index of the X-ray spectrum from 2, with variations often associated with changes in optical polarization properties. Cross-correlations between optical-to-X-ray emission during four continuous segments show simultaneous optical-ultraviolet (UV) variations, while the X-ray and UV/optical are simultaneous only during the middle two segments. In the first segment, the results suggest X-rays lag the optical/UV, while in the last segment X-rays lead by ~5-6 d. The last segment also shows a systematic trend with variations appearing first at higher energies followed by lower energy ones. The LAT spectrum before the very high-energy (VHE) activity is similar to preceding quiescent state spectrum, while it hardens during VHE activity period and is consistent with the extrapolated VHE spectrum during the latter. Overall, the broad-band spectral energy distributions (SEDs) during high-activity periods are a combination of a typical OJ 287 SED and a high-energy peaked (HBL) SED and can be explained in a two-zone leptonic model, with the second zone located at parsec scales, beyond the broad line region, being responsible for the HBL-like spectrum. The change of polarization properties from systematic to chaotic and back to systematic, before, during, and after the VHE activity, suggests dynamic roles for magnetic fields and turbulence
Extreme photometric and polarimetric variability of blazar S4 0954+65 at its maximum optical and Îł-ray brightness levels
In 2022 the BL Lac object S4 0954+65 underwent a major variability phase, reaching its historical maximum brightness in the
optical and Îł -ray bands. We present optical photometric and polarimetric data acquired by the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope
(WEBT) Collaboration from 2022 April 6 to July 6. Many episodes of unprecedented fast variability were detected, implying
an upper limit to the size of the emitting region as low as 10â4 parsec. The WEBT data show rapid variability in both the degree
and angle of polarization. We analyse different models to explain the polarization behaviour in the framework of a twisting
jet model, which assumes that the long-term trend of the flux is produced by variations in the emitting region viewing angle.
All the models can reproduce the average trend of the polarization degree, and can account for its general anticorrelation with
the flux, but the dispersion of the data requires the presence of intrinsic mechanisms, such as turbulence, shocks, or magnetic
reconnection. The WEBT optical data are compared to Îł -ray data from the Fermi satellite. These are analysed with both fixed
and adaptive binning procedures. We show that the strong correlation between optical and Îł -ray data without measurable delay
assumes different slopes in faint and high brightness states, and this is compatible with a scenario where in faint states we mainly
see the imprint of the geometrical effects, while in bright states the synchrotron self-Compton process dominates
Multiwavelength behaviour of the blazar 3CÂ 279: decade-long study from Îł-ray to radio
We report the results of decade-long (2008â2018) Îł-ray to 1 GHz radio monitoring of the blazar 3C 279, including GASP/WEBT, Fermi and Swift data, as well as polarimetric and spectroscopic data. The X-ray and Îł-ray light curves correlate well, with no delay âł3 h, implying general cospatiality of the emission regions. The Îł-rayâoptical fluxâflux relation changes with activity state, ranging from a linear to a more complex dependence. The behaviour of the Stokes parameters at optical and radio wavelengths, including 43 GHz Very Long Baseline Array images, supports either a predominantly helical magnetic field or motion of the radiating plasma along a spiral path. Apparent speeds of emission knots range from 10 to 37c, with the highest values requiring bulk Lorentz factors close to those needed to explain Îł-ray variability on very short time-scales. The MgâII emission line flux in the âblueâ and âredâ wings correlates with the optical synchrotron continuum flux density, possibly providing a variable source of seed photons for inverse Compton scattering. In the radio bands, we find progressive delays of the most prominent light-curve maxima with decreasing frequency, as expected from the frequency dependence of the Ï = 1 surface of synchrotron self-absorption. The global maximum in the 86 GHz light curve becomes less prominent at lower frequencies, while a local maximum, appearing in 2014, strengthens toward decreasing frequencies, becoming pronounced at âŒ5 GHz. These tendencies suggest different Doppler boosting of stratified radio-emitting zones in the jet
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