scholarly journals Optical Variability of a Newly Discovered Blazar Sample from the BZCAT Catalog

2021 ◽  
Vol 257 (2) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Nibedita Kalita ◽  
Alok C. Gupta ◽  
Minfeng Gu
Keyword(s):  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Optical Monitoring ◽  
Spectral Slope ◽  
Spectral Evolution ◽  
Flux Variation ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Bl Lacertae ◽  
Spectrum Radio ◽  
Bl Lacs ◽  
Radio Quasar

Abstract In an optical monitoring program to characterize the variability properties of blazars, we observed 10 sources from the Roma-BZCAT catalog for 26 nights in V and R bands during 2014 October to 2015 June with two telescopes located in India. The sample includes mainly newly discovered BL Lacertae objects (BL Lacs) for which the redshift of some sources is not yet known. We present the results of flux and color variations of the sample on intraday and short timescales obtained by using the power-enhanced F-test and the nested-ANOVA tests, along with their spectral behavior. We find significant intraday variability in the single flat-spectrum radio quasar in our sample, having an amplitude of variation ∼12%. Although a few of the BL Lacs showed probable variation in some nights, none of them passed the variability tests at 99.9% significance level. We find that 78% of the sample showed significant negative color–magnitude correlations, i.e., a redder-when-brighter spectral evolution. Those that do not show strong or clear chromatism predominantly exhibit a redder-when-brighter trend. Unlike on hourly timescales, the high-synchrotron-peaked blazars in the sample (BZGJ0656+4237, BZGJ0152+0147, and BZBJ1728+5013) show strong flux variation on timescales of days to months, where again we detect a decreasing trend of the spectral slope with brightness. We observe a global steepening of the optical spectrum with increasing flux on the intranight timescale for the entire blazar sample. The nonvariability in the BL Lacs in our sample might be caused by the distinct contribution from the disk as well as from other components in the studied energy range.

scholarly journals Hard X-ray properties of NuSTAR blazars

2018 ◽  
Vol 619 ◽  
pp. A93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gopal Bhatta ◽  
Maksym Mohorian ◽  
Illya Bilinsky
Keyword(s):  
Power Law ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Emission Region ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Bl Lacertae ◽  
Central Engine ◽  
Spectrum Radio ◽  
Cross Correlation Analysis ◽  
The Magnetic Field ◽  
Radio Quasar

Context. Investigation of the hard X-ray emission properties of blazars is key to the understanding of the central engine of the sources and associated jet process. In particular, simultaneous spectral and timing analyses of the intraday hard X-ray observations provide us a means to peer into the compact innermost blazar regions that are not accessible to our current instruments. Aims. The primary objective of the work is to associate the observed hard X-ray variability properties in blazars with their flux and spectral states, thereby, based on the correlation among these states, extract the details about the emission regions and processes occurring near the central engine. Methods. We carried out timing, spectral, and cross-correlation analysis of 31 NuSTAR observations of 13 blazars. We investigated the spectral shapes of the sources using single power-law, broken power-law, and log-parabola models. We also studied the co-relation between the soft and hard emission using z-transformed discrete correlation function. In addition, we attempted to constrain the smallest emission regions using minimum variability timescales derived from the light curves. Results. We found that, for most of the sources, the hard X-ray emission can be well represented by the log-parabola model and that the spectral slopes for different blazar subclasses are consistent with the so-called blazar sequence. We also report the steepest spectra (Γ ∼ 3) in the BL Lacertae PKS 2155–304 and the hardest spectra (Γ ∼ 1.4) in the flat-spectrum radio quasar PKS 2149–306. In addition, we noted a close connection between the flux and spectral slope within the source subclass in the sense that high flux and/or flux states tend to be harder in spectra. In BL Lacertae objects, assuming particle acceleration by diffusive shocks and synchrotron cooling as the dominant processes governing the observed flux variability, we constrain the magnetic field of the emission region to be a few Gauss; whereas in flat-spectrum radio quasars, using external Compton models, we estimate the energy of the lower end of the injected electrons to be a few Lorentz factors.

scholarly journals Blazar jets launched with similar energy per baryon, independently of their power

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesús M Rueda-Becerril ◽  
Amanda O Harrison ◽  
Dimitrios Giannios
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Energy ◽  
Emission Spectra ◽  
Lorentz Factor ◽  
Particle Energy ◽  
Emission Region ◽  
Bl Lacertae ◽  
Relativistic Jet ◽  
Spectrum Radio ◽  
High Bulk ◽  
Bl Lacs

Abstract The most extreme active galactic nuclei (AGN) are the radio active ones whose relativistic jet propagates close to our line of sight. These objects were first classified according to their emission line features into flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) and BL Lacertae objects (BL Lacs). More recently, observations revealed a trend between these objects known as the blazar sequence, along with an anti-correlation between the observed power and the frequency of the synchrotron peak. In the present work, we propose a fairly simple idea that could account for the whole blazar population: all jets are launched with similar energy per baryon, independently of their power. In the case of FSRQs, the most powerful jets, manage to accelerate to high bulk Lorentz factors, as observed in the radio. As a result, they have a rather modest magnetization in the emission region, resulting in magnetic reconnection injecting a steep particle energy distribution and, consequently, steep emission spectra in the γ-rays. For the weaker jets, namely BL Lacs, the opposite holds true; i.e., the jet does not achieve a very high bulk Lorentz factor, leading to more magnetic energy available for non-thermal particle acceleration, and harder emission spectra at frequencies ≳ GeV. In this scenario, we recover all observable properties of blazars with our simulations, including the blazar sequence for models with mild baryon loading (50 ≲ μ ≲ 80). This interpretation of the blazar population, therefore, tightly constrains the energy per baryon of blazar jets regardless of their accretion rate.

scholarly journals A Comparison of the Centimetre-to-Submillimetre Continuum Spectra of BL Lacertae Objects and Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars

1994 ◽  
Vol 159 ◽  
pp. 523-523
Author(s):  
J.A. Stevens ◽  
S.J. Litchfield ◽  
E.I. Robson ◽  
W. K. Gear ◽  
D.H. Hughes
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
Spectral Shape ◽  
Continuum Emission ◽  
Frequency Range ◽  
Frequency Spectra ◽  
Bl Lacertae Objects ◽  
Bl Lacertae ◽  
Spectrum Radio ◽  
Bl Lacs ◽  
The Continuum

A comparison of the centimetre to submillimetre continuum spectra of 22 BL Lacertae objects and 24 flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQ) has been conducted in order to search for systematic differences between the two classes. The same overall spectral shape is found for all sources and it is concluded that the same basic physical model applies to the continuum emission over this frequency range in both cases. There is clear evidence, however, for the BL Lacs to have flatter high frequency spectra and this difference is reconciled with an intrinsic difference in the underlying jets of the two classes.

scholarly journals THE SEARCH FOR BLAZARS AMONG THE UNIDENTIFIED EGRET gamma-RAY SOURCES

2013 ◽  
Vol 53 (A) ◽  
pp. 631-634
Author(s):  
Pieter J. Meintjes ◽  
Pheneas Nkundabakura
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Spectral Indices ◽  
Optical Photometry ◽  
Follow Up Study ◽  
Spectrum Radio ◽  
Multi Wavelength ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Bl Lacs ◽  
Radio Quasar

In this paper we report the results of a multi-wavelength follow-up study of selected flat spectrum extragalactic radio-optical counterparts within the error boxes of 13 unidentified EGRET sources. Two of these previously unidentified counterparts have been selected for optical photometric and spectroscopic follow-up studies. Spectroscopic observations made with the 4.1m SOAR telescope at Cerro Pachón, Chile, showed that the spectra of the optical counterparts of 3EG J0821−5814 (PKS J0820−5705) and 3EG J0706−3837 (PMN J0710−3835) correspond to a flat spectrum radio quasar (FSRQ) and LINER-Seyfert I galaxy respectively. Optical photometry of these sources, performed with the 1.0m telescope at Sutherland (South-Africa) shows noticeable intranight variability for PKS J0820−5705, as well as a 5 sigma variation of the mean brightness in the R-filter over a timescale of three nights. Significant variability has been detected in the B-band for PMN J0710−3835 as well. The gamma-ray spectral indices of all 13 candidates range between 2–3, correlating well with the BL Lacs and FSRQs detected with Fermi-LAT in the first 11 months of operation.

scholarly journals Classification of blazar candidates of uncertain type from the Fermi LAT 8-yr source catalogue with an artificial neural network

2020 ◽  
Vol 493 (2) ◽  
pp. 1926-1935 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Kovačević ◽  
G Chiaro ◽  
S Cutini ◽  
G Tosti
Keyword(s):  
Neural Network ◽  
Artificial Neural Network ◽  
Supervised Machine Learning ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Bl Lacertae ◽  
Spectrum Radio ◽  
Γ Ray ◽  
Artificial Neural ◽  
Bl Lacs

ABSTRACT The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) has detected more than 5000 γ-ray sources in its first 8 yr of operation. More than 3000 of them are blazars. About 60 per cent of the Fermi-LAT blazars are classified as BL Lacertae objects (BL Lacs) or Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars (FSRQs), while the rest remain of uncertain type. The goal of this study was to classify those blazars of uncertain type, using a supervised machine learning method based on an artificial neural network, by comparing their properties to those of known γ-ray sources. Probabilities for each of 1329 uncertain blazars to be a BL Lac or FSRQ are obtained. Using 90 per cent precision metric, 801 can be classified as BL Lacs and 406 as FSRQs while 122 still remain unclassified. This approach is of interest because it gives a fast preliminary classification of uncertain blazars. We also explored how different selections of training and testing samples affect the classification and discuss the meaning of network outputs.

scholarly journals Optical Monitoring of BL Lacertae Object S5 0716+714 with a Novel Multipeak Interference Filter

2007 ◽  
Vol 133 (4) ◽  
pp. 1599-1608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianghua Wu ◽  
Xu Zhou ◽  
Jun Ma ◽  
Zhenyu Wu ◽  
Zhaoji Jiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Interference Filter ◽  
Optical Monitoring ◽  
Bl Lacertae

scholarly journals Exploring the bulk of the BL Lacertae object population

2018 ◽  
Vol 618 ◽  
pp. A175
Author(s):  
F. D’Ammando ◽  
M. Giroletti ◽  
S. Rainó
Keyword(s):  
Radio Emission ◽  
Test Statistic ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Bl Lacertae ◽  
The Third ◽  
Long Baseline ◽  
Photon Index ◽  
Multi Wavelength ◽  
Doppler Factor ◽  
Bl Lacs

Aims. We are studying an unbiased sample of 42 nearby (z < 0.2) BL Lacertae objects with a multi-wavelength approach. The results of Very Long Baseline Interferometry observations were presented in the first paper of this series. In this paper, we study the γ-ray properties of the sample. Methods. We analyse data collected by the Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) during its first 8.5 yr of operation in the energy range 0.1−300 GeV. Results. We reveal 23 sources with a test statistic greater than 25 (corresponding to ~4.6-σ) out of 42, with 3 sources not detected in the third LAT active galactic nucleus (AGN) catalogue, and fluxes between 3.5 × 10−10 and 7.4 × 10−8 ph cm−2 s−1. The majority of the sources have hard spectra (Γ ≤ 2), with only four having values in the range 2.1–2.4. The three newly detected sources have fluxes in the range between 0.54 × 10−9 and 1.35 × 10−9 ph cm−2 s−1 and photon index 1.7–1.9. Among the 23 LAT-detected sources, 19 are included in the third catalogue of hard Fermi-LAT sources, with a spectrum that connects relatively smoothly from 0.1 GeV to 2 TeV. LAT-detected BL Lacs are more luminous on parsec scales with respect to non-LAT-detected sources and have larger core dominance according to the unified models. Conclusions. The LAT-detected BL Lacs seem to be composed of a bulk of “classical” sources dominated by Doppler boosting and characterised by compact and bright radio emission as well as hard γ-ray spectra. Moreover, we have identified a possible population of low-luminosity BL Lacs not detected by LAT, lacking a VLBI core, and with a small Doppler factor. Furthermore, three LAT-detected sources show non-classical properties for γ-ray emitting BL Lacs (no evidence of relativistic jet, low Doppler factor in radio images, relatively low core dominance) and three other sources, while showing radio emission on parsec scales, are not detected in γ rays so far.

scholarly journals Longterm optical monitoring of bright BL Lacertae objects with ATOM: Spectral variability and multiwavelength correlations

2014 ◽  
Vol 573 ◽  
pp. A69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicja Wierzcholska ◽  
Michał Ostrowski ◽  
Łukasz Stawarz ◽  
Stefan Wagner ◽  
Marcus Hauser
Keyword(s):  
Optical Monitoring ◽  
Spectral Variability ◽  
Bl Lacertae Objects ◽  
Bl Lacertae

VERITAS OBSERVATIONS OF RELATIVISTIC OUTFLOWS IN LOW- AND INTERMEDIATE-FREQUENCY-PEAKED BL LAC OBJECTS

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 1460178
Author(s):  
◽  
HEIKE PROKOPH
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Intermediate Frequency ◽  
Bl Lac Objects ◽  
Bl Lacertae ◽  
Bl Lac ◽  
Bl Lacs ◽  
Gamma Ray Telescopes ◽  
Very High

The majority of blazars detected at very high energies (VHE; E > 100 GeV) are high-frequency-peaked BL Lac objects (HBLs). Low- and intermediate-frequency-peaked BL Lacs (LBLs/IBLs with synchrotron-peak frequencies in the infrared and optical regime) are generally more powerful, more luminous, and have a richer jet environment than HBLs. However, only a handful of these IBL and LBLs have been detected by ground-based gamma-ray telescopes, typically during high-flux states. The VERITAS array has been monitoring five known VHE LBLs/IBLs since 2009: 3C 66A, W Comae, PKS 1424+240, S5 0716+714 and BL Lacertae, with typical exposures of 5-10 hours per year. The results of these long-term observations are presented, including a bright, subhour-scale VHE flare of BL Lacertae in June 2011, the first low-state detections of 3C 66A and W Comae, and the detection and characterization of the IBL B2 1215+30.

The optical variability properties of flat spectrum radio quasar 3C 454.3

New Astronomy ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 36 ◽  
pp. 19-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yao Zhou ◽  
Da-Hai Yan ◽  
Ben-Zhong Dai
Keyword(s):  
Optical Variability ◽  
Spectrum Radio ◽  
Radio Quasar
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