The red blazar PMN J2345−1555 becomes blue Ghisellini, G; Tavecchio, F; Foschini, L ...
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Letters,
05/2013, Letnik:
432, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The flat spectrum radio quasar PMN J2345−1555 is a bright γ-ray source, that recently underwent a flaring episode in the infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV) and γ-ray bands. The flux changed ...quasi-simultaneously at different frequencies, suggesting that it was produced by a single population of emitting particles, hence by a single and well-localized region of the jet. While the overall spectral energy distribution (SED) before the flare was typical of powerful blazars (namely two broad humps peaking in the far-IR and below 100 MeV bands, respectively), during the flare the peaks moved to the optical-UV and to energies larger than 1 GeV, to resemble low power BL Lac objects, even if the observed bolometric luminosity increased by more than one order of magnitude. We interpret this behaviour as due to a change of the location of the emission region in the jet, from within the broad-line region, to just outside. The corresponding decrease of the radiation energy density as seen in the comoving frame of the jet allowed the relativistic electrons to be accelerated to higher energies, and thus produce a 'bluer' SED.
ABSTRACT
We present the results of new radio observations carried out with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array C-configuration at 5.5 GHz for a sample of southern narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies ...(NLS1s). This work increases the number of known radio-detected NLS1s in the Southern hemisphere, and confirms that the radio emission of NLS1s is mainly concentrated in a central region at kpc-scale and only a few sources show diffuse emission. In radio-quiet NLS1s, the radio luminosity tends to be higher in steep-spectrum sources and be lower in flat-spectrum sources, which is opposite to radio-loud NLS1s. This may be because the radio emission of steep NLS1s is dominated by misaligned jets, active galactic nucleus driven outflows, or star formation superposing on a compact core. Instead the radio emission of flat NLS1s may be produced by a central core that has not yet developed radio jets and outflows. We discover new NLS1s harbouring kpc-scale radio jets and confirm that a powerful jet does not require a large-mass black hole to be generated. We also find sources dominated by star formation. These NLS1s could be new candidates in investigating the radio emission of different mechanisms.
We cross-correlate the Fermi 11-month survey (1FGL) catalogue with the 20-GHz Australia Telescope Compact Array (AT20G) radio survey catalogue composed of 5890 sources at declination < 0°. Among the ...738 Fermi sources distributed in the southern sky, we find 230 highly probable candidate counterparts in the AT20G survey. Of these, 222 are already classified in the Fermi one-year Large Area Telescope (LAT) active galactic nucleus (AGN) catalogue (1LAC) as blazars either flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) or BL Lacertae objects (BL Lacs), AGNs or sources of unknown class but with an associated counterpart, while eight are new associations. By studying the γ-ray and radio properties of these associations, we find a correlation between the γ-ray flux (above 100 MeV) and the 20-GHz flux density. This correlation is more than 3σ statistically significant, both for the population of BL Lacs and for FSRQs considered separately. We also find that the radio counterparts associated with the Fermi sources have, on average, flat radio spectra between 5 and 20 GHz and that Fermiγ-ray sources are not preferentially associated with ‘ultra-inverted spectrum’ radio sources. For two of the eight new associations, we build the broad-band spectral energy distribution combining Fermi, Swift and radio observations. One of these two sources is identified with the high-redshift FSRQ Swift J1656.3–3302 (z= 2.4) and we classify the other source as a candidate new FSRQ. We also study the brightest radio source of the 46 associations without an optical classification and classify it as a new BL Lac candidate ‘twin’ of the prototypical BL Lac OJ 287 if its redshift is larger, z∼ 0.4.
Context. With the current study we aim at understanding the properties of radio emission and the assumed jet from four radio-loud and γ-ray-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies that have been detected ...by Fermi. These are Seyfert 1 galaxies with emission lines at the low end of the FWHM distribution. Aims. The ultimate goal is twofold: first we investigate whether a relativistic jet is operating at the source producing the radio output, and second, we quantify the jet characteristics to understand possible similarities with and differences from the jets found in typical blazars. Methods. We relied on the most systematic monitoring of radio-loud and γ-ray-detected narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies in the cm and mm radio bands conducted with the Effelsberg 100 m and IRAM 30 m telescopes. It covers the longest time-baselines and the most radio frequencies to date. This dataset of multi-wavelength, long-term radio light-curves was analysed from several perspectives. We developed a novel algorithm to extract sensible variability parameters (mainly amplitudes and time scales) that were then used to compute variability brightness temperatures and the corresponding Doppler factors. The jet powers were computed from the light curves to estimate the energy output and compare it with that of typical blazars. The dynamics of radio spectral energy distributions were examined to understand the mechanism causing the variability. Results. The length of the available light curves for three of the four sources in the sample allowed a firm understanding of the general behaviour of the sources. They all display intensive variability that appears to be occurring at a pace rather faster than what is commonly seen in blazars. The flaring events become progressively more prominent as the frequency increases and show intensive spectral evolution that is indicative of shock evolution. The variability brightness temperatures and the associated Doppler factors are moderate, implying a mildly relativistic jet. The computed jet powers show very energetic flows. The radio polarisation in one case clearly implies a quiescent jet underlying recursive flaring activity. Finally, in one case, the sudden disappearance of a γ-ray flare below some critical frequency in our band needs a more detailed investigation of the possible mechanism causing the evolution of broadband events. Conclusions. Despite the generally lower flux densities, the sources appear to show all typical characteristics seen in blazars that are powered by relativistic jets, such as intensive variability, spectral evolution across the different bands following evolutionary paths explained by travelling shocks, and Doppler factors indicating mildly relativistic speeds.
We present a new accurate catalog of narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLS1s) in the southern hemisphere from the Six-degree Field Galaxy Survey (6dFGS) final data release, which is currently the most ...extensive spectroscopic survey available in the southern sky whose database has not yet been systematically explored. We classified 167 sources as NLS1s based on their optical spectral properties. We derived flux-calibrated spectra for the first time that the 6dFGS does not provide. By analyzing these spectra, we obtained strong correlations between the monochromatic luminosity at 5100 Å and the luminosities of Hβ and O IIIλ5007 lines. The central black hole mass and the Eddington ratio have average values of 8.6 × 106M⊙ and 0.96 LEdd respectively, which are typical values for NLS1s. In the sample, 23 (13.8%) NLS1s were detected at radio frequencies, and 12 (7.0%) of them are radio-loud. Our results confirmed that radio-loud sources tend to have higher redshift, a more massive black hole, and higher radio and optical luminosities than radio-quiet sources.
We present the first results of a radio survey of 79 narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) carried out with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) at 5 GHz in A configuration aimed at studying the radio ...properties of these sources. We report the detection of extended emission in one object: Mrk 783. This is intriguing, since the radio-loudness parameter R of this object is close to the threshold between radio-quiet and radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGN). The galaxy is one of the few NLS1 showing such an extended emission at z < 0.1. The radio emission is divided into a compact core component and an extended component, observed on both sides of the nucleus and extending from 14 kpc southeast to 12 kpc northwest. There is no sign of a collimated jet and the shape of the extended component is similar to those of some Seyfert galaxies. The properties of the emission are compatible with a relic produced by the intermittent activity cycle of the AGN.
Narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLS1s) is one of the few classes of active galactic nuclei harboring powerful relativistic jets and detected in γ-rays. NLS1s are well-known X-ray sources. While in ...non-jetted sources the origin of this X-ray emission may be a hot corona surrounding the accretion disk, in jetted objects, especially beamed ones, the contribution of corona and relativistic jet is difficult to disentangle without a proper sampling of the hard X-ray emission. For this reason, we observed with NuSTAR the first four NLS1s detected at high energy γ-rays. These data, along with XMM-Newton and Swift/XRT observations, confirmed that X-rays originate both in the jet and in the accretion disk corona. Time variability in hard X-rays furthermore suggests that, as observed in flat-spectrum radio quasars, the dissipation region during flares could change its position from source to source, and it can be located both inside and outside the broad-line region. We find that jetted NLS1s, and other blazars as well, seem not to follow the classical fundamental plane of black hole (BH) activity, which therefore should be used as a BH mass estimator in blazars with extreme care only. Our results strengthen the idea according to which γ-NLS1s are smaller and younger version of flat-spectrum radio quasars, in which both a Seyfert and a blazar component co-exist.
The radio-γ-ray connection in Fermi blazars Ghirlanda, G.; Ghisellini, G.; Tavecchio, F. ...
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,
20/May , Letnik:
413, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
We study the correlation between the γ-ray flux (F
γ), averaged over the first 11 months of the Fermi survey and integrated above 100 MeV, and the radio flux density (F
r at 20 GHz) of Fermi sources ...associated with a radio counterpart in the 20-GHz Australia Telescope Compact Array (AT20G) survey. Considering the blazars detected in both bands, the correlation is highly significant and has the form F
γ∝F
0.85±0.04
r, similar to BL Lacertae objects and flat-spectrum radio quasars. However, only a small fraction (∼1/15) of the AT20G radio sources with flat radio spectra are detected by Fermi. To understand if this correlation is real, we examine the selection effects introduced by the flux limits of both the radio and the γ-ray surveys, and the importance of variability of the γ-ray flux. After accounting for these effects, we find that the radio-γ-ray flux correlation is real, but its slope is steeper than the observed one, that is, F
γ∝F
δ
r with δ in the range 1.25-1.5. The observed F
γ-F
r correlation and the fraction of radio sources detected by Fermi are reproduced assuming a long-term γ-ray flux variability, following a lognormal probability distribution with standard deviation σ≥ 0.5 (corresponding to F
γ varying by at least a factor of 3). Such a variability is compatible, even if not necessarily equal, with what is observed when comparing, for the sources in common, the EGRET and the Fermi γ-ray fluxes (even if the Fermi fluxes are averaged over ∼1 yr). Another indication of variability is the non-detection of 12 out of 66 EGRET blazars by Fermi, despite its higher sensitivity. We also study the strong linear correlation between the γ-ray and the radio luminosity of the 144 AT20G-Fermi associations with known redshift and show, through partial correlation analysis, that it is statistically robust. Two possible implications of these correlations are discussed: the contribution of blazars to the extragalactic γ-ray background and the prediction of blazars that might undergo extremely high states of γ-ray emission in the next few years.
Blue Fermi flat spectrum radio quasars Ghisellini, G; Tavecchio, F; Foschini, L ...
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,
11 September 2012, Letnik:
425, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Abstract
Many blazars detected by the Fermi satellite, observed spectroscopically in the optical, are line-less, and have been classified as BL Lac objects. Optical-ultraviolet (UV) photometry of ...nearly 100 of them allowed us to determine the redshift for a handful of objects and redshift upper limits in the great majority. A few of these are candidates to be 'blue quasars', namely flat spectrum radio quasars whose broad emission lines are hidden by an overwhelming synchrotron emission peaking in the UV. This implies that the emitting electrons have high energies. In turn, this requires relatively weak radiative cooling, a condition that can be met if the main radiative dissipation of the jet power occurs outside the broad-line region. We confirm this hypothesis by studying and modelling the spectral energy distributions of the four 'blue quasars' recently discovered. Furthermore, we discuss the distribution of Fermi blazars in the γ-ray spectral index-γ-ray luminosity plane, and argue that 'blue quasars' objects are a minority within the blazar populations.
Narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxies are a class of active galactic nuclei (AGN) that, in some cases, can harbor powerful relativistic jets. One of them, PKS 2004-447, shows
γ
-ray emission, and ...underwent its first recorded multifrequency flare in 2019. However, past studies revealed that in radio this source can be classified as a compact steep-spectrum source (CSS), suggesting that, unlike other
γ
-ray sources, the relativistic jets of PKS 2004-447 have a large inclination with respect to the line of sight. We present here a set of spectroscopic observations of this object, aimed at carefully measuring its black hole mass and Eddington ratio, determining the properties of its emission lines, and characterizing its long term variability. We find that the black hole mass is (1.5 ± 0.2)×10
7
M
⊙
, and the Eddington ratio is 0.08. Both values are within the typical range of NLS1s. The spectra also suggest that the 2019 flare was caused mainly by the relativistic jet, while the accretion disk played a minor role during the event. In conclusion, we confirm that PKS 2004-447 is one of the rare examples of
γ
-ray emitting CSS/NLS1s hybrid, and that these two classes of objects are likely connected in the framework of AGN evolution.
PDF
