Abstract
Hadronic models of blazar emission constitute an interesting alternative to the more popular leptonic ones. Using the BL Lac object Mrk 421 as a characteristic example, we present two distinct ways of modeling the spectral energy distribution of blazars in the hadronic context, and we discuss the predictions of each variant on the spectral shape, the multi-wavelength variability, the cosmic-ray flux, and the high-energy neutrino emission. Focusing on the latter, we then present an application of the hadronic model to individual BL Lacs that were recently suggested to be the counterparts of some of the IceCube neutrinos.
Highlights
High energy γ-ray observations have proven, beyond any doubt, that blazar jets can accelerate particles to ultrarelativistic energies
When there is no correlation, the two fluxes become uncorrelated. This is due to the fact that in the LHs model, TeV γ-rays are produced by proton synchrotron, and they do not depend in any way on the X-rays
Hadronic models for blazar emission assume that the observed GeV–TeV γ−rays are produced from interactions of high energy protons that have been accelerated in the jets of these objects
Summary
High energy γ-ray observations have proven, beyond any doubt, that blazar jets can accelerate particles to ultrarelativistic energies. While it is quite possible that these particles are leptons, the hadronic origin of gamma-rays still remains an intriguing alternative, since this can have direct implications for both the sites of ultra-high-energy Cosmic Ray (UHECR) acceleration and for neutrino astronomy, especially in light of the recent IceCube detections [1]. We will present the consequences of the possible presence of ultrarelativistic protons in blazar jets.
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