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NASA NTRS2008

Implications for High Energy Blazar Spectra from Intergalactic Absorption Calculations

Given a knowledge of the density spectra intergalactic low energy photons as a function of redshift, one can derive the intrinsic gamma-ray spectra and luminosities of blazars over a range of redshifts and look for possible trends in blazar evolution. Stecker, Baring & Summerlin have found some evidence hinting that TeV blazars with harder spectra have higher intrinsic TeV gamma-ray luminosities and indicating that there may be a correlation of spectral hardness and luminosity with redshift. Further work along these lines, treating recent observations of the blazers lES02291+200 and 3C279 in the TeV and sub-TeV energy ranges, has recently been explored by Stecker & Scully. GLAST will observe and investigate many blazars in the GeV energy range and will be sensitive to blazers at higher redshifts. I examine the implications high redshift gamma-ray absorption for both theoretical and observational blazer studies.

Stecker, F↗
NASA NTRS2012

VERITAS Observations of Six Bright, Hard-Spectrum Fermi-LAT Blazars

We report on VERITAS very-high-energy (VHE; E >= 100 GeV) observations of six blazars selected from the Fermi Large Area Telescope First Source Catalog (1FGL). The gamma-ray emission from 1FGL sources was extrapolated up to the VHE band, taking gamma-ray absorption by the extragalactic background light into account. This allowed the selection of six bright, hard-spectrum blazars that were good candidate TeV emitters. Spectroscopic redshift measurements were attempted with the Keck Telescope for the targets without Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) spectroscopic data. No VHE emission is detected during the observations of the six sources described here. Corresponding TeV upper limits are presented, along with contemporaneous Fermi observations and non-concurrent Swift UVOT and XRT data. The blazar broadband spectral energy distributions (SEDs) are assembled and modeled with a single-zone synchrotron self-Compton model. The SED built for each of the six blazars show a synchrotron peak bordering between the intermediate- and high-spectrum-peak classifications, with four of the six resulting in particle-dominated emission region.

RGB J0316+090↗
NASA NTRS2014

Unusual Flaring Activity in the Blazar PKS 1424-418 During 2008-2011

Blazars are a subset of active galactic nuclei (AGN) with jets that are oriented along our line of sight. Variability and spectral energy distribution (SED) studies are crucial tools for understanding the physical processes responsible for observed AGN emission. Aims. We report peculiar behavior in the bright gamma-ray blazar PKS 1424-418 and use its strong variability to reveal information about the particle acceleration and interactions in the jet. Methods. Correlation analysis of the extensive optical coverage by the ATOM telescope and nearly continuous -ray coverage by the Fermi Large Area Telescope is combined with broadband, time-dependent modeling of the SED incorporating supplemental information from radio and X-ray observations of this blazar. Results. We analyse in detail four bright phases at optical-GeV energies. These flares of PKS 1424-418 show high correlation between these energy ranges, with the exception of one large optical flare that coincides with relatively low -ray activity. Although the optical/gamma-ray behavior of PKS 1424-418 shows variety, the multiwavelength modeling indicates that these differences can largely be explained by changes in the flux and energy spectrum of the electrons in the jet that are radiating. We find that for all flares the SED is adequately represented by a leptonic model that includes inverse Compton emission from external radiation fields with similar parameters. Conclusions. Detailed studies of individual blazars like PKS 1424-418 during periods of enhanced activity in different wavebands are helping us identify underlying patterns in the physical parameters in this class of AGN.

flaring↗
NASA NTRS2016

NuSTAR, SWIFT, and GROND Observations of the Flairing MeV Blazar PMN J0641-0320

MeV blazars are a sub-population of the blazar family, exhibiting larger-than-average jet powers, accretion luminosities, and black hole masses. Because of their extremely hard X-ray continua, these objects are best studied in the X-ray domain. Here, we report on the discovery by the Fermi Large Area Telescope and subsequent follow-up observations with NuSTAR, Swift, and GROND of a new member of the MeV blazar family: PMN J0641-0320. Our optical spectroscopy provides confirmation that this is a flat-spectrum radio quasar located at a redshift of z = 1.196. Its very hard NuSTAR spectrum (power-law photon index of approx.1 up to approx. 80 keV) indicates that the emission is produced via inverse Compton scattering off of photons coming from outside the jet. The overall spectral energy distribution of PMN J0641-0320 is typical of powerful blazars and, using a simple one-zone leptonic emission model, we infer that the emission region is located either inside the broad line region or within the dusty torus.

galaxies: active quasars: general↗
NASA NTRS2016

Extremes of the Jet-Accretion Power Relation of Blazars, as Explored by Nustar

Hard X-ray observations are crucial to study the non-thermal jet emission from high-redshift, powerful blazars. We observed two bright z > 2 flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) in hard X-rays to explore the details of their relativistic jets and their possible variability. S50014+81 (at z = 3.366) and B0222+185 (at z = 2.690) have been observed twice by the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) simultaneously with Swift X-ray Telescope, showing different variability behaviors. We found that NuSTAR is instrumental to explore the variability of powerful high-redshift blazars, even when no gamma-ray emission is detected. The two sources have proven to have respectively the most luminous accretion disc and the most powerful jet among known blazars. Thanks to these properties, they are located at the extreme end of the jet-accretion disc relation previously found for gamma-ray detected blazars, to which they are consistent.

galaxies: active – quasars: general – quasars:↗
NASA NTRS2016

Probing Acceleration and Turbulence at Relativistic Shocks in Blazar Jets

Diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) at relativistic shocks is widely thought to be an important acceleration mechanism in various astrophysical jet sources, including radio-loud active galactic nuclei such as blazars. Such acceleration can produce the non-thermal particles that emit the broad-band continuum radiation that is detected from extragalactic jets. An important recent development for blazar science is the ability of Fermi-Large Area Telescope spectroscopy to pin down the shape of the distribution of the underlying non-thermal particle population. This paper highlights how multiwavelength spectra spanning optical to X-ray to gamma-ray bands can be used to probe diffusive acceleration in relativistic, oblique, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) shocks in blazar jets. Diagnostics on the MHD turbulence near such shocks are obtained using thermal and non-thermal particle distributions resulting from detailed Monte Carlo simulations of DSA. These probes are afforded by the characteristic property that the synchrotron vF(sub v), peak energy does not appear in the gamma-ray band above 100 MeV. We investigate self-consistently the radiative synchrotron and inverse Compton signatures of the simulated particle distributions. Important constraints on the diffusive mean free paths of electrons, and the level of electromagnetic field turbulence are identified for three different case study blazars, Mrk 501, BL Lacertae and AO 0235+164. The X-ray excess of AO 0235+164 in a flare state can be modelled as the signature of bulk Compton scattering of external radiation fields, thereby tightly constraining the energy-dependence of the diffusion coefficient for electrons. The concomitant interpretations that turbulence levels decline with remoteness from jet shocks, and the probable significant role for non-gyroresonant diffusion, are posited.

Baring, Matthew G.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Accretion Disc MHD Winds and Blazar Classification

The Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope observations of blazars show a strong correlation between the spectral index of their -ray spectra and their synchrotron peak frequency synpk ;additionally, the rate of Compton dominance of these sources also seems to be a function of synpk .In this work, we adopt the assumption that the non-thermal emission of blazars is primarily due to radiation by a population of Fermi-accelerated electrons in a relativistic outflow (jet) along the symmetry axis of the blazar's accretion disc. Furthermore, we assume that the Compton component is related to an external photon field of photons, which are scattered from particles of the magnetohydrodynamic wind emanating from the accretion disc. Our results reproduce well the aforementioned basic observational trends of blazar classification by varying just oneparameter, namely the mass accretion rate on to the central black hole.

Boula, Stella↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Review of IXPE Results for Blazars and Radio Loud AGN

The prime mission of the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) has provided the first measurements of the polarization for blazar jets and active galactic nuceli in the X-ray band, observing thirteen blazars during its first two years of observations. With these data, a clear picture of the physical processes driving the X-ray emission and particle acceleration in blazars is emerging. This talk will review the results obtained with IXPE thus far, how they inform the larger questions of particle acceleration in blazar jets, and which further questions will require further observations.

X-ray astronomy, polarimetery↗
NASA NTRS1987

Radio observations of a few selected blazars

The paper presents total-intensity and linear-polarization observations of four selected blazars, 0716+714, 0752+258, 1156+295 and 1400+162, with the VLA A-array, and MERLIN and EVN observations of 1400+162. The sources 0752+258 and 1400+162 which have nearly constant optical polarization, have well-defined double-lobed radio structure, with relatively weak radio cores, and are likely to be at large viewing angles. In addition, 0752+258 appears to be a twin-jet blazar. The position angle (PA) of the VLBI jet in 1400+162 is close to that of the arcsec-scale jet near the nucleus, as well as the optical and 2-cm core polarization PAs. The blazars 0716+714 and 1156+295, which exhibit strongly variable optical polarization, have a core-dominated radio structure and perhaps have their jet axes close to the line-of-sight. From polarization observations at 20, 18, 6, and 2 cm, it is found that the rotation measure of the radio core in 0716+714 is about -20 rad/sq m. It is suggested that low values of core rotation measure in core-dominated sources could be consistent with the relativistic beaming models.

Saikia, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A survey of ultraviolet variability in blazars

This is the first comprehensive, consistent survey of the ultraviolet variability properties of a large sample of blazars. All of the 14 blazars with five or more observations in a single IUE camera showed significant variability. The strength of the ultraviolet variability is positively correlated with both the apparent ultraviolet luminosity and the degree of optical polarization of the source. This is the first clear indication that the ultraviolet continua of blazars are beamed. A search for rapid variability yielded nine 'events' with doubling time scales of 0.5-7 days. These rapid flux variations and correlations argue for the standard synchrotron self-Compton model, and against the accretion disk model, which would predict slower variations and the opposite sense of correlation.

Edelson, Rick↗
NASA NTRS1994

X-ray temporal and spectral studies of blazars with the Ginga satellite

This is the final report to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) concerning NASA grant NAG8-697. This grant was awarded to Dr. C. Megan Urry of the Space Telescope Science Institute in response to a proposal, entitled 'X-Ray Temporal and Spectral Studies of Blazars with the Ginga Satellite', to collaborate with Japanese colleagues in using the Ginga X-ray satellite. The grant was originally awarded on 2/27/88 and expired on 3/31/94. The Ginga X-ray satellite had unprecedented sensitivity in the 2-20 keV energy band, allowing us to make detailed temporal and spectral studies of a large number of blazars, which are a kind of unusually luminous and variable active galactic nuclei. We were successful with several proposals and were able to observe a number of different active galactic nuclei. Our investigations under this grant fall broadly into two categories: (1) Ginga observations of blazars, usually in conjunction with simultaneous multiwavelength observations using other facilities; and (2) the application of calculated pair plasma spectra to the X-ray colors of active galactic nuclei. These are described in turn.

Urry, C. Megan↗
NASA NTRS1996

Probes of the Inner Jets of Blazars

I review models for the 'inner jet" in blazars, the section that connects the central engine with the radio jet. I discuss how the structure and physics of the inner jet can he explored using millimeter-wave VLBI as well as multiwaveband observations of blazars. Flares at radio to gamma-ray frequencies should exhibit time delays at different wavebands that can test models for both the high-energy emission mechanisms and the nature of the inner jet in blazars.

Marscher, Alan P.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Blazar studies with CGRO and INTEGRAL

Issues involved in galaxy unification through the two scenarios of unification through evolution and unification through orientation are reviewed, and the importance of observations at soft gamma ray energies for the characterization of the properties of blazars is discussed. The observation of blazars with the International Gamma Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL) and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) is considered. The spectral density field is described and the spectral energy distributions of different classes of galaxies are detailed. It is concluded that the scientific returns expected from INTEGRAL include: the strongest gamma ray tests for beaming gamma-gamma transparency arguments and the Elliot-Shapiro relationship; the discovery that infrared luminous galaxies harbor and fuel supermassive black holes; the discovery of variable spectral hardenings in quasars, and the identification of trends in the high energy behavior of radio galaxies, radio quasars and blazars.

Dermer, Charles D.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Optical Variability of Blazars

In this paper we show the results of our monitoring the flux variability of 15 blazars, within the redshift range of 0.07 to 2.06, all with a visual magnitude range between 14 and 20 mag. Because blazars have displayed variability on diverse timescales, we have chosen to study them over both short and long timescales, ranging from minutes to years. These blazars were observed on 58 nights between March 1995 and June 1998. Individual sources are discussed in detail. For example, one of our sources, Mkn5Ol showed microvariability of as much as 0.13 mag change within 12 minutes. The usual parameters for size, mass, and luminosity are calculated. Relativistic beaming is implied by the data. We also searched for correlations between amplitude of variability, redshift, and luminosity. We found few if any such correlations. Discussion and conclusions are given for these and other results as implied by the data.

Ghosh, K. K.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Monitoring Ly-Alpha Emission From the Blazar 3C 279

The blazar 3C 279 is well studied and shows frequent large continuum flares from radio to gamma-ray wavelengths. There have been a number of multiwavelength observations of 3C 279, and hence there are extensive ultraviolet data for this object available in the UV archives. In this paper we present Ly-alpha emission line measurements for 3C 279 using all the archival IUE SWP spectra from 1988 to 1996 and all archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Faint Object Spectrograph (FOS) G190H spectra from 1992 to 1996. Individual archival IUE spectra of 3C 279 show weak Ly-alpha emission at approximately 1868 A (z = 0.536), which is easily seen in the co-added data. The Ly-alpha emission is observed in all the HST/FOS spectra. The strength of Ly-alpha is nearly constant (approximately 5 x 10(exp -14) erg/sq cm.s), while the 1750 A continuum varies by a factor of approximately 50, from approximately 0.6 to 31.6 x 10(exp -15) ergs/sq cm.s.A. The behavior of the Ly-alpha emission line flux and continuum flux is similar to that of the only other well observed blazar, 3C 273, which shows constant line flux while the continuum varies by a factor of approximately 3. This near-constancy of emission-line flux in the two best-studied blazars suggests that the highly variable beamed continuum is not a significant source of photoionization for the gas. Some other source, such as thermal emission from an accretion disk, must be providing a significant fraction of the photoionizing flux in these objects. The large amplitude variability seen at gamma-ray energies must be due to changes in the energetic electrons in the jet rather than changes in the external photon field.

Koratkar, Anuradha↗
NASA NTRS1999

Probing Blazar Structure Through Multiwavelength Variability

This was a project to understand the multiwavelength variability of blazars, via monitoring with the XTE satellite and many other space- and ground-based observatories. Blazars are dominated by strong nonthermal emission, we now know, due to relativistic beaming in an aligned jet. Thus they are ideal laboratories for studying jet physics. The physical scales of the inner, energetically dominant jets are generally too small to resolve with current or next-generation instruments, so we used variability to probe the balance between acceleration/injection of energetic particles and radiative/other losses, and to infer jet structure. Our work has shown that the radio through UV-X-ray emission is produced via synchrotron radiation, and that at the peak frequency and above, the emission region is approximately homogeneous. A separate gamma-ray component, which is often energetically dominant, varies in a correlated way but with larger amplitude, suggesting it is produced when the synchrotron-emitting electrons Compton scatter soft photons (though other possibilities remain viable). With RXTE we carried out two intensive monitoring campaigns on the blazar PKS2155-304, in May 1996 and November 1996. Analysis and interpretation of these data constituted the main activities under this grant. The results have been presented at several meetings, and a number of publications have resulted from this work. In addition, a final paper for a refereed publication is in final draft form, as are companion papers based on simultaneous Rosat and EUVE results.

Urry, C. Megan↗
NASA NTRS2000

Optical Variability of Blazars

In this paper we show the results of our monitoring the flux variability of 15 blazars, within the redshift range of 0.07 - 2.06, all with a visual magnitude range between 14 and 20 mag. Because blazars have displayed variability on diverse timescales, we have chosen to study them over both short and long timescales, ranging from minutes to years. These blazars were observed on 58 nights between 1995 March and 1998 June. Individual sources are discussed in detail. For example, one of our sources, Mrk 501, showed microvariability of as much as 0.13 mag change within 12 minutes. The usual parameters for size, mass, and luminosity are calculated. Relativistic beaming is implied by the data. We also searched for correlations between amplitude of variability, redshift, and luminosity. We found few, if any, such correlations. Discussion and conclusions are given for these and other results as implied by the data.

Ghosh, K. K.↗
NASA NTRS2000

High-Frequency Observations of Blazars

We report on the results of high-frequency VLBA observations of 42 gamma-ray bright blazars monitored at 22 and 43 GHz between 1993.9 and 1997.6. In 1997 the observations included polarization-sensitive imaging. The cores of gamma-ray blazars are only weakly polarized, with EVPAs (electric-vector position angles) usually within 40 deg of the local direction of the jet. The EVPAs of the jet components are usually within 20 deg of the local jet direction. The apparent speeds of the gamma-ray bright blazars are considerably faster than in the general population of bright compact radio sources. Two X-ray flares (observed with RXTE) of the quasar PKS 1510-089 appear to be related to radio flares, but with the radio leading the X-ray variations by about 2 weeks. This can be explained either by synchrotron self-Compton emission in a component whose variations are limited by light travel time or by the Mirror Compton model.

Marscher, A. P.↗