The BL Lacertae object VER J0521+211 underwent a notable flaring episode in February 2020. A short-term monitoring campaign, led by the MAGIC (Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov) collaboration, covering a wide energy range from radio to very high-energy (VHE, 100 GeV <E< 100 TeV) gamma rays was organised to study its evolution. These observations resulted in a consistent detection of the source over six consecutive nights in the VHE gamma-ray domain. Combining these nightly observations with an extensive set of multi-wavelength data made modelling of the blazar’s spectral energy distribution (SED) possible during the flare. This modelling was performed with a focus on two plausible emission mechanisms: (i) a leptonic two-zone synchrotron-self-Compton scenario, and (ii) a lepto-hadronic one-zone scenario. Both models effectively replicated the observed SED from radio to the VHE gamma-ray band. Furthermore, by introducing a set of evolving parameters, both models were successful in reproducing the evolution of the fluxes measured in different bands throughout the observing campaign. Notably, the lepto-hadronic model predicts enhanced photon and neutrino fluxes at ultra-high energies (E> 100 TeV). While the photon component, generated via decay of neutral pions, is not directly observable as it is subject to intense pair production (and therefore extinction) through interactions with the cosmic microwave background photons, neutrino detectors (e.g. IceCube) can probe the predicted neutrino component. Finally, the analysis of the gamma-ray spectra, observed by MAGIC and theFermi-LAT telescopes, yielded a conservative 95% confidence upper limit ofz ≤ 0.244 for the redshift of this blazar.
more »
« less
Multiwavelength Observations of the Blazar PKS 0735+178 in Spatial and Temporal Coincidence with an Astrophysical Neutrino Candidate IceCube-211208A
Abstract We report on multiwavelength target-of-opportunity observations of the blazar PKS 0735+178, located 2.°2 away from the best-fit position of the IceCube neutrino event IceCube-211208A detected on 2021 December 8. The source was in a high-flux state in the optical, ultraviolet, X-ray, and GeV γ -ray bands around the time of the neutrino event, exhibiting daily variability in the soft X-ray flux. The X-ray data from Swift-XRT and NuSTAR characterize the transition between the low-energy and high-energy components of the broadband spectral energy distribution (SED), and the γ -ray data from Fermi-LAT, VERITAS, and H.E.S.S. require a spectral cutoff near 100 GeV. Both the X-ray and γ -ray measurements provide strong constraints on the leptonic and hadronic models. We analytically explore a synchrotron self-Compton model, an external Compton model, and a lepto-hadronic model. Models that are entirely based on internal photon fields face serious difficulties in matching the observed SED. The existence of an external photon field in the source would instead explain the observed γ -ray spectral cutoff in both the leptonic and lepto-hadronic models and allow a proton jet power that marginally agrees with the Eddington limit in the lepto-hadronic model. We show a numerical lepto-hadronic model with external target photons that reproduces the observed SED and is reasonably consistent with the neutrino event despite requiring a high jet power.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 2011420 1913313 2209437 1913552 2011361 2310028 2110497 1914579 2200857 2111531 2310158 2110737 2012916 2110974 2209605
- PAR ID:
- 10444889
- Author(s) / Creator(s):
- ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; more »
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- The Astrophysical Journal
- Volume:
- 954
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 0004-637X
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 70
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
Abstract While the sources of the diffuse astrophysical neutrino flux detected by the IceCube Neutrino Observatory are still largely unknown, one of the promising methods to improve our understanding of them is investigating the potential temporal and spatial correlations between neutrino alerts and the electromagnetic radiation from blazars. We report on the multiwavelength target-of-opportunity observations of the blazar B3 2247+381, taken in response to an IceCube multiplet alert for a cluster of muon neutrino events compatible with the source location between 2022 May 20 and 2022 November 10. B3 2247+381 was not detected with VERITAS during this time period. The source was found to be in a low-flux state in the optical, ultraviolet, and gamma-ray bands for the time interval corresponding to the neutrino event, but was detected in the hard X-ray band with NuSTAR during this period. We find the multiwavelength spectral energy distribution is described well using a simple one-zone leptonic synchrotron self-Compton radiation model. Moreover, assuming the neutrinos originate from hadronic processes within the jet, the neutrino flux would be accompanied by a photon flux from the cascade emission, and the integrated photon flux required in such a case would significantly exceed the total multiwavelength fluxes and the VERITAS upper limits presented here. The lack of flaring activity observed with VERITAS, combined with the low multiwavelength flux levels, as well as the significance of the neutrino excess being at a 3σlevel (uncorrected for trials), makes B3 2247+381 an unlikely source of the IceCube multiplet. We conclude that the neutrino excess is likely a background fluctuation.more » « less
-
Abstract We report the detection of very high energy gamma-ray emission from the blazar S3 1227+25 (VER J1230+253) with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS). VERITAS observations of the source were triggered by the detection of a hard-spectrum GeV flare on 2015 May 15 with the Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT). A combined 5 hr VERITAS exposure on May 16 and 18 resulted in a strong 13σdetection with a differential photon spectral index, Γ = 3.8 ± 0.4, and a flux level at 9% of the Crab Nebula above 120 GeV. This also triggered target-of-opportunity observations with Swift, optical photometry, polarimetry, and radio measurements, also presented in this work, in addition to the VERITAS and Fermi-LAT data. A temporal analysis of the gamma-ray flux during this period finds evidence of a shortest variability timescale ofτobs= 6.2 ± 0.9 hr, indicating emission from compact regions within the jet, and the combined gamma-ray spectrum shows no strong evidence of a spectral cutoff. An investigation into correlations between the multiwavelength observations found evidence of optical and gamma-ray correlations, suggesting a single-zone model of emission. Finally, the multiwavelength spectral energy distribution is well described by a simple one-zone leptonic synchrotron self-Compton radiation model.more » « less
-
Abstract Assuming Galactic cosmic rays originate in supernovae and the winds of massive stars, starburst galaxies should produce very-high-energy (VHE;E > 100 GeV) gamma-ray emission via the interaction of their copious quantities of cosmic rays with the large reservoirs of dense gas within the galaxies. Such VHE emission was detected by VERITAS from the starburst galaxy M82 in 2008–09. An extensive, multiyear campaign followed these initial observations, yielding a total of 254 hr of good-quality VERITAS data on M82. Leveraging modern analysis techniques and the larger exposure, these VERITAS data show a more statistically significant VHE signal (∼6.5 standard deviations,σ). The corresponding photon spectrum is well fit by a power law (Γ = 2.3 ± 0.3stat ± 0.2sys), and the observed integral flux isF(>450 GeV) = (3.2 ± 0.6stat ± 0.6sys) × 10−13cm−2s−1, or ∼0.4% of the Crab Nebula flux above the same energy threshold. The improved VERITAS measurements, when combined with various multiwavelength data, enable modeling of the underlying emission and transport processes. A purely leptonic scenario is found to be a poor representation of the gamma-ray spectral energy distribution (SED). A lepto-hadronic scenario with cosmic rays following a power-law spectrum in momentum (indexs ≃ 2.25) and with significant bremsstrahlung below 1 GeV provides a good match to the observed SED. The synchrotron emission from the secondary electrons indicates that efficient nonradiative losses of cosmic-ray electrons may be related to advective escape from the starburst core.more » « less
-
Abstract High-energy neutrino andγ-ray emission has been observed from the Galactic plane, which may come from individual sources and/or diffuse cosmic rays. We evaluate the contribution of these two components through the multimessenger connection between neutrinos andγ-rays in hadronic interactions. We derive maximum fluxes of neutrino emission from the Galactic plane usingγ-ray catalogs, including 4FGL, HGPS, 3HWC, and 1LHAASO, and measurements of the Galactic diffuse emission by Tibet ASγand LHAASO. We find that the IceCube Galactic neutrino flux is larger than the contribution from all resolved sources when excluding promising leptonic sources such as pulsars, pulsar wind nebulae, and TeV halos. Our result indicates that the Galactic neutrino emission is likely dominated by the diffuse emission by the cosmic-ray sea and unresolved hadronicγ-ray sources. In addition, the IceCube flux is comparable to the sum of the flux of nonpulsar sources and the LHAASO diffuse emission especially above ∼30 TeV. This implies that the LHAASO diffuse emission may dominantly originate from hadronic interactions, either as the truly diffuse emission or unresolved hadronic emitters. Future observations of neutrino telescopes and air-showerγ-ray experiments in the Southern hemisphere are needed to accurately disentangle the source and diffuse emission of the Milky Way.more » « less
An official website of the United States government

