Cosmological Evolution of Flat-spectrum Radio Quasars Based on the Swift/BAT 105 Month Catalog and Their Contribution to the Cosmic MeV Gamma-Ray Background Radiation

Abstract

Abstract We present a new X-ray luminosity function of flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) utilizing the latest Swift/BAT 105 month X-ray source catalog. Contrary to previous studies of FSRQs in the X-ray band, using the luminosity-dependent density evolution model we find that FSRQs show evolutionary peaks at z ∼ 1−2 depending on luminosities. Our result is rather consistent with the evolution of FSRQs seen in the radio and GeV bands, although the number density is a factor of 5–10 smaller. We further explore the contribution of FSRQs to the cosmic MeV gamma-ray background radiation. We find that FSRQs can explain only ∼3% of the observed MeV gamma-ray background fluxes around 1 MeV, indicating other populations are required. Future MeV gamma-ray observations will be keys for understanding the origin of the MeV gamma-ray background radiation.