scholarly journals Gamma-ray observations of low-luminosity active galactic nuclei

2020 ◽  
Vol 492 (3) ◽  
pp. 4120-4130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raniere de Menezes ◽  
Rodrigo Nemmen ◽  
Justin D Finke ◽  
Ivan Almeida ◽  
Bindu Rani
Keyword(s):  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Detailed Comparison ◽  
Spectral Energy ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Accretion Flow ◽  
Γ Rays ◽  
Γ Ray

ABSTRACT The majority of the activity around nearby (z ≈ 0) supermassive black holes is found in low-luminosity active galactic nuclei (LLAGN), the most of them being classified as low-ionization nuclear emission regions. Although these sources are well studied from radio up to X-rays, they are poorly understood in γ-rays. In this work, we take advantage of the all sky-surveying capabilities of the Large Area Telescope on board Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope to study the whole Palomar sample of LLAGN in γ-rays. Precisely, the four radio-brightest LLAGN in the sample are identified as significant γ-ray emitters, all of which are recognized as powerful Fanaroff–Riley I galaxies. These results suggest that the presence of powerful radio jets is of substantial importance for observing a significant γ-ray counterpart even if these jets are misaligned with respect to the line of sight. We also find that most of the X-ray-brightest LLAGN do not have a significant γ-ray and strong radio emission, suggesting that the X-rays come mainly from the accretion flow in these cases. A detailed analysis of the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of NGC 315 and NGC 4261, both detected in γ-rays, is provided where we make a detailed comparison between the predicted hadronic γ-ray emission from a radiatively inefficient accretion flow (RIAF) and the γ-ray emission from a leptonic jet-dominated synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) model. Both SEDs are better described by the SSC model, while the RIAF fails to explain the γ-ray observations.

scholarly journals Monitoring Of Jets in Active Galactic Nuclei with VLBA Experiments. XVIII. Kinematics and Inner Jet Evolution of Bright Radio-loud Active Galaxies

2021 ◽  
Vol 923 (1) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
M. L. Lister ◽  
D. C. Homan ◽  
K. I. Kellermann ◽  
Y. Y. Kovalev ◽  
A. B. Pushkarev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Flow Instability ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Position Angle ◽  
Spectral Energy ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Bl Lac Objects ◽  
Long Baseline ◽  
Bona Fide

Abstract We have analyzed the parsec-scale jet kinematics of 447 bright radio-loud active active galactic nuclei (AGN), based on 15 GHz Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) data obtained between 1994 August 31 and 2019 August 4. We present new total intensity and linear polarization maps obtained between 2017 January 1 and 2019 August 4 for 143 of these AGN. We tracked 1923 bright features for five or more epochs in 419 jets. The majority (60%) of the well-sampled jet features show either accelerated or nonradial motion. In 47 jets there is at least one nonaccelerating feature with an unusually slow apparent speed. Most of the jets show variations of 10°–50° in their inner jet position angle (PA) over time, although the overall distribution has a continuous tail out to 200°. AGN with spectral energy distributions peaked at lower frequencies tend to have more variable PAs, with BL Lac objects being less variable than quasars. The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) gamma-ray-associated AGN also tend to have more variable PAs than the non-LAT AGN in our sample. We attribute these trends to smaller viewing angles for the lower spectral peaked and LAT-associated jets. We identified 13 AGN where multiple features emerge over decade-long periods at systematically increasing or decreasing PAs. Since the ejected features do not fill the entire jet cross section, this behavior is indicative of a precessing flow instability near the jet base. Although some jets show indications of oscillatory PA evolution, we claim no bona fide cases of periodicity since the fitted periods are comparable to the total VLBA time coverage.

scholarly journals A Possible Discovery of a Flaring 1012 eV Gamma-Ray Source near the Red Dwarf EV Lac

1995 ◽  
Vol 151 ◽  
pp. 78-79
Author(s):  
I.Yu. Alekseev ◽  
N.N. Chalenko ◽  
V.P. Fomin ◽  
R.E. Gershberg ◽  
O.R. Kalekin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Electronic Device ◽  
Angular Size ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Optical Systems ◽  
Relativistic Electrons ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Γ Rays ◽  
Γ Ray ◽  
Ev Lac

During the 1994 coordinated observations of the red dwarf flare star EV Lac, the star was monitored in the very high energy (VHE) γ-ray range around 1012 eV with the Crimean ground-based γ-ray telescope GT-48. This telescope consists of two identical optical systems (Vladimirsky et al. 1994) which were directed in parallel on EV Lac.The detection principle of the VHE γ-rays is based on the Čerenkov radiation emitted by relativistic electrons and positrons. The latter are generated in the interaction of the γ-rays with nuclei in the Earth’s atmosphere that leads to an appearance of a shower of charged particles and γ-quanta. The duration of the Cherenkov radiation flash is very short, just about a few nanoseconds. The angular size of the shower is ∼ 1°. To detect such flashes we use an optical system with large area mirrors and a set of 37 photomultipliers (PMs) in the focal plane. Using the information from these PMs which are spaced hexagonally and correspond to a field of view of 2°.6 on the sky, we can obtain the image of an optical flash. The electronic device permits us to detect nanosecond flashes (40 ns exposure time and 12 μs readout dead-time).

scholarly journals A possible γ-ray quasi-periodic oscillation of ∼314 days in the blazar OJ 287

2020 ◽  
Vol 499 (1) ◽  
pp. 653-658
Author(s):  
Pankaj Kushwaha ◽  
Arkadipta Sarkar ◽  
Alok C Gupta ◽  
Ashutosh Tripathi ◽  
Paul J Wiita
Keyword(s):  
Light Curve ◽  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Periodic Oscillation ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Quasi Periodic Oscillation ◽  
Bl Lacertae ◽  
Emission Models ◽  
Γ Ray ◽  
Blazar Oj 287

ABSTRACT We report the detection of a probable γ-ray quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) of around 314 d in the monthly binned 0.1–300 GeV γ-ray Fermi-Large Area Telescope light curve of the well-known BL Lacertae blazar OJ 287. To identify and quantify the QPO nature of the γ-ray light curve of OJ 287, we used the Lomb–Scargle periodogram (LSP), REDFIT, and weighted wavelet Z-transform (WWZ) analyses. We briefly discuss possible emission models for radio-loud active galactic nuclei that can explain a γ-ray QPO of such a period in a blazar.

scholarly journals Extreme and high synchrotron peak blazars beyond 4FGL: The 2BIGB γ-ray catalogue

2020 ◽  
Vol 493 (2) ◽  
pp. 2438-2451
Author(s):  
B Arsioli ◽  
Y-L Chang ◽  
B Musiimenta
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Spectral Energy Distribution ◽  
Broad Band ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Spectral Energy ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Data Repositories ◽  
Total Contribution ◽  
Public Data ◽  
Γ Ray

ABSTRACT This paper presents the results of a γ-ray likelihood analysis over all the extreme and high synchrotron peak blazars (EHSP and HSP) from the 3HSP catalogue. We investigate 2013 multifrequency positions under the eyes of Fermi Large Area Telescope, considering 11 yr of observations in the energy range between 500 MeV and 500 GeV, which results in 1160 γ-ray signatures detected down to the TS=9 threshold. The detections include 235 additional sources concerning the Fermi Large Area Telescope Fourth Source Catalog (4FGL), all confirmed via high-energy TS (Test Statistic) maps, and represent an improvement of ∼25 per cent for the number of EHSP and HSP currently described in γ-rays. We build the γ-ray spectral energy distribution (SED) for all the 1160 2BIGB sources, plot the corresponding γ-ray logN−logS, and measure their total contribution to the extragalactic gamma-ray background, which reaches up to ∼33 per cent at 100 GeV. Also, we show that the γ-ray detectability improves according to the synchrotron peak flux as represented by the figure of merit parameter, and note that the search for TeV peaked blazars may benefit from considering HSP and EHSP as a whole, instead of EHSPs only. The 2BIGB acronym stands for ‘Second Brazil-ICRANet Gamma-ray Blazars’ catalogue, and all the broad-band models and SED data points will be available on public data repositories (OpenUniverse, GitHub, and Brazilian Science Data Center-BSDC).

scholarly journals Systematic Search for γ-Ray Periodicity in Active Galactic Nuclei Detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope

2020 ◽  
Vol 896 (2) ◽  
pp. 134 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Peñil ◽  
A. Domínguez ◽  
S. Buson ◽  
M. Ajello ◽  
J. Otero-Santos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Systematic Search ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Γ Ray

scholarly journals Hot Accretion Disks and the High Energy Background

1983 ◽  
Vol 104 ◽  
pp. 345-346
Author(s):  
M. Kafatos ◽  
Jean A. Eilek
Keyword(s):  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Accretion Disks ◽  
Spectral Range ◽  
Gamma Rays ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Seyfert Galaxies ◽  
High Energy ◽  
X Rays ◽  
X Ray

The origin of the high energy (X-ray and gamma-ray) background may be attributed to discrete sources, which are usually thought to be active galactic nuclei (AGN) (cf. Rothschild et al. 1982, Bignami et al. 1979). At X-rays a lot of information has been obtained with HEAO-1 in the spectral range 2–165 keV. At gamma-rays the background has been estimated from the Apollo 15 and 16 (Trombka et al. 1977) and SAS-2 (Bignami et al. 1979) observations. A summary of some of the observations (Rothschild et al. 1982) is shown in Figure 1. The contribution of AGN to the diffuse high energy background is uncertain at X-rays although it is generally estimated to be in the 20–30% range (Rothschild et al. 1982). At gamma-rays, in the range 1–150 MeV, AGN (specifically Seyfert galaxies) could account for all the emission.

scholarly journals X/γ-rays from Active Galactic Nuclei

2000 ◽  
Vol 195 ◽  
pp. 143-152
Author(s):  
R. Svensson
Keyword(s):  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Broad Band ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Seyfert Galaxies ◽  
Spectral Components ◽  
Γ Rays ◽  
Γ Ray ◽  
Band Spectra ◽  
First Time

Recent progress using RXTE and BeppoSAX to study the X/γ emission from radio-quiet active galactic nuclei, i.e., Seyfert galaxies, is reviewed. These satellites allow simultaneous broad-band spectra extending from 0.1–200 keV to be observed for the first time and allow the various spectral components to be determined with some certainty. In particular, the new observations support the unified model of Seyfert galaxies. Most importantly, it has been found that a large fraction of Seyfert 2 galaxies have Compton-thick tori surrounding their nuclei. Spectral transitions in Seyfert galaxies are discussed, as well as recent efforts trying to synthesize the cosmic X/γ-ray background. Finally, thermal Comptonization in these sources are discussed.

scholarly journals X-ray emission of z > 2.5 active galactic nuclei can be obscured by their host galaxies

2019 ◽  
Vol 623 ◽  
pp. A172 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Circosta ◽  
C. Vignali ◽  
R. Gilli ◽  
A. Feltre ◽  
F. Vito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
High Redshift ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Far Infrared ◽  
Host Galaxy ◽  
Spectral Energy ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Host Galaxies ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Stellar Masses

We present a multiwavelength study of seven active galactic nuclei (AGN) at spectroscopic redshift >2.5 in the 7 Ms Chandra Deep Field South that were selected for their good far-infrared (FIR) and submillimeter (submm) detections. Our aim is to investigate the possibility that the obscuration observed in the X-rays can be produced by the interstellar medium (ISM) of the host galaxy. Based on the 7 Ms Chandra spectra, we measured obscuring column densities NH,  X in excess of 7 × 1022 cm−2 and intrinsic X-ray luminosities LX >  1044 erg s−1 for our targets, as well as equivalent widths for the Fe Kα emission line EWrest ≳ 0.5−1 keV. We built the UV-to-FIR spectral energy distributions (SEDs) by using broadband photometry from the CANDELS and Herschel catalogs. By means of an SED decomposition technique, we derived stellar masses (M* ∼ 1011 M⊙), IR luminosities (LIR >  1012 L⊙), star formation rates (SFR ∼ 190−1680 M⊙ yr−1) and AGN bolometric luminosities (Lbol ∼ 1046 erg s−1) for our sample. We used an empirically calibrated relation between gas masses and FIR/submm luminosities and derived Mgas ∼ 0.8−5.4 × 1010 M⊙. High-resolution (0.3−0.7″) ALMA data (when available, CANDELS data otherwise) were used to estimate the galaxy size and hence the volume enclosing most of the ISM under simple geometrical assumptions. These measurements were then combined to derive the column density associated with the ISM of the host, which is on the order of NH,  ISM ∼ 1023−24 cm−2. The comparison between the ISM column densities and those measured from the X-ray spectral analysis shows that they are similar. This suggests that at least at high redshift, significant absorption on kiloparsec scales by the dense ISM in the host likely adds to or substitutes that produced by circumnuclear gas on parsec scales (i.e., the torus of unified models). The lack of unobscured AGN among our ISM-rich targets supports this scenario.

scholarly journals Radio and Gamma-ray emission in nearby BL Lacs

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (S304) ◽  
pp. 200-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Giovannini ◽  
E. Liuzzo ◽  
B. Boccardi ◽  
M. Giroletti
Keyword(s):  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Scale Structure ◽  
Bl Lac Objects ◽  
Long Baseline ◽  
Γ Ray ◽  
Gamma Ray Emission ◽  
Very Long Baseline Array ◽  
Bl Lacs

AbstractThe advent of Fermi is changing our understanding on the radio and γ-ray emission in active galactic nuclei. Unlike pre-Fermi ideas, BL Lac objects are found to be the most abundant emitters in the γ-ray band. However, since they are relatively weak radio sources, most of their parsec-scale structure and their multifrequency properties are poorly understood and/or have not been investigated in a systematic fashion. Here we are analyzing the radio and γ-ray emission properties of a sample of 42 BL Lacs selected with no constraint on their radio and γ-ray emission. Thanks to new Very Long Baseline Array observations at 8 and 15 GHz for the whole sample, we discuss their parsec-scale structure. Parsec-scale radio emission is observed in the majority of the sources at both frequencies. The comparison between our results in radio and gamma-ray bands points out the presence of a large number of faint BL Lacs showing “non-classical” properties such as low source compactness, low core dominance, no gamma-ray emission.

Very High Energy γ-rays from AGN

2002 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tadashi Kifune
Keyword(s):  
Electromagnetic Radiation ◽  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Energy Band ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Very High Energy ◽  
Γ Rays ◽  
Γ Ray ◽  
Very High

AbstractEvidence of TeV γ-ray emission has been found for only a handful of active galactic nuclei, with detailed investigations limited to the blazars Mrk 421 and Mrk 501. TeV γ-ray astronomy, as the highest energy band, provides important information that is hard to obtain from longer wavelength electromagnetic radiation. The current status of TeV γ-ray studies of active galactic nuclei is summarized and our understanding of the high energy phenomena taking place in active galactic nuclei is outlined, with the prospects for future TeV γ-ray observations also considered.

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