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Register a new userLong-term optical spectroscopic variations in blazar 3C 454.3
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Added by
Krzysztof Nalewajko
Publication date
2019
fields
Physics
and research's language is
English
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Characterisation of the long-term variations in the broad line region in a luminous blazar, where Comptonisation of broad-line emission within a relativistic jet is the standard scenario for production of gamma-ray emission that dominates the spectral energy distribution. We analysed ten years of optical spectroscopic data from the Steward Observatory for the blazar 3C 454.3, as well as gamma-ray data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT). The optical spectra are dominated by a highly variable non-thermal synchrotron continuum with a prominent Mg II broad emission line. The line flux was obtained by spectral decomposition including significant contribution from the Fe II pseudo-continuum. Three methods were used to characterise variations in the line flux: (1) stacking of the continuum-subtracted spectra, (2) subtracting the running mean light curves calculated for different timescales, and (3) evaluating potential time delays via the discrete correlation function (DCF). Despite very large variations in the gamma-ray and optical continua, the line flux changes only moderately (< 0.1 dex). The data suggest that the line flux responds to a dramatic change in the blazar activity from a very high state in 2010 to a deep low state in 2012. Two interpretations are possible: either the line flux is anti-correlated with the continuum or the increase in the line luminosity is delayed by ~600 days. If this time delay results from the reverberation of poorly constrained accretion disc emission in both the broad-line region (BLR) and the synchrotron emitting blazar zone within a relativistic jet, we would obtain natural estimates for the BLR radius [R_{BLR,MgII} >~ 0.28 pc] and for the supermassive black hole mass [M_SMBH ~ 8.5x10^8 M_sun]. We did not identify additional examples of short-term flares of the line flux, in addition to the previously reported case observed in 2010.
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The long-term optical, X-ray and $gamma$-ray data of blazar 3C 279 have been compiled from $Swift$-XRT, $RXTE$ PCA, $Fermi$-LAT, SMARTS and literature. The source exhibits strong variability on long time scales. Since 1980s to now, the optical $R$ band light curve spans above 32 yr, and a possible 5.6-yr-long quasi-periodic variation component has been found in it. The optical spectral behavior has been investigated. In the optical band, the mean spectral index is -1.71. The source exhibits an obvious special spectral behavior. In the low state, the source shows a clear bluer-when-brighter behavior in a sense that the optical spectrum turns harder (flatter) when the brightness increases. While in the high state, the optical spectrum is stable, that means the source spectral index does not vary with the brightness. The correlation analysis has been performed among optical, X-ray and $gamma$-ray energy bands. The result indicates that the variations of $gamma$-ray and X-ray bands are well correlated without time delay on the time scale of days, and their variations exhibit weak correlations with those of optical band. The variations, especial outbursts, are simultaneous, but the magnitude of variations is disproportionate. The detailed analysis reveals that the main outbursts exhibit strong correlations in different $gamma$-ray, X-ray and optical bands.
We performed an optical spectroscopic monitoring of the blazar 3C 454.3 from September 2003 to July 2008. Sixteen optical spectra were obtained during different runs, which constitute the first spectroscopic monitoring done in the rest-frame UV region (z=0.859). An overall flux variation of the MgII (2800 A) by a factor ~ 3 was observed, while the corresponding UV continuum (F_cont at 3000 A) changed by a factor ~ 14. The MgII emission lines respond proportionally to the continuum variations when the source is in a low-activity state. In contrast, near the optical outbursts detected in 2005 and 2007, the MgII emission lines showed little response to the continuum flux variations. During the monitored period the UV FeII flux changed by a factor ~ 6 and correlated with F_cont (r = 0.92). A negative correlation between EW(Mg II) and F_cont was found, i.e. the so-called Intrinsic Baldwin Effect.
We performed a long-term optical (B, V, R bands), infra-red (J and K bands) and radio band (15, 22, 37 GHz band) study on the flat spectrum radio quasar, 3C 454.3, using the data collected over a period of more than 8 years (MJD 54500--57500). The temporal variability, spectral properties and inter-waveband correlations were studied by dividing the available data into smaller segments with more regular sampling. This helped us constrain the size and the relative locations of the emission regions for different wavebands. Spectral analysis of the source revealed the interplay between the accretion disk and jet emission. The source predominantly showed a redder-when-brighter trend, though we observed a bluer-when-brighter trend at high flux levels which could be signatures of particle acceleration and radiative cooling. Significant correlations with near-zero lag were seen between various optical/infra-red bands, indicating that these emission regions are co-spatial. Correlations with a time lag of about 10--100 days are seen between optical/infra-red and radio bands indicating these emissions arise from different regions. We also observe the DCF peak lag change from year to year. We try to explain these differences using a curved jet model where the different emission regions have different viewing angles resulting in a frequency dependent Doppler factor. This variable Doppler factor model explains the variability timescales and the variation in DCF peak lag between the radio and optical emissions in different segments. Lags of 6-180 days are seen between emissions in various radio bands, indicating a core-shift effect
Opacity-driven shifts of the apparent VLBI core position with frequency (the core shift effect) probe physical conditions in the innermost parts of jets in active galactic nuclei. We present the first detailed investigation of this effect in the brightest gamma-ray blazar 3C454.3 using direct measurements from simultaneous 4.6-43 GHz VLBA observations, and a time lag analysis of 4.8-37 GHz lightcurves from the UMRAO, CrAO, and Metsahovi observations in 2007-2009. The results support the standard Konigl model of jet physics in the VLBI core region. The distance of the core from the jet origin r_c(nu), the core size W(nu), and the lightcurve time lag DT(nu) all depend on the observing frequency nu as r_c(nu)~W(nu)~ DT(nu)~nu^-1/k. The obtained range of k=0.6-0.8 is consistent with the synchrotron self-absorption being the dominating opacity mechanism in the jet. The similar frequency dependence of r_c(nu) and W(nu) suggests that the external pressure gradient does not dictate the jet geometry in the cm-band core region. Assuming equipartition, the magnetic field strength scales with distance r as B = 0.4(r/1pc)^-0.8 G. The total kinetic power of electron/positron jet is about 10^44 ergs/s.
We present a multi-wavelength temporal analysis of the blazar 3C 454.3 during the high $gamma$-ray active period from May-December, 2014. Except for X-rays, the period is well sampled at near-infrared (NIR)-optical by the emph{SMARTS} facility and the source is detected continuously on daily timescale in the emph{Fermi}-LAT $gamma$-ray band. The source exhibits diverse levels of variability with many flaring/active states in the continuously sampled $gamma$-ray light curve which are also reflected in the NIR-optical light curves and the sparsely sampled X-ray light curve by the emph{Swift}-XRT. Multi-band correlation analysis of this continuous segment during different activity periods shows a change of state from no lags between IR and $gamma$-ray, optical and $gamma$-ray, and IR and optical to a state where $gamma$-ray lags the IR/optical by $sim$3 days. The results are consistent with the previous studies of the same during various $gamma$-ray flaring and active episodes of the source. This consistency, in turn, suggests an extended localized emission region with almost similar conditions during various $gamma$-ray activity states. On the other hand, the delay of $gamma$-ray with respect to IR/optical and a trend similar to IR/optical in X-rays along with strong broadband correlations favor magnetic field related origin with X-ray and $gamma$-ray being inverse Comptonized of IR/optical photons and external radiation field, respectively.
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