Multiwavelength Observations of the Blazar BL Lacertae: A New Fast TeV Gamma-Ray Flare

A. U. Abeysekara; W. Benbow; R. Bird; T. Brantseg; R. Brose; M. Buchovecky; J. H. Buckley; V. Bugaev; M. P. Connolly; W. Cui; M. K. Daniel; A. Falcone; Q. Feng; J. P. Finley; L. Fortson; A. Furniss; G. H. Gillanders; I. Gunawardhana; M. Hütten; D. Hanna; O. Hervet; J. Holder; G. Hughes; T. B. Humensky; C. A. Johnson; P. Kaaret; P. Kar; M. Kertzman; F. Krennrich; M. J. Lang; T. T.Y. Lin; S. McArthur; P. Moriarty; R. Mukherjee; S. O'Brien; R. A. Ong; A. N. Otte; N. Park; A. Petrashyk; M. Pohl; E. Pueschel; J. Quinn; K. Ragan; P. T. Reynolds; G. T. Richards; E. Roache; C. Rulten; I. Sadeh; M. Santander; G. H. Sembroski; K. Shahinyan; S. P. Wakely; A. Weinstein; R. M. Wells; P. Wilcox; D. A. Williams; B. Zitzer; S. G. Jorstad; A. P. Marscher; M. L. Lister; Y. Y. Kovalev; A. B. Pushkarev; T. Savolainen; I. Agudo; S. N. Molina; J. L. Gómez; V. M. Larionov; G. A. Borman; A. A. Mokrushina; M. Tornikoski; A. Lahteenmaki; W. Chamani; S. Enestam; S. Kiehlmann; T. Hovatta; P. S. Smith; P. Pontrelli

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aab35c

Multiwavelength Observations of the Blazar BL Lacertae: A New Fast TeV Gamma-Ray Flare

A. U. Abeysekara, W. Benbow, R. Bird, T. Brantseg, R. Brose, M. Buchovecky, J. H. Buckley, V. Bugaev, M. P. Connolly, W. Cui, M. K. Daniel, A. Falcone, Q. Feng, J. P. Finley, L. Fortson, A. Furniss, G. H. Gillanders, I. Gunawardhana, M. Hütten, D. HannaO. Hervet, J. Holder, G. Hughes, T. B. Humensky, C. A. Johnson, P. Kaaret, P. Kar, M. Kertzman, F. Krennrich, M. J. Lang, T. T.Y. Lin, S. McArthur, P. Moriarty, R. Mukherjee, S. O'Brien, R. A. Ong, A. N. Otte, N. Park, A. Petrashyk, M. Pohl, E. Pueschel, J. Quinn, K. Ragan, P. T. Reynolds, G. T. Richards, E. Roache, C. Rulten, I. Sadeh, M. Santander, G. H. Sembroski, K. Shahinyan, S. P. Wakely, A. Weinstein, R. M. Wells, P. Wilcox, D. A. Williams, B. Zitzer, S. G. Jorstad, A. P. Marscher, M. L. Lister, Y. Y. Kovalev, A. B. Pushkarev, T. Savolainen, I. Agudo, S. N. Molina, J. L. Gómez, V. M. Larionov, G. A. Borman, A. A. Mokrushina, M. Tornikoski, A. Lahteenmaki, W. Chamani, S. Enestam, S. Kiehlmann, T. Hovatta, P. S. Smith, P. Pontrelli

Physics and Astronomy (Twin Cities)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

Combined with measurements made by very-long-baseline interferometry, the observations of fast TeV gamma-ray flares probe the structure and emission mechanism of blazar jets. However, only a handful of such flares have been detected to date, and only within the last few years have these flares been observed from lower-frequency-peaked BL Lac objects and flat-spectrum radio quasars. We report on a fast TeV gamma-ray flare from the blazar BL Lacertae observed by the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS). with a rise time of ∼2.3 hr and a decay time of ∼36 min. The peak flux above 200 GeV is (4.2 ± 0.6) ×10^-6 photon m^-2 s^-1 measured with a 4-minute-binned light curve, corresponding to ∼180% of the flux that is observed from the Crab Nebula above the same energy threshold. Variability contemporaneous with the TeV gamma-ray flare was observed in GeV gamma-ray, X-ray, and optical flux, as well as in optical and radio polarization. Additionally, a possible moving emission feature with superluminal apparent velocity was identified in Very Long Baseline Array observations at 43 GHz, potentially passing the radio core of the jet around the time of the gamma-ray flare. We discuss the constraints on the size, Lorentz factor, and location of the emitting region of the flare, and the interpretations with several theoretical models that invoke relativistic plasma passing stationary shocks.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	95
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	856
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aab35c
State	Published - Apr 1 2018

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..

Keywords

BL Lacertae objects: individual (BL Lacertae = VER J2202+422)
galaxies: active

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Abeysekara, A. U., Benbow, W., Bird, R., Brantseg, T., Brose, R., Buchovecky, M., Buckley, J. H., Bugaev, V., Connolly, M. P., Cui, W., Daniel, M. K., Falcone, A., Feng, Q., Finley, J. P., Fortson, L., Furniss, A., Gillanders, G. H., Gunawardhana, I., Hütten, M., ... Pontrelli, P. (2018). Multiwavelength Observations of the Blazar BL Lacertae: A New Fast TeV Gamma-Ray Flare. Astrophysical Journal, 856(2), Article 95. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aab35c

Abeysekara, AU, Benbow, W, Bird, R, Brantseg, T, Brose, R, Buchovecky, M, Buckley, JH, Bugaev, V, Connolly, MP, Cui, W, Daniel, MK, Falcone, A, Feng, Q, Finley, JP, Fortson, L, Furniss, A, Gillanders, GH, Gunawardhana, I, Hütten, M, Hanna, D, Hervet, O, Holder, J, Hughes, G, Humensky, TB, Johnson, CA, Kaaret, P, Kar, P, Kertzman, M, Krennrich, F, Lang, MJ, Lin, TTY, McArthur, S, Moriarty, P, Mukherjee, R, O'Brien, S, Ong, RA, Otte, AN, Park, N, Petrashyk, A, Pohl, M, Pueschel, E, Quinn, J, Ragan, K, Reynolds, PT, Richards, GT, Roache, E, Rulten, C, Sadeh, I, Santander, M, Sembroski, GH, Shahinyan, K, Wakely, SP, Weinstein, A, Wells, RM, Wilcox, P, Williams, DA, Zitzer, B, Jorstad, SG, Marscher, AP, Lister, ML, Kovalev, YY, Pushkarev, AB, Savolainen, T, Agudo, I, Molina, SN, Gómez, JL, Larionov, VM, Borman, GA, Mokrushina, AA, Tornikoski, M, Lahteenmaki, A, Chamani, W, Enestam, S, Kiehlmann, S, Hovatta, T, Smith, PS & Pontrelli, P 2018, 'Multiwavelength Observations of the Blazar BL Lacertae: A New Fast TeV Gamma-Ray Flare', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 856, no. 2, 95. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aab35c

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title = "Multiwavelength Observations of the Blazar BL Lacertae: A New Fast TeV Gamma-Ray Flare",

abstract = "Combined with measurements made by very-long-baseline interferometry, the observations of fast TeV gamma-ray flares probe the structure and emission mechanism of blazar jets. However, only a handful of such flares have been detected to date, and only within the last few years have these flares been observed from lower-frequency-peaked BL Lac objects and flat-spectrum radio quasars. We report on a fast TeV gamma-ray flare from the blazar BL Lacertae observed by the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS). with a rise time of ∼2.3 hr and a decay time of ∼36 min. The peak flux above 200 GeV is (4.2 ± 0.6) ×10-6 photon m-2 s-1 measured with a 4-minute-binned light curve, corresponding to ∼180% of the flux that is observed from the Crab Nebula above the same energy threshold. Variability contemporaneous with the TeV gamma-ray flare was observed in GeV gamma-ray, X-ray, and optical flux, as well as in optical and radio polarization. Additionally, a possible moving emission feature with superluminal apparent velocity was identified in Very Long Baseline Array observations at 43 GHz, potentially passing the radio core of the jet around the time of the gamma-ray flare. We discuss the constraints on the size, Lorentz factor, and location of the emitting region of the flare, and the interpretations with several theoretical models that invoke relativistic plasma passing stationary shocks.",

keywords = "BL Lacertae objects: individual (BL Lacertae = VER J2202+422), galaxies: active",

author = "Abeysekara, {A. U.} and W. Benbow and R. Bird and T. Brantseg and R. Brose and M. Buchovecky and Buckley, {J. H.} and V. Bugaev and Connolly, {M. P.} and W. Cui and Daniel, {M. K.} and A. Falcone and Q. Feng and Finley, {J. P.} and L. Fortson and A. Furniss and Gillanders, {G. H.} and I. Gunawardhana and M. H{\"u}tten and D. Hanna and O. Hervet and J. Holder and G. Hughes and Humensky, {T. B.} and Johnson, {C. A.} and P. Kaaret and P. Kar and M. Kertzman and F. Krennrich and Lang, {M. J.} and Lin, {T. T.Y.} and S. McArthur and P. Moriarty and R. Mukherjee and S. O'Brien and Ong, {R. A.} and Otte, {A. N.} and N. Park and A. Petrashyk and M. Pohl and E. Pueschel and J. Quinn and K. Ragan and Reynolds, {P. T.} and Richards, {G. T.} and E. Roache and C. Rulten and I. Sadeh and M. Santander and Sembroski, {G. H.} and K. Shahinyan and Wakely, {S. P.} and A. Weinstein and Wells, {R. M.} and P. Wilcox and Williams, {D. A.} and B. Zitzer and Jorstad, {S. G.} and Marscher, {A. P.} and Lister, {M. L.} and Kovalev, {Y. Y.} and Pushkarev, {A. B.} and T. Savolainen and I. Agudo and Molina, {S. N.} and G{\'o}mez, {J. L.} and Larionov, {V. M.} and Borman, {G. A.} and Mokrushina, {A. A.} and M. Tornikoski and A. Lahteenmaki and W. Chamani and S. Enestam and S. Kiehlmann and T. Hovatta and Smith, {P. S.} and P. Pontrelli",

year = "2018",

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doi = "10.3847/1538-4357/aab35c",

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journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Multiwavelength Observations of the Blazar BL Lacertae

T2 - A New Fast TeV Gamma-Ray Flare

AU - Abeysekara, A. U.

AU - Benbow, W.

AU - Bird, R.

AU - Brantseg, T.

AU - Brose, R.

AU - Buchovecky, M.

AU - Buckley, J. H.

AU - Bugaev, V.

AU - Connolly, M. P.

AU - Cui, W.

AU - Daniel, M. K.

AU - Falcone, A.

AU - Feng, Q.

AU - Finley, J. P.

AU - Fortson, L.

AU - Furniss, A.

AU - Gillanders, G. H.

AU - Gunawardhana, I.

AU - Hütten, M.

AU - Hanna, D.

AU - Hervet, O.

AU - Holder, J.

AU - Hughes, G.

AU - Humensky, T. B.

AU - Johnson, C. A.

AU - Kaaret, P.

AU - Kar, P.

AU - Kertzman, M.

AU - Krennrich, F.

AU - Lang, M. J.

AU - Lin, T. T.Y.

AU - McArthur, S.

AU - Moriarty, P.

AU - Mukherjee, R.

AU - O'Brien, S.

AU - Ong, R. A.

AU - Otte, A. N.

AU - Park, N.

AU - Petrashyk, A.

AU - Pohl, M.

AU - Pueschel, E.

AU - Quinn, J.

AU - Ragan, K.

AU - Reynolds, P. T.

AU - Richards, G. T.

AU - Roache, E.

AU - Rulten, C.

AU - Sadeh, I.

AU - Santander, M.

AU - Sembroski, G. H.

AU - Shahinyan, K.

AU - Wakely, S. P.

AU - Weinstein, A.

AU - Wells, R. M.

AU - Wilcox, P.

AU - Williams, D. A.

AU - Zitzer, B.

AU - Jorstad, S. G.

AU - Marscher, A. P.

AU - Lister, M. L.

AU - Kovalev, Y. Y.

AU - Pushkarev, A. B.

AU - Savolainen, T.

AU - Agudo, I.

AU - Molina, S. N.

AU - Gómez, J. L.

AU - Larionov, V. M.

AU - Borman, G. A.

AU - Mokrushina, A. A.

AU - Tornikoski, M.

AU - Lahteenmaki, A.

AU - Chamani, W.

AU - Enestam, S.

AU - Kiehlmann, S.

AU - Hovatta, T.

AU - Smith, P. S.

AU - Pontrelli, P.

PY - 2018/4/1

Y1 - 2018/4/1

N2 - Combined with measurements made by very-long-baseline interferometry, the observations of fast TeV gamma-ray flares probe the structure and emission mechanism of blazar jets. However, only a handful of such flares have been detected to date, and only within the last few years have these flares been observed from lower-frequency-peaked BL Lac objects and flat-spectrum radio quasars. We report on a fast TeV gamma-ray flare from the blazar BL Lacertae observed by the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS). with a rise time of ∼2.3 hr and a decay time of ∼36 min. The peak flux above 200 GeV is (4.2 ± 0.6) ×10-6 photon m-2 s-1 measured with a 4-minute-binned light curve, corresponding to ∼180% of the flux that is observed from the Crab Nebula above the same energy threshold. Variability contemporaneous with the TeV gamma-ray flare was observed in GeV gamma-ray, X-ray, and optical flux, as well as in optical and radio polarization. Additionally, a possible moving emission feature with superluminal apparent velocity was identified in Very Long Baseline Array observations at 43 GHz, potentially passing the radio core of the jet around the time of the gamma-ray flare. We discuss the constraints on the size, Lorentz factor, and location of the emitting region of the flare, and the interpretations with several theoretical models that invoke relativistic plasma passing stationary shocks.

AB - Combined with measurements made by very-long-baseline interferometry, the observations of fast TeV gamma-ray flares probe the structure and emission mechanism of blazar jets. However, only a handful of such flares have been detected to date, and only within the last few years have these flares been observed from lower-frequency-peaked BL Lac objects and flat-spectrum radio quasars. We report on a fast TeV gamma-ray flare from the blazar BL Lacertae observed by the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS). with a rise time of ∼2.3 hr and a decay time of ∼36 min. The peak flux above 200 GeV is (4.2 ± 0.6) ×10-6 photon m-2 s-1 measured with a 4-minute-binned light curve, corresponding to ∼180% of the flux that is observed from the Crab Nebula above the same energy threshold. Variability contemporaneous with the TeV gamma-ray flare was observed in GeV gamma-ray, X-ray, and optical flux, as well as in optical and radio polarization. Additionally, a possible moving emission feature with superluminal apparent velocity was identified in Very Long Baseline Array observations at 43 GHz, potentially passing the radio core of the jet around the time of the gamma-ray flare. We discuss the constraints on the size, Lorentz factor, and location of the emitting region of the flare, and the interpretations with several theoretical models that invoke relativistic plasma passing stationary shocks.

KW - BL Lacertae objects: individual (BL Lacertae = VER J2202+422)

KW - galaxies: active

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85045568264&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85045568264&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3847/1538-4357/aab35c

DO - 10.3847/1538-4357/aab35c

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85045568264

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 856

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 2

M1 - 95

ER -

Multiwavelength Observations of the Blazar BL Lacertae: A New Fast TeV Gamma-Ray Flare

Abstract

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Keywords

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