No Arabic abstract
We report on radio-to-gamma-ray observations during 2011 May-September of PMN J0948+0022, the first narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLSy1) galaxy detected in gamma-rays by Fermi-LAT. Strong variability was observed in gamma-rays, with two flaring periods peaking on 2011 June 20 and July 28. The variability observed in optical and near-infrared seems to have no counterpart in gamma-rays. This different behaviour could be related to a bending and inhomogeneous jet or a turbulent extreme multi-cell scenario. The radio spectra showed a variability pattern typical of relativistic jets. The XMM spectrum shows that the emission from the jet dominates above 2 keV, while a soft X-ray excess is evident in the low-energy part of the X-ray spectrum. Models where the soft emission is partly produced by blurred reflection or Comptonisation of the thermal disc emission provide good fits to the data. The X-ray spectral slope is similar to that found in radio-quiet NLSy1, suggesting that a standard accretion disc is present, as expected from the high accretion rate. Except for the soft X-ray excess, unusual in jet-dominated AGNs, PMN J0948+0022 shows all characteristics of the blazar class.
We report on a multiwavelength campaign on the radio-loud Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) Galaxy PMN J0948+0022 (z=0.5846) performed in 2010 July-September and triggered by a high-energy gamma-ray outburst observed by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) onboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. The peak flux in the 0.1-100 GeV energy band exceeded, for the first time in this type of source, the value of 10^-6 ph cm^-2 s^-1, corresponding to an observed luminosity of 10^48 erg s^-1. Although the source was too close to the Sun position to organize a densely sampled follow-up, it was possible to gather some multiwavelength data that confirmed the state of high activity across the sampled electromagnetic spectrum. The comparison of the spectral energy distribution of the NLS1 PMN J0948+0022 with that of a typical blazar - like 3C 273 - shows that the power emitted at gamma rays is extreme.
Following the recent discovery of gamma rays from the radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy PMN J0948+0022 (z=0.5846), we started a multiwavelength campaign from radio to gamma rays, which was carried out between the end of March and the beginning of July 2009. The source displayed activity at all the observed wavelengths: a general decreasing trend from optical to gamma-ray frequencies was followed by an increase of radio emission after less than two months from the peak of the gamma-ray emission. The largest flux change, about a factor of about 4, occurred in the X-ray band. The smallest was at ultraviolet and near-infrared frequencies, where the rate of the detected photons dropped by a factor 1.6-1.9. At optical wavelengths, where the sampling rate was the highest, it was possible to observe day-scale variability, with flux variations up to a factor of about 3. The behavior of PMN J0948+0022 observed in this campaign and the calculated power carried out by its jet in the form of protons, electrons, radiation and magnetic field are quite similar to that of blazars, specifically of flat-spectrum radio quasars. These results confirm the idea that radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies host relativistic jets with power similar to that of average blazars.
The narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxy PMN J0948+0022 is an archetype of gamma-ray-emitting NLS1s in active galactic nuclei (AGNs). In this study, we investigate its radio structures using archival data obtained using the Karl G.~Jansky very large array (VLA) and the very long baseline array (VLBA). The new VLA images reveal an outermost radio emission separated by 9.1 arcsec. Its resolved structure and steep spectrum suggest a terminal shock in a radio lobe energized by the jet from the PMN J0948+0022 nucleus. This large-scale radio component is found at almost the same position angle as that of the pc-scale jet, indicating a stable jet direction up to ~1 Mpc. Its apparent one-sidedness implies a moderate advancing speed ($beta>0.27$). The kinematic age of 1 x 10^7 year of the jet activity is consistent with the expected NLS1 phase of ~10^7 year in the AGN lifetime. The VLBA image reveals the jet structure at distances ranging from r=0.82 milliarcsec to 3.5 milliarcsec, corresponding to approximately 100 pc, where superluminal motions were found. The jet width profile ($propto r^{1.12}$) and flux-density profile ($propto r^{-1.44}$) depending on the distance $r$ along the jet suggest that the jet kinetic energy is converted into internal energy in this region. The jet is causally connected in a nearly conical streamline, which is supported by ambient pressure at 100 pc scales in the host galaxy of PMN J0948+0022.
We report Fermi-LAT observations of the radio-loud AGN SBS 0846+513 (z=0.5835), optically classified as a Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy, together with new and archival radio-to-X-ray data. The source was not active at gamma-ray energies during the first two years of Fermi operation. A significant increase in activity was observed during 2010 October-2011 August. In particular a strong gamma-ray flare was observed in 2011 June reaching an isotropic gamma-ray luminosity (0.1-300 GeV) of 1.0x10^48 erg/s, comparable to that of the brightest flat spectrum radio quasars, and showing spectral evolution in gamma rays. An apparent superluminal velocity of (8.2+/-1.5)c in the jet was inferred from 2011-2012 VLBA images, suggesting the presence of a highly relativistic jet. Both the power released by this object during the flaring activity and the apparent superluminal velocity are strong indications of the presence of a relativistic jet as powerful as those of blazars. In addition, variability and spectral properties in radio and gamma-ray bands indicate blazar-like behaviour, suggesting that, except for some distinct optical characteristics, SBS 0846+513 could be considered as a young blazar at the low end of the blazars black hole mass distribution.
The discovery of gamma-ray emission from 5 radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies revealed the presence of a possible emerging third class of AGNs with relativistic jets, in addition to blazars and radio galaxies. The existence of relativistic jets also in this subclass of Seyfert galaxies opened an unexplored research space for our knowledge of the radio-loud AGNs. Here, we discuss the radio-to-gamma-rays properties of the gamma-ray emitting narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies, also in comparison with the blazar scenario.