scholarly journals TeV-peaked candidate BL Lac objects

2019 ◽  
Vol 491 (2) ◽  
pp. 2771-2778 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Costamante
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Spectral Energy Distribution ◽  
Flux Ratio ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Spectral Energy ◽  
Bl Lac Objects ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Cherenkov Telescopes ◽  
Bl Lac ◽  
Bl Lacs

ABSTRACT BL Lac objects can be extreme in two ways: with their synchrotron emission, peaking beyond 1 keV in their spectral energy distribution, or with their gamma-ray emission, peaking at multi-TeV energies up to and beyond 10–20 TeV, like 1ES 0229+200. This second type of extreme BL Lacs – which we can name TeV-peaked BL Lacs – is not well explained by the usual synchrotron self-Compton scenarios for BL Lacs. These sources are also important as probes for the intergalactic diffuse infrared background and cosmic magnetic fields, as well as possible sites of production of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays and neutrinos. However, all these studies are hindered by their still very limited number. Here I propose a new, simple criterium to select the best candidates for TeV observations, specifically aimed at this peculiar type of BL Lac objects by combining X-ray, gamma-ray, and infrared data. It is based on the observation of a clustering towards a high X-ray to GeV gamma-ray flux ratio, and it does not rely on the radio flux or X-ray spectrum. This makes it suitable to find TeV-peaked sources also with very faint radio emission. Taking advantage of the Fermi all-sky gamma-ray survey applied to the ROMA-BZCAT and Sedentary Survey samples, I produce an initial list of 47 TeV-peaked candidates for observations with present and future air-Cherenkov telescopes.

scholarly journals A new hard X-ray-selected sample of extreme high-energy peaked BL Lac objects and their TeV gamma-ray properties

2019 ◽  
Vol 486 (2) ◽  
pp. 1741-1762 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Foffano ◽  
E Prandini ◽  
A Franceschini ◽  
S Paiano
Keyword(s):  
Spectral Properties ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Spectral Energy Distribution ◽  
Broad Band ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Spectral Energy ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Bl Lac Objects ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Bl Lac

ABSTRACT Extreme high-energy peaked BL Lac objects (EHBLs) are an emerging class of blazars with exceptional spectral properties. The non-thermal emission of the relativistic jet peaks in the spectral energy distribution (SED) plot with the synchrotron emission in X-rays and with the gamma-ray emission in the TeV range or above. These high photon energies may represent a challenge for the standard modelling of these sources. They are important for the implications on the indirect measurements of the extragalactic background light, the intergalactic magnetic field estimate, and the possible origin of extragalactic high-energy neutrinos. In this paper, we perform a comparative study of the multiwavelength spectra of 32 EHBL objects detected by the Swift-BAT telescope in the hard X-ray band and by the Fermi-LAT telescope in the high-energy gamma-ray band. The source sample presents uniform spectral properties in the broad-band SEDs, except for the TeV gamma-ray band where an interesting bimodality seems to emerge. This suggests that the EHBL class is not homogeneous, and a possible subclassification of the EHBLs may be unveiled. Furthermore, in order to increase the number of EHBLs and settle their statistics, we discuss the potential detectability of the 14 currently TeV gamma-ray undetected sources in our sample by the Cherenkov telescopes.

scholarly journals Very High Energy gamma-rays from blazars

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (S304) ◽  
pp. 119-124
Author(s):  
Helene Sol
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Spectral Energy Distribution ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Spectral Energy ◽  
Bl Lac Objects ◽  
Cherenkov Telescopes ◽  
Bl Lac ◽  
Very High Energy ◽  
Very High

AbstractThe extragalactic very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray sky is dominated at the moment by more than fifty blazars detected by the present imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACT), with a majority (about 90%) of high-frequency peaked BL Lac objects (HBL) and a small number of low-frequency peaked and intermediate BL Lac objects (LBL and IBL) and flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQ). A significant variability is often observed, with time scales from a few minutes to months and years. The spectral energy distribution (SED) of these blazars typically shows two bumps from the radio to the TeV range, which can usually be described by leptonic or hadronic processes. While elementary bricks of the VHE emission scenarios seem now reasonably well identified, a global picture of these sources, describing the geometry and dynamics of the VHE zone, is not yet available. Multiwavelength monitoring and global alert network will be important to better constrain the picture, especially with the perspective of CTA, a major project of the next generation in ground-based gamma-ray astronomy.

scholarly journals Long term γ-ray variability of blazars

2020 ◽  
Vol 634 ◽  
pp. A80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhoomika Rajput ◽  
C. S. Stalin ◽  
Suvendu Rakshit
Keyword(s):  
Time Scales ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Spectral Energy Distribution ◽  
Broad Band ◽  
Spectral Energy ◽  
Bl Lac Objects ◽  
Spectrum Radio ◽  
Bl Lac ◽  
Bl Lacs

We used the data from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope to characterise the γ-ray flux variability of blazars on month-like time scales. Our sample consists of 1120 blazars of which 481 are flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) and 639 are BL Lac objects (BL Lacs). We generated monthly binned light curves of our sample for a period of approximately nine years from 2008 August to 2017 December and quantified variability by using excess variance (Fvar). On month-like time scales, 371/481 FSRQs are variable (80%), while only about 50% (304/639) of BL Lacs are variable. This suggests that FSRQs are more variable than BL Lac objects. We find a mean Fvar of 0.55 ± 0.33 and 0.47 ± 0.29 for FSRQs and BL Lacs respectively. Large Fvar in FSRQs is also confirmed from the analysis of the ensemble structure function. By Dividing our sample of blazars based on the position of the synchrotron peak in their broad-band spectral energy distribution, we find that the low synchrotron peaked (LSP) sources have the largest mean Fvar value of 0.54 ± 0.32 while the intermediate synchrotron peaked (ISP) and high synchrotron peaked sources have mean Fvar values of 0.45 ± 0.25 and 0.47 ± 0.33 respectively. On month-like time scales, we find FSRQs to show a high duty cycle (DC) of variability of 66% relative to BL Lacs that show a DC of 36%. We find that both the Fvar and time scale of variability (τ) do not correlate with MBH. We note that Fvar is found to be weakly correlated with Doppler factor (δ) and τ is also weakly correlated with δ. Most of the sources in our sample have τ of the order of days, which might be related to processes in the jet. We find marginal difference in the distribution of τ between FSRQs and BL Lacs.

scholarly journals Gamma-ray counterparts of 2WHSP high-synchrotron-peaked BL Lac objects as possible signatures of ultra-high-energy cosmic ray emission

2020 ◽  
Vol 497 (2) ◽  
pp. 2455-2468
Author(s):  
Michael W Toomey ◽  
Foteini Oikonomou ◽  
Kohta Murase
Keyword(s):  
Energy Range ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
Ultra High Energy ◽  
Bl Lac Objects ◽  
Cherenkov Telescopes ◽  
Bl Lac ◽  
Γ Ray

ABSTRACT We present a search for high-energy γ-ray emission from 566 Active Galactic Nuclei at redshift z > 0.2, from the 2WHSP catalogue of high-synchrotron peaked BL Lac objects with 8 yr of Fermi-LAT data. We focus on a redshift range where electromagnetic cascade emission induced by ultra-high-energy cosmic rays can be distinguished from leptonic emission based on the spectral properties of the sources. Our analysis leads to the detection of 160 sources above ≈5σ (TS ≥25) in the 1–300 GeV energy range. By discriminating significant sources based on their γ-ray fluxes, variability properties, and photon index in the Fermi-LAT energy range, and modelling the expected hadronic signal in the TeV regime, we select a list of promising sources as potential candidate ultra-high-energy cosmic ray emitters for follow-up observations by Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes.

scholarly journals The γ-ray sky seen at X-ray energies

2020 ◽  
Vol 638 ◽  
pp. A128 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. J. Marchesini ◽  
A. Paggi ◽  
F. Massaro ◽  
N. Masetti ◽  
R. D’Abrusco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Bl Lac Objects ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Positional Uncertainty ◽  
Bl Lac ◽  
Frequency Behavior ◽  
Bl Lacs ◽  
Selection Of

Context. Nearly 50% of all sources detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope are classified as blazars or blazar candidates, one of the most elusive classes of active galaxies. Additional blazars can also be hidden within the sample of unidentified or unassociated γ-ray sources (UGSs) that constitute about one-third of all gamma-ray sources detected to date. We recently confirmed that the large majority of Fermi blazars of the BL Lac subclass have an X-ray counterpart. Aims. Using the X-ray properties of a BL Lac training set and combining these with archival multifrequency information, we aim to search for UGSs that could have a BL Lac source within their γ-ray positional uncertainty regions. Methods. We reduced and analyzed the Swift X-ray observations of a selected sample of 327 UGSs. We then compared the X-ray fluxes and hardness ratios of all sources detected in the pointed fields with those of known Fermi BL Lacs. Results. We find at least one X-ray source, lying within the γ-ray positional uncertainty at 95% confidence level, for 223 UGSs and a total of 464 X-ray sources in all fields analyzed. The X-ray properties of a large fraction of them, eventually combined with radio, infrared, and optical information, exhibit BL Lac multi-frequency behavior, thus allowing us to select high-confidence BL Lac candidates; some of them were recently observed during our optical spectroscopic campaign which confirmed their nature. Conclusions. We find that out of 50 X-ray sources that were confirmed as BL Lacs through optical spectroscopy, 12 do not show canonical mid-infrared or radio BL Lac properties. This indicates that the selection of X-ray BL Lac candidates is a strong method to find new counterparts within Fermi UGSs. Finally, we pinpoint a sample of 32 Swift/XRT candidate counterparts to Fermi UGSs that are most likely BL Lac objects.

scholarly journals Centaurus A at Hard X-Rays and Soft Gamma-Rays

2010 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 431-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Steinle
Keyword(s):  
Energy Range ◽  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Gamma Rays ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Spectral Energy Distribution ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Spectral Energy ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Satellite Mission ◽  
X Ray

AbstractCen A, at a distance of less than 4 Mpc, is the nearest radio-loud AGN. Its emission is detected from radio to very-high energy gamma-rays. Despite the fact that Cen A is one of the best studied extragalactic objects the origin of its hard X-ray and soft gamma-ray emission (100 keV <E< 50 MeV) is still uncertain. Observations with high spatial resolution in the adjacent soft X-ray and hard gamma-ray regimes suggest that several distinct components such as a Seyfert-like nucleus, relativistic jets, and even luminous X-ray binaries within Cen A may contribute to the total emission in the MeV regime that has been detected with low spatial resolution. As the Spectral Energy Distribution of Cen A has its second maximum around 1 MeV, this energy range plays an important role in modeling the emission of (this) AGN. As there will be no satellite mission in the near future that will cover this energies with higher spatial resolution and better sensitivity, an overview of all existing hard X-ray and soft gamma-ray measurements of Cen A is presented here defining the present knowledge on Cen A in the MeV energy range.

NEW INSIGHT INTO GAMMA-RAY BLAZARS FROM THE FERMI-LAT

2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (06) ◽  
pp. 831-839 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
BENOIT LOTT
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Ray ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Test Statistic ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Bl Lac Objects ◽  
Spectrum Radio ◽  
Sky Survey ◽  
Bl Lac ◽  
Ngc 1275 ◽  
Bl Lacs

The first three months of sky-survey operation with the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi satellite revealed 132 bright sources at |b| > 10° with test statistic greater than 100 (corresponding to about 10σ). Two methods, based on the CGRaBS, CRATES and BZCat catalogs, indicated high-confidence associations of 106 of these sources with known AGNs. This sample is referred to as the LAT Bright AGN Sample (LBAS). It contains two radio galaxies, namely Centaurus A and NGC 1275, and 104 blazars consisting of 58 flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs), 42 BL Lac objects, and four blazars with unknown classification. Remarkably, the LBAS includes 10 high-energy-peaked BL Lacs. Only 33 of the sources, plus two at |b| < 10°, were previously detected with EGRET, probably due to variability. The analysis of the gamma-ray properties of the LBAS sources reveals that the average GeV spectra of BL Lac objects are significantly harder than the spectra of FSRQs. Other spectral and variability blazar properties are discussed. Some prominent Fermi-detected radiogalaxies are presented.

scholarly journals The γ-ray sky seen at X-ray energies

2019 ◽  
Vol 631 ◽  
pp. A150 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. J. Marchesini ◽  
A. Paggi ◽  
F. Massaro ◽  
N. Masetti ◽  
R. D’Abrusco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spectral Energy Distribution ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Infrared Emission ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Spectral Energy ◽  
Energy Component ◽  
Clear Trend ◽  
Mid Infrared ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Bl Lacs

Context. BL Lac objects are an extreme type of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) that belong to the largest population of γ-ray sources: blazars. This class of AGNs shows a double-bumped spectral energy distribution that is commonly described in terms of a synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission process, whereas the low-energy component that dominates their emission between the infrared and the X-ray band is tightly connected to the high-energy component that peaks in the γ-rays. Two strong connections that link radio and mid-infrared emission of blazars to the emission in the γ-ray band are well established. They constitute the basis for associating γ-ray sources with their low-energy counterparts. Aims. We searched for a possible link between X-ray and γ-ray emissions for the subclass of BL Lacs using all archival Swift/XRT observations combined with Fermi data for a selected sample of 351 sources. Methods. Analyzing ∼2400 ks of Swift/XRT observations that were carried out until December 2018, we discovered that above the γ-ray flux threshold Fγ ≈ 3 × 10−12 erg cm−2 s−1, 96% of all Fermi BL Lacs have an X-ray counterpart that is detected with signal-to-noise ratio > 3. Results. We did not find any correlation or clear trend between X-ray and γ-ray fluxes and/or spectral shapes, but we discovered a correlation between the X-ray flux and the mid-infrared color. Finally, we discuss on a possible interpretation of our results in the SSC framework.

scholarly journals High-Energy Continuum Variability in Active Galactic Nuclei

1994 ◽  
Vol 159 ◽  
pp. 113-122
Author(s):  
Rick Edelson
Keyword(s):  
Accretion Disk ◽  
Thermal Emission ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Thermal Source ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Optical Monitoring ◽  
Bl Lac Objects ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Bl Lac ◽  
Bl Lacs

CGRO and IUE observations suggest that the strong, aperiodic variability seen in the Exosat long-look observations of AGN extends over a much wider energy band. Some BL Lac objects (but no Seyfert 1 galaxies) have shown X-ray variations which were so rapid that they violate the assumptions of isotropy inherent in the Eddington limit. In the ultraviolet, Seyfert 1s as a class show an anti-correlation between the variability amplitude and luminosity, while BL Lacs show a positive correlation. Furthermore, Seyfert 1s show strong flux-correlated spectral variability, while BL Lacs show little or none. All of this suggests that the high-energy continua of BL Lacs are beamed towards us, while the ultraviolet continua of Seyfert 1s are emitted isotropically.The November 1991 multi-waveband monitoring of the BL Lac PKS 2155−304 showed strong correlated variability, with the soft X-rays leading the ultraviolet by a few hours, and no measurable lag between the ultraviolet and optical down to a limit of ≲ 1.5 hr. This indicates that the X-rays from this BL Lac are not produced by Compton upscattering, and that the ultraviolet does not come directly from a thermal source such as an accretion disk. This also strongly constrains the relativistic jet model, suggesting that all of the radiation is produced in a flattened region like a shock front.Low temporal resolution ultraviolet/optical monitoring of the Seyfert 1 NGC 5548 in 1989 yielded a strong correlation with no measurable lag to a limit of ≲4 days, casting some doubt on the standard model of thermal emission from an accretion disk in Seyfert 1s. Upcoming X-ray/ultraviolet/optical monitoring of the Seyfert 1 NGC 4151 in December 1993 will have much faster sampling, to permit a strong test of both this model and the competing reprocessing model.

scholarly journals An X-ray Spectral Survey of BL Lac Objects

1989 ◽  
Vol 134 ◽  
pp. 191-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Barr ◽  
P. Giommi ◽  
A. Pollock ◽  
G. Tagliaferri ◽  
D. Maccagni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Energy ◽  
Oxygen Absorption ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Bl Lac Objects ◽  
Synchrotron Source ◽  
X Ray ◽  
High Energy Tail ◽  
Bl Lac ◽  
Spectral Survey ◽  
Bl Lacs

A wide variety of X-ray spectral forms has been reported in BL Lac objects. Concave spectra, i.e. a steep soft X-ray spectrum with a flat high energy tail, have been reported in a few of the brightest BL Lacs (e.g Urry 1986). Conversely, convex spectra (steep hard X-rays, flat soft X-ray spectrum) have also been reported, sometimes in the same objects (Madejski 1985, Barr et al 1988, George et al 1988). The high energy tails have usually been invoked as a signature of synchrotron-self-Compton emission. Two conflicting interpretations of the convex spectra have been made. Urry et al (1986) suggest absorption by a partially ionised medium, probably intrinsic to the BL Lac object, following the identification of an Oxygen absorption trough in the Einstein OGS spectrum of PKS 2155-304 by Canizares and Kruper (1984). Conversely, Barr et al (1988) attribute the hard X-ray steepening to energy loss mechanisms operating on a synchrotron source.

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