The structure and emission model of the relativistic jet in the quasar 3C 279 inferred from radio to high-energy [gamma]-ray observations in 2008-2010
We present time-resolved broadband observations of the quasar 3C 279 obtained from multi-wavelength campaigns conducted during the first two years of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope mission. While investigating the previously reported γ-ray/optical flare accompanied by a change in optical polari...
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Institute of Physics Publishing, Inc.
2012
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/46364 |
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| author | Hayashida, M. Madejski, G. Nalewajko, K. Sikora, M. Wehrle, A. Ogle, P. Collmar, W. Larsson, S. Fukazawa, Y. Itoh, R. Chiang, J. Stawarz, L. Blandford, R. Richards, J. Max-Moerbeck, W. Readhead, A. Buehler, R. Cavazzuti, E. Ciprini, S. Gehrels, N. Reimer, A. Szostek, A. Tanaka, T. Tosti, G. Uchiyama, Y. Kawabata, K. Kino, M. Sakimoto, K. Sasada, M. Sato, S. Uemura, M. Yamanaka, M. Greiner, J. Kruehler, T. Rossi, A. Macquart, Jean-Pierre Bock, D. Villata, M. Raiteri, C. |
| author_facet | Hayashida, M. Madejski, G. Nalewajko, K. Sikora, M. Wehrle, A. Ogle, P. Collmar, W. Larsson, S. Fukazawa, Y. Itoh, R. Chiang, J. Stawarz, L. Blandford, R. Richards, J. Max-Moerbeck, W. Readhead, A. Buehler, R. Cavazzuti, E. Ciprini, S. Gehrels, N. Reimer, A. Szostek, A. Tanaka, T. Tosti, G. Uchiyama, Y. Kawabata, K. Kino, M. Sakimoto, K. Sasada, M. Sato, S. Uemura, M. Yamanaka, M. Greiner, J. Kruehler, T. Rossi, A. Macquart, Jean-Pierre Bock, D. Villata, M. Raiteri, C. |
| author_sort | Hayashida, M. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | We present time-resolved broadband observations of the quasar 3C 279 obtained from multi-wavelength campaigns conducted during the first two years of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope mission. While investigating the previously reported γ-ray/optical flare accompanied by a change in optical polarization, we found that the optical emission appears to be delayed with respect to the γ-ray emission by about 10 days. X-ray observations reveal a pair of "isolated" flares separated by ~90 days, with only weak γ-ray/optical counterparts. The spectral structure measured by Spitzer reveals a synchrotron component peaking in the mid-infrared band with a sharp break at the far-infrared band during the γ-ray flare, while the peak appears in the millimeter (mm)/submillimeter (sub-mm) band in the low state. Selected spectral energy distributions are fitted with leptonic models including Comptonization of external radiation produced in a dusty torus or the broad-line region. Adopting the interpretation of the polarization swing involving propagation of the emitting region along a curved trajectory, we can explain the evolution of the broadband spectra during the γ-ray flaring event by a shift of its location from ~1 pc to ~4 pc from the central black hole. On the other hand, if the γ-ray flare is generated instead at sub-pc distance from the central black hole, the far-infrared break can be explained by synchrotron self-absorption. We also model the low spectral state, dominated by the mm/sub-mm peaking synchrotron component, and suggest that the corresponding inverse-Compton component explains the steady X-ray emission. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:29:40Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-46364 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:29:40Z |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| publisher | Institute of Physics Publishing, Inc. |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-463642017-09-13T15:06:34Z The structure and emission model of the relativistic jet in the quasar 3C 279 inferred from radio to high-energy [gamma]-ray observations in 2008-2010 Hayashida, M. Madejski, G. Nalewajko, K. Sikora, M. Wehrle, A. Ogle, P. Collmar, W. Larsson, S. Fukazawa, Y. Itoh, R. Chiang, J. Stawarz, L. Blandford, R. Richards, J. Max-Moerbeck, W. Readhead, A. Buehler, R. Cavazzuti, E. Ciprini, S. Gehrels, N. Reimer, A. Szostek, A. Tanaka, T. Tosti, G. Uchiyama, Y. Kawabata, K. Kino, M. Sakimoto, K. Sasada, M. Sato, S. Uemura, M. Yamanaka, M. Greiner, J. Kruehler, T. Rossi, A. Macquart, Jean-Pierre Bock, D. Villata, M. Raiteri, C. We present time-resolved broadband observations of the quasar 3C 279 obtained from multi-wavelength campaigns conducted during the first two years of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope mission. While investigating the previously reported γ-ray/optical flare accompanied by a change in optical polarization, we found that the optical emission appears to be delayed with respect to the γ-ray emission by about 10 days. X-ray observations reveal a pair of "isolated" flares separated by ~90 days, with only weak γ-ray/optical counterparts. The spectral structure measured by Spitzer reveals a synchrotron component peaking in the mid-infrared band with a sharp break at the far-infrared band during the γ-ray flare, while the peak appears in the millimeter (mm)/submillimeter (sub-mm) band in the low state. Selected spectral energy distributions are fitted with leptonic models including Comptonization of external radiation produced in a dusty torus or the broad-line region. Adopting the interpretation of the polarization swing involving propagation of the emitting region along a curved trajectory, we can explain the evolution of the broadband spectra during the γ-ray flaring event by a shift of its location from ~1 pc to ~4 pc from the central black hole. On the other hand, if the γ-ray flare is generated instead at sub-pc distance from the central black hole, the far-infrared break can be explained by synchrotron self-absorption. We also model the low spectral state, dominated by the mm/sub-mm peaking synchrotron component, and suggest that the corresponding inverse-Compton component explains the steady X-ray emission. 2012 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/46364 10.1088/0004-637X/754/2/114 Institute of Physics Publishing, Inc. fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Hayashida, M. Madejski, G. Nalewajko, K. Sikora, M. Wehrle, A. Ogle, P. Collmar, W. Larsson, S. Fukazawa, Y. Itoh, R. Chiang, J. Stawarz, L. Blandford, R. Richards, J. Max-Moerbeck, W. Readhead, A. Buehler, R. Cavazzuti, E. Ciprini, S. Gehrels, N. Reimer, A. Szostek, A. Tanaka, T. Tosti, G. Uchiyama, Y. Kawabata, K. Kino, M. Sakimoto, K. Sasada, M. Sato, S. Uemura, M. Yamanaka, M. Greiner, J. Kruehler, T. Rossi, A. Macquart, Jean-Pierre Bock, D. Villata, M. Raiteri, C. The structure and emission model of the relativistic jet in the quasar 3C 279 inferred from radio to high-energy [gamma]-ray observations in 2008-2010 |
| title | The structure and emission model of the relativistic jet in the quasar 3C 279 inferred from radio to high-energy [gamma]-ray observations in 2008-2010 |
| title_full | The structure and emission model of the relativistic jet in the quasar 3C 279 inferred from radio to high-energy [gamma]-ray observations in 2008-2010 |
| title_fullStr | The structure and emission model of the relativistic jet in the quasar 3C 279 inferred from radio to high-energy [gamma]-ray observations in 2008-2010 |
| title_full_unstemmed | The structure and emission model of the relativistic jet in the quasar 3C 279 inferred from radio to high-energy [gamma]-ray observations in 2008-2010 |
| title_short | The structure and emission model of the relativistic jet in the quasar 3C 279 inferred from radio to high-energy [gamma]-ray observations in 2008-2010 |
| title_sort | structure and emission model of the relativistic jet in the quasar 3c 279 inferred from radio to high-energy [gamma]-ray observations in 2008-2010 |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/46364 |