With the assumption that the optical variability timescale is dominated by the cooling time of the synchrotron process for BL Lac objects,we estimate time dependent magnetic field strength of the emission region for t...With the assumption that the optical variability timescale is dominated by the cooling time of the synchrotron process for BL Lac objects,we estimate time dependent magnetic field strength of the emission region for two BL Lac objects.The average magnetic field strengths are consistent with those estimated from core shift measurement and spectral energy distribution modelling.Variation of magnetic field strength in the dissipation region is discovered.Variability of flux and magnetic field strength shows no clear correlation,which indicates the variation of magnetic field is not the dominant reason of the variability origin.The evolution of magnetic field strength can provide another approach to constrain the energy dissipation mechanism in jets.展开更多
In this paper: 1. The assumption of the dependence of Doppler factor on the emission frequency (δ v≈δ 0 18logvv o , Fan et al. 1993, ApJ., 415, 113) is used to explain the observational differences between the radi...In this paper: 1. The assumption of the dependence of Doppler factor on the emission frequency (δ v≈δ 0 18logvv o , Fan et al. 1993, ApJ., 415, 113) is used to explain the observational differences between the radio selected BL Lac objects (RBLs) and the X Ray Selected BL lac objects (XBLs): a) Hubble relation; b) different multiwavelength correlations; c) different regions in the effective spectral index (α RO - α OX ) diagram; d) different polarization. The results suggest that RBLs and XBLs are the same. 2. From the analysis of the relation between infrared magnitude and redshift, it is proposed that the parent population of BL Lac objects should be FRI radio galaxies and FRII(G) radio galaxies showing the optical spectra of a galaxy. 3. From the superluminal motion, the assumption (δ v≈δ 0 18+logvv 0 ) is confirmed. 4. Based on the relation between polarization and Doppler factor (Fan et al. 1997a), it is proposed that the f, ratio of the beamed luminosity to the unbeamed luminosity in the source frame of OVVs/HPQs is smaller than that of BL Lac objects: f RBLs ～ 6f FSRQs .展开更多
Historical optical data are combined on the BL Lac object OQ 530. Verifying the existence of correlations among the flux variations in different bands serves as an important tool to investigate emission processes. To ...Historical optical data are combined on the BL Lac object OQ 530. Verifying the existence of correlations among the flux variations in different bands serves as an important tool to investigate emission processes. To examine the possible existence of a lag between variations in different optical bands from this source, a statistical analysis is performed through the discrete correlation function （DCF） method and the z-transformed discrete correlation function （ZDCF） method. Monte Carlo simulations called ＂flux redistribution/random subset selection＂ （FR/RSS） are performed to obtain statistically meaningful values for the cross-correlation time lags and their related uncertainties. The analysis confirms that the variations in different optical light curves are strongly correlated, with zero-lag within the errors. Long term variability of color indexes is also analyzed. The result suggests a strong correlation between color index and brightness. A clear bluer-when-brighter chromatism is found, in the sense that the spectrum steepens as the brightness decreases.展开更多
Evidence for the long-term optical curve variability and colour behaviour of the BL Lac object Mkn 421 is presented. Our results show that the amplitude of the optical variations of Mkn 421 is only about △B=4.7 magni...Evidence for the long-term optical curve variability and colour behaviour of the BL Lac object Mkn 421 is presented. Our results show that the amplitude of the optical variations of Mkn 421 is only about △B=4.7 magnitude in the B-band for its photometric history from 1899 to 2002. The results of optical photometric monitoring of the Mkn 421 from April 2000 to Jan 2002 are provided. During our observation, Mkn 421 shows significant rapid variations and exhibits short time variability of 2.42 hours in the B band. A strong correlation between the B - V colour index and the magnitude in the B band is found. Our charge coupled device （CCD） photometry of Mkn 421 shows that the measured results are in good agreement with the predicted optical variability period of about 23 years.展开更多
We report the discovery of a broad absorption line （BAL） of - 10^4 km s^-1 in width in the previously known BL Lac object PKS 0138-097, which we tentatively identified as an Mg II BAL. This is the first detection of...We report the discovery of a broad absorption line （BAL） of - 10^4 km s^-1 in width in the previously known BL Lac object PKS 0138-097, which we tentatively identified as an Mg II BAL. This is the first detection of a BAL, which is sometimes seen in powerful quasars with high accretion rates, in a BL Lac object. The BAL was clearly detected in its spectra spanning two epochs at a high luminosity state taken in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey （SDSS）, while it disappeared in three SDSS spectra taken at a low luminosity state. The BAL and its variability pattern were also found in its historical multi-epoch spectra in the literature, but have been overlooked previously. In its high resolution radio maps, PKS 0138-097 shows a core plus a one- sided parsec-scale jet. The BAL variability can be interpreted as follows： The optical emission is dominated by the core in a high state and by the jet in a low state and the BAL material is located between the core and jet so that the BAL appears only when the core is shining. Our discovery suggests that outflows may also be produced in active galactic nuclei at a low accreting state.展开更多
Recent analysis of the long term radio light curve of the extremely variableBL Lacertae object AO 0235+16 by Raiteri et al. have revealed the presence of recurrent outburstswith a period of ～ 5.7 +- 0.5 yr. Periodici...Recent analysis of the long term radio light curve of the extremely variableBL Lacertae object AO 0235+16 by Raiteri et al. have revealed the presence of recurrent outburstswith a period of ～ 5.7 +- 0.5 yr. Periodicity analysis of the optical light curve also showsevidence for a shorter period. Here we discuss whether such a behavior can be explained by a binaryblack hole model where the accretion disk of one of the supermassive black holes is precessing dueto the tidal effects of the companion. We estimate the mass of the accreting hole and analyzeconstraints on the secondary mass and the orbital parameters of the system. It is possible toprovide a viable interpretation of the available multiwavelength data.展开更多
BL Lacertae （BL Lac） objects at high redshifts （z ≥ 2） are rarely detected. Through careful analysis of its Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectrum, BZB J1450＋5201 is confirmed to be a high-z BL Lac object with z ≥ 2...BL Lacertae （BL Lac） objects at high redshifts （z ≥ 2） are rarely detected. Through careful analysis of its Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectrum, BZB J1450＋5201 is confirmed to be a high-z BL Lac object with z ≥ 2.471 by identifying the Lyα 1216 and CIV 1548/1550 absorption lines. This indicates that BZB J1450＋5201 is the most distant BL Lac object discovered to date. Careful analysis of the five-year Fermi-LAT data of 2FGL J1451.0＋5159 shows that its γ-ray emission is robust with a confidence level of 6.2σ at 1-3 GeV and 6.7σ at 3-10 GeV. This analysis with the five-year data overcomes confusion with its bright neighbor, which is a problem when analyzing the two-year data. In addition, 2FGL J 1451.0＋5159 is confirmed to be associated with BZB J1450＋5201 using the five-year data. The analysis of multiwavelength data, from radio to γ-ray energies, indicates that BZB J1450＋5201 is an intermediate synchrotron peaked （ISP） source. Its multiwavelength properties are consistent with distributions of other ISP sources at lower redshifts in the second Fermi-LAT AGN catalog. The pure synchrotron self-Compton （SSC） model seems to be disfavored, but the scattering of weak external emission plus the SSC process can provide a satisfactory description of the broadband emission.展开更多
We here report a monitor of the BL Lac object 1 ES 1218+304 in both B-and R-bands by the GWAC-F60 A telescope in eight nights,when it was triggered to be at its highest X-ray flux in history by the VERITAS Observatory...We here report a monitor of the BL Lac object 1 ES 1218+304 in both B-and R-bands by the GWAC-F60 A telescope in eight nights,when it was triggered to be at its highest X-ray flux in history by the VERITAS Observatory and Swift follow-ups.Both ANOVA and χ^(2)-test enable us to clearly reveal an intraday variability in optical wavelengths in seven out of the eight nights.A bluer-when-brighter chromatic relationship has been clearly identified in five out of the eight nights,which can be well explained by the shock-in-jet model.In addition,a quasi-periodic oscillation phenomenon in both bands could be tentatively identified in the first night.A positive delay between the two bands has been revealed in three out of the eight nights,and a negative one in the other nights.The identified minimum time delay enables us to estimate the MBH=2.8 × 10^(7) M_(⊙) that is invalid.展开更多
We present and discuss deep high resolution images taken with the ESO NTT as well as spectra taken with the ESO VLT in the field of the BL Lac object PKS 0537 441. We could neither detect the host galaxy nor a galaxy ...We present and discuss deep high resolution images taken with the ESO NTT as well as spectra taken with the ESO VLT in the field of the BL Lac object PKS 0537 441. We could neither detect the host galaxy nor a galaxy along the line of sight to the BL Lac as claimed from previous observations. We found 4 nearby companion galaxies which could be a splitted and magnified image of a distant background galaxy. Our VLT spectra, however, rule out this possibility. All 4 companions have similar redshifts as the BL Lac and may (at least in part) trigger the enormous activity in this source. PKS 0537 441 might be located in a galaxy cluster as rich as Abell 1. Alternatively, the BL Lac could also be located in the outskirts of a galaxy cluster or even be projected on a large scale structure as indicated by spectra of 30 galaxies in the field. Either lensing hypothesis (lens or being lensed) is considerably weakened by our observations.展开更多
W Comae has significant variability in multi-wavelengthes, from radio to gamma-ray bands. A bright outburst in optical and X-ray bands was observed in 1998, and most recently, a strong TeV flare was detected by VERITA...W Comae has significant variability in multi-wavelengthes, from radio to gamma-ray bands. A bright outburst in optical and X-ray bands was observed in 1998, and most recently, a strong TeV flare was detected by VERITAS in 2008. It is the first TeV intermediate-frequency-peaked BL Lacertae source. I find that both the broadband spectral energy distributions （SEDs） which were quasi-simultaneously obtained during the TeV flare and during the optical/X-ray outburst are well fit by using a single-zone synchrotron ＋ synchrotron-self-Compton model. The satisfactory fitting requires a large beaming factor, i.e., δ- 25 and δ- 20 for the TeV flare and the optical/X-ray outburst, respectively, suggesting that both the optical/X-ray outburst and the TeV flare are from a relativistic jet. The size of the emission region of the TeV flare is three times larger than that of the optical/X-ray outburst, and the strength of the magnetic field for the TeV flare is - 14 times smaller than that of the X-ray/optical outburst, likely indicating that the region of the TeV flare is more distant from the core than that of the X-ray/optical outburst. The inverse Compton component of the TeV flare peaks around 1.3 GeV, but it is around 20 MeV for the X-ray/optical outburst, lower than that for the TeV flare by two orders of magnitude. The model predicts that the optical/X-ray outburst might be accompanied by a strong MeV/GeV emission, but the TeV flare may be not associated with the X-ray/optical outburst. The GeV emission is critical for characterizing the SEDs of the optical/X-ray outburst and the TeV flare. The predicted GeV flux is above the sensitivity of Fermi/LAT, and it could be verified with the observations by Fermi/LAT in the near future.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFCGrant Nos.11803081,11947099,U1931203,and 12003014)supported by the CAS Youth Innovation Promotion Association and Basic Research Program of Yunnan Province(202001AW070013)。
文摘With the assumption that the optical variability timescale is dominated by the cooling time of the synchrotron process for BL Lac objects,we estimate time dependent magnetic field strength of the emission region for two BL Lac objects.The average magnetic field strengths are consistent with those estimated from core shift measurement and spectral energy distribution modelling.Variation of magnetic field strength in the dissipation region is discovered.Variability of flux and magnetic field strength shows no clear correlation,which indicates the variation of magnetic field is not the dominant reason of the variability origin.The evolution of magnetic field strength can provide another approach to constrain the energy dissipation mechanism in jets.
文摘In this paper: 1. The assumption of the dependence of Doppler factor on the emission frequency (δ v≈δ 0 18logvv o , Fan et al. 1993, ApJ., 415, 113) is used to explain the observational differences between the radio selected BL Lac objects (RBLs) and the X Ray Selected BL lac objects (XBLs): a) Hubble relation; b) different multiwavelength correlations; c) different regions in the effective spectral index (α RO - α OX ) diagram; d) different polarization. The results suggest that RBLs and XBLs are the same. 2. From the analysis of the relation between infrared magnitude and redshift, it is proposed that the parent population of BL Lac objects should be FRI radio galaxies and FRII(G) radio galaxies showing the optical spectra of a galaxy. 3. From the superluminal motion, the assumption (δ v≈δ 0 18+logvv 0 ) is confirmed. 4. Based on the relation between polarization and Doppler factor (Fan et al. 1997a), it is proposed that the f, ratio of the beamed luminosity to the unbeamed luminosity in the source frame of OVVs/HPQs is smaller than that of BL Lac objects: f RBLs ～ 6f FSRQs .
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 10975145)funded by Fuyang Normal College, the Research Foundation of the Department of Education of Anhui Province (KJ2010B159)
文摘Historical optical data are combined on the BL Lac object OQ 530. Verifying the existence of correlations among the flux variations in different bands serves as an important tool to investigate emission processes. To examine the possible existence of a lag between variations in different optical bands from this source, a statistical analysis is performed through the discrete correlation function （DCF） method and the z-transformed discrete correlation function （ZDCF） method. Monte Carlo simulations called ＂flux redistribution/random subset selection＂ （FR/RSS） are performed to obtain statistically meaningful values for the cross-correlation time lags and their related uncertainties. The analysis confirms that the variations in different optical light curves are strongly correlated, with zero-lag within the errors. Long term variability of color indexes is also analyzed. The result suggests a strong correlation between color index and brightness. A clear bluer-when-brighter chromatism is found, in the sense that the spectrum steepens as the brightness decreases.
基金Project supported by an CRCG grant of the University of Hong Kong, Yunnan Provincial Foundation of Science of China （Grant No 2004A0027M） and the National Natural Science Foundation of China（Grant No 10363002）, and the Natural Science Foundation of China Education Department（Grant No 02142）.
文摘Evidence for the long-term optical curve variability and colour behaviour of the BL Lac object Mkn 421 is presented. Our results show that the amplitude of the optical variations of Mkn 421 is only about △B=4.7 magnitude in the B-band for its photometric history from 1899 to 2002. The results of optical photometric monitoring of the Mkn 421 from April 2000 to Jan 2002 are provided. During our observation, Mkn 421 shows significant rapid variations and exhibits short time variability of 2.42 hours in the B band. A strong correlation between the B - V colour index and the magnitude in the B band is found. Our charge coupled device （CCD） photometry of Mkn 421 shows that the measured results are in good agreement with the predicted optical variability period of about 23 years.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos. 10973012 and 11033007)the National Basic Research Program of China (973 program Grant Nos.2007CB815405 and 2009CB824800)
文摘We report the discovery of a broad absorption line （BAL） of - 10^4 km s^-1 in width in the previously known BL Lac object PKS 0138-097, which we tentatively identified as an Mg II BAL. This is the first detection of a BAL, which is sometimes seen in powerful quasars with high accretion rates, in a BL Lac object. The BAL was clearly detected in its spectra spanning two epochs at a high luminosity state taken in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey （SDSS）, while it disappeared in three SDSS spectra taken at a low luminosity state. The BAL and its variability pattern were also found in its historical multi-epoch spectra in the literature, but have been overlooked previously. In its high resolution radio maps, PKS 0138-097 shows a core plus a one- sided parsec-scale jet. The BAL variability can be interpreted as follows： The optical emission is dominated by the core in a high state and by the jet in a low state and the BAL material is located between the core and jet so that the BAL appears only when the core is shining. Our discovery suggests that outflows may also be produced in active galactic nuclei at a low accreting state.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘Recent analysis of the long term radio light curve of the extremely variableBL Lacertae object AO 0235+16 by Raiteri et al. have revealed the presence of recurrent outburstswith a period of ～ 5.7 +- 0.5 yr. Periodicity analysis of the optical light curve also showsevidence for a shorter period. Here we discuss whether such a behavior can be explained by a binaryblack hole model where the accretion disk of one of the supermassive black holes is precessing dueto the tidal effects of the companion. We estimate the mass of the accreting hole and analyzeconstraints on the secondary mass and the orbital parameters of the system. It is possible toprovide a viable interpretation of the available multiwavelength data.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘BL Lacertae （BL Lac） objects at high redshifts （z ≥ 2） are rarely detected. Through careful analysis of its Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectrum, BZB J1450＋5201 is confirmed to be a high-z BL Lac object with z ≥ 2.471 by identifying the Lyα 1216 and CIV 1548/1550 absorption lines. This indicates that BZB J1450＋5201 is the most distant BL Lac object discovered to date. Careful analysis of the five-year Fermi-LAT data of 2FGL J1451.0＋5159 shows that its γ-ray emission is robust with a confidence level of 6.2σ at 1-3 GeV and 6.7σ at 3-10 GeV. This analysis with the five-year data overcomes confusion with its bright neighbor, which is a problem when analyzing the two-year data. In addition, 2FGL J 1451.0＋5159 is confirmed to be associated with BZB J1450＋5201 using the five-year data. The analysis of multiwavelength data, from radio to γ-ray energies, indicates that BZB J1450＋5201 is an intermediate synchrotron peaked （ISP） source. Its multiwavelength properties are consistent with distributions of other ISP sources at lower redshifts in the second Fermi-LAT AGN catalog. The pure synchrotron self-Compton （SSC） model seems to be disfavored, but the scattering of weak external emission plus the SSC process can provide a satisfactory description of the broadband emission.
基金support from the National Key R & D Program of China (Grant No.2020YFE0202100)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 11773036)+2 种基金by the Strategic Pioneer Program on Space Science,Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant Nos.XDA15052600 and XDA15016500)supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi (2018GXUSFGA281007 & 2020GXNSFDA238018)by the Bagui Young Scholars Program。
文摘We here report a monitor of the BL Lac object 1 ES 1218+304 in both B-and R-bands by the GWAC-F60 A telescope in eight nights,when it was triggered to be at its highest X-ray flux in history by the VERITAS Observatory and Swift follow-ups.Both ANOVA and χ^(2)-test enable us to clearly reveal an intraday variability in optical wavelengths in seven out of the eight nights.A bluer-when-brighter chromatic relationship has been clearly identified in five out of the eight nights,which can be well explained by the shock-in-jet model.In addition,a quasi-periodic oscillation phenomenon in both bands could be tentatively identified in the first night.A positive delay between the two bands has been revealed in three out of the eight nights,and a negative one in the other nights.The identified minimum time delay enables us to estimate the MBH=2.8 × 10^(7) M_(⊙) that is invalid.
文摘We present and discuss deep high resolution images taken with the ESO NTT as well as spectra taken with the ESO VLT in the field of the BL Lac object PKS 0537 441. We could neither detect the host galaxy nor a galaxy along the line of sight to the BL Lac as claimed from previous observations. We found 4 nearby companion galaxies which could be a splitted and magnified image of a distant background galaxy. Our VLT spectra, however, rule out this possibility. All 4 companions have similar redshifts as the BL Lac and may (at least in part) trigger the enormous activity in this source. PKS 0537 441 might be located in a galaxy cluster as rich as Abell 1. Alternatively, the BL Lac could also be located in the outskirts of a galaxy cluster or even be projected on a large scale structure as indicated by spectra of 30 galaxies in the field. Either lensing hypothesis (lens or being lensed) is considerably weakened by our observations.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under grants 10533050the National Basic Research Program ("973" Program) of China under Grant 2009CB824800
文摘W Comae has significant variability in multi-wavelengthes, from radio to gamma-ray bands. A bright outburst in optical and X-ray bands was observed in 1998, and most recently, a strong TeV flare was detected by VERITAS in 2008. It is the first TeV intermediate-frequency-peaked BL Lacertae source. I find that both the broadband spectral energy distributions （SEDs） which were quasi-simultaneously obtained during the TeV flare and during the optical/X-ray outburst are well fit by using a single-zone synchrotron ＋ synchrotron-self-Compton model. The satisfactory fitting requires a large beaming factor, i.e., δ- 25 and δ- 20 for the TeV flare and the optical/X-ray outburst, respectively, suggesting that both the optical/X-ray outburst and the TeV flare are from a relativistic jet. The size of the emission region of the TeV flare is three times larger than that of the optical/X-ray outburst, and the strength of the magnetic field for the TeV flare is - 14 times smaller than that of the X-ray/optical outburst, likely indicating that the region of the TeV flare is more distant from the core than that of the X-ray/optical outburst. The inverse Compton component of the TeV flare peaks around 1.3 GeV, but it is around 20 MeV for the X-ray/optical outburst, lower than that for the TeV flare by two orders of magnitude. The model predicts that the optical/X-ray outburst might be accompanied by a strong MeV/GeV emission, but the TeV flare may be not associated with the X-ray/optical outburst. The GeV emission is critical for characterizing the SEDs of the optical/X-ray outburst and the TeV flare. The predicted GeV flux is above the sensitivity of Fermi/LAT, and it could be verified with the observations by Fermi/LAT in the near future.
