One-zone Synchrotron self-Compton Research Articles

Characterizing the γ-Ray Emission from FR0 Radio Galaxies

FR0 galaxies constitute the most abundant jet population in the local Universe. With their compact jet structure, they are broadband photon emitters and have been proposed as multimessenger sources. Recently, these sources have been detected for the first time in γ rays. Using a revised FR0 catalog, we confirm that the FR0 population as a whole are γ-ray emitters, and we also identify two significant sources. For the first time, we find a correlation between the 5 GHz core radio luminosity and γ-ray luminosity in the 1–800 GeV band, having a 4.8σ statistical significance. This is clear evidence that the jet emission mechanism is similar in nature for FR0s and the well-studied canonical FR (FRI and FRII) radio galaxies. Furthermore, we perform broadband spectral energy distribution modeling for the significantly detected sources as well as the subthreshold source population using a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model. Within the maximum jet power budget, our modeling shows that the detected γ rays from the jet can be explained as inverse Compton photons. To explain the multiwavelength observations for these galaxies, the modeling results stipulate a low bulk Lorentz factor and a jet composition far from equipartition, with the particle energy density dominating over the magnetic field energy density.

Separating source-intrinsic and Lorentz invariance violation induced delays in the very high-energy emission of blazar flares

The aim of the present study is to explore how to disentangle energy-dependent time delays due to a possible Lorentz invariance violation (LIV) at Planck scale from intrinsic delays expected in standard blazar flares. We first characterised the intrinsic time delays in BL Lacs and flat-spectrum radio quasars in standard one-zone time-dependent synchrotron self-Compton or external Compton models, during flares produced by particle acceleration and cooling processes. We simulated families of flares with both intrinsic and external LIV-induced energy-dependent delays. Discrimination between intrinsic and LIV delays is then investigated in two different ways. A technique based on Euclidean distance calculation between delays obtained in the synchrotron and in the inverse-Compton spectral bumps is used to assess their degree of correlation. A complementary study is performed using spectral hardness versus intensity diagrams in both energy ranges. We show that the presence of non-negligible LIV effects, which essentially act only at very high energy (VHE), can drastically reduce the strong correlation expected between the X-ray and the VHE gamma-ray emission in leptonic scenarios. The LIV phenomenon can then be hinted at measuring the Euclidean distance $d_ E $ from simultaneous X-ray and gamma-ray flare monitoring. Large values of minimum distance $d_ E,min $ would directly indicate the influence of non-intrinsic time delays possibly due to LIV in SSC flares. LIV effects can also significantly modify the VHE hysteresis patterns in hardness-intensity diagrams and even change their direction of rotation compared to the X-ray behaviour. Both observables could be used to discriminate between LIV and intrinsic delays, provided high-quality flare observations are available.

Probing gamma-ray burst afterglows with the Cherenkov Telescope Array

ABSTRACT Detection of delayed sub-TeV photons from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) by MAGIC and HESS has proven the promising future of GRB afterglow studies with the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA), the next-generation gamma-ray observatory. With the unprecedented sensitivity of CTA, afterglow detection rates are expected to increase dramatically. In this paper, we explore the multidimensional afterglow parameter space to see the detectability of sub-TeV photons by CTA. We use a one-zone electron synchrotron and synchrotron self-Compton model to obtain the spectral energy distribution. We consider bursts going off in a medium of homogenous density. The blast wave is assumed to be radiatively inefficient and evolving adiabatically. Considering that the electron acceleration is not efficient if the acceleration time-scale exceeds the radiative cooling time-scale, we find that the sub-TeV emission is always due to the self-Compton process. We find that jets with high kinetic energy or large bulk Lorentz factor decelerating into a dense ambient medium offer better detection prospects for CTA. For relatively lower values of the downstream magnetic field, electrons are slow-cooling, and the emitted radiation is positively correlated with the magnetic field. For larger magnetic fields, the electron population enters the fast-cooling phase where the radiated flux is inversely proportional to the magnetic field. We apply our results in the context of bright TeV afterglows detected in recent years. Our results indicate that cosmological short GRBs have only moderate prospects of detection by CTA while local neutron star merger counterparts can be detected if the jet is launched towards the observer.

The Formation of Hard Very High Energy Spectra from Gamma-ray Burst Afterglows via Two-zone Synchrotron Self-Compton Emission

Electron Compton scattering of target photons into the gamma-ray energy band (inverse Compton scattering; IC) is commonly expected to dominate the very high energy (VHE) spectra in gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) especially during the afterglow phase. For sufficiently large center-of-mass energies in these collisions, the effect of the electron recoil starts reducing the scattering cross-section (the Klein–Nishina regime). The IC spectra generated in the Klein–Nishina regime is softer and has a smaller flux level compared to the synchrotron spectra produced by the same electrons. The detection of afterglow emission from nearby GRB190829A in the VHE domain with H.E.S.S. has revealed an unexpected feature: the slope of the VHE spectrum matches well the slope of the X-ray spectra, despite expectations that, for the IC production process, the impact of the Klein–Nishina effect should be strong. The multi-wavelength spectral energy distribution appears to be inconsistent with predictions of one-zone synchrotron–self-Compton models. We study the possible impact of two-zone configuration on the properties of IC emission when the magnetic field strength differs considerably between the two zones. Synchrotron photons from the strong magnetic field zone provide the dominant target for cooling of the electrons in the weak magnetic field zone, which results in a formation of hard electron distribution and consequently of a hard IC emission. We show that the two-zone model can provide a good description of the Swift's X-ray Telescope and VHE H.E.S.S. data.

Multiwavelength temporal and spectral study of TeV blazar 1ES 1727+502 during 2014–2021

ABSTRACT One of the most important questions in blazar physics is the origin of broad-band emission and fast-flux variation. In this work, we studied the broad-band temporal and spectral properties of a TeV blazar 1ES 1727+502 and explore the one-zone synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) model to fit the broad-band spectral energy distribution (SED). We collected the long-term (2014–2021) multiband data that include both the low- and high-flux states of the source. The entire light curve is divided into three segments of different flux states and the best-fitting parameters obtained by broad-band SED modelling corresponding to three flux states were then compared. The TeV blazar 1ES 1727+502 has been observed to show the brightest flaring episode in the X-ray followed by the optical–UV and γ-rays. The fractional variability estimated during various segments behaves differently in multiple wavebands, suggesting a complex nature of emission in this source. This source has shown a range of variability time from days scale to month scale during this long period of observations between 2014 and 2021. A ‘harder-when-brighter’ trend is not prominent in the X-ray but seen in the optical–UV and an opposite trend is observed in the γ-ray. The complex nature of correlation among various bands is observed. The SED modelling suggests that the one-zone SSC emission model can reproduce the broad-band spectrum in the energy range from optical–UV to very high energy γ-ray.

Multiwavelength Observations of the Blazar VER J0521+211 during an Elevated TeV Gamma-Ray State

We report on a long-lasting, elevated gamma-ray flux state from VER J0521+211 observed by VERITAS, MAGIC, and Fermi-LAT in 2013 and 2014. The peak integral flux above 200 GeV measured with the nightly binned light curve is (8.8 ± 0.4) × 10−7 photons m−2 s−1, or ∼37% of the Crab Nebula flux. Multiwavelength observations from X-ray, UV, and optical instruments are also presented. A moderate correlation between the X-ray and TeV gamma-ray fluxes was observed, and the X-ray spectrum appeared harder when the flux was higher. Using the gamma-ray spectrum and four models of the extragalactic background light (EBL), a conservative 95% confidence upper limit on the redshift of the source was found to be z ≤ 0.31. Unlike the gamma-ray and X-ray bands, the optical flux did not increase significantly during the studied period compared to the archival low-state flux. The spectral variability from optical to X-ray bands suggests that the synchrotron peak of the spectral energy distribution (SED) may become broader during flaring states, which can be adequately described with a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model varying the high-energy end of the underlying particle spectrum. The synchrotron peak frequency of the SED and the radio morphology of the jet from the MOJAVE program are consistent with the source being an intermediate-frequency-peaked BL Lac object.

Long-term Optical Monitoring of the TeV BL Lacertae Object 1ES 2344 + 514

Variability is one of the main observational characteristics of blazars. Studying variability is an efficient method to reveal the nature of active galactic nuclei. In the present work, we report optical R-band photometry observations of a TeV blazar, 1ES 2344 + 514, carried out with a 70 cm telescope in the period of 1998 July–2017 November at Abastumani Observatory, Georgia. Based on the optical R-band observations, the optical variation behaviors on both short timescales and long timescales are investigated. Three methods (Jurkevich, discrete correlation function, and power spectrum analysis) are used to investigate periodicity in the light curve. In addition, combined with multiwavelength data, the jet physical properties are discussed. The following conclusions are drawn: (1) A variability of ΔR = 0.155 mag (15.356 − 15.201 mag) over a timescale of ΔT = 12.99 minutes is detected during our 628 days of monitoring. (2) According to the Kelvin–Helmholtz thermal instability, if the magnetic field intensity (B) for the source is greater than a critical value (B c ), it will reduce the incidence of intraday variations in the light curves. (3) The physical parameters of the dissipation region are obtained by fitting the spectral energy distribution with a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model for the average and flare states. (4) The three methods show that there are periods of P = 2.72 ± 0.47 yr, P = 1.61 ± 0.18 yr, P = 1.31 ± 0.17 yr, and P = 1.05 ± 0.07 yr. When a binary black hole system is adopted with a period of P = 2.72 ± 0.41 yr, we obtain the orbital parameters for the binary black hole system as follows: M = 8.08 × 109 M ⊙, the sum of the semiaxes is r = 7.18 × 1016 cm, and the lifetime of the binary black hole is τ merge = 6.24 × 102 yr.

A two-zone model as origin of hard TeV spectrum in extreme BL lacs

ABSTRACT The emission of the so-called extreme BL Lacs poses challenges to the particle acceleration models. The hardness of their spectrum, ≲ 2, in the high-energy band demands unusual parameters using the standard one-zone synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) model with a deficient magnetized plasma. Some authors use either two-zone or hadronic/lepto-hadronic models to relax these atypical values. In this work, we present a lepto-hadronic two-zone model to explain the multi-wavelength observations of the six best-known extreme BL Lacs. The very-high-energy gamma-ray observations are described by the photo-hadronic processes in a blob close to the AGN core and by SSC and external inverse Compton-processes in an outer blob. The photo-hadronic interactions occur when accelerated protons in the inner blob interact with annihilation line photons from a sub-relativistic pair plasma. The X-ray observations are described by synchrotron radiation from the outer blob. The parameter values found from the description of the spectral energy distribution for each object with our phenomenological model are similar to each other, and lie in the typical range reported in BL Lacs.

A spectral hardening in the Fermi-LAT Data of 1ES 0502+675

ABSTRACT The γ-ray spectral feature of the blazar 1ES 0502+675 is investigated by using Fermi Large Area Telescope Pass 8 data (between 100 MeV and 300 GeV) covering from 2008 August to 2021 April. A significant (∼4σ) hardening at ∼1 GeV is found in the γ-ray spectrum during a moderately flaring state (MJD 55050–55350). The photon index below and above the break energy is Γ1 = 2.36 ± 0.31 and Γ2 = 1.33 ± 0.11, respectively. In the rest of the observations, the γ-ray spectrum can be described by a power-law form with the photon index of ≈1.6. In the frame of a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) model, the spectral hardening is interpreted as the transition between the synchrotron component and the SSC component. This could be the result of a slight increase of the break or maximum Lorentz factor of the electrons.

The long-term multiwavelength observations of the blazar PKS 2005-489

We present the results of the long-term multiwavelength observations of the TeV-detected blazar PKS2005−489. During the 15-yr period of the monitoring with X-ray Telescope (XRT) onboard Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, the most extreme flaring event was recorded in 2009June when the 2–10keV flux boosted by a factor of ∼50 compared to the previous observation with the same instrument and was comparable to that observed during the exceptional flare in 1998. However, strong flaring epochs were followed by much longer periods with significantly lower X-ray states and lesser activity, as revealed during the monitoring with different X-ray instruments and possibly related to the rare emergence of strong shock waves in the jet. Moreover, the target was passive on intraday timescales: only one 0.3–10keV IDV was shown during 60 XRT observations, incorporating very fast brightness increase by 70% within 160s which was superimposed on the significantly slower variability over the 82-ks time interval. Generally, the XRT-band spectra are well-fit with a simple powerlaw model, yielding a very broad range of the 0.3–10keV photon index Γ=1.95(0.04)–3.25(0.09). The source showed a wide range of the synchrotron peak position in the UV–soft X-ray range (with Epmax∼1.5keV), thus confirming its previous classification as a high-energy-peaking BL Lac source. PKS2005−489 did not show a clear “harder-when-brighter” spectral trend that could be related to very different physical conditions in the jet emission zone in diverse epochs. The source exhibited moderate and strong flaring activities in the MeV–GeV and UV–optical–IR energy ranges, respectively, which were weakly correlated with the X-ray variability and demonstrated a need of more complex emission scenarios than one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model. The lognormal function is well-fit with the distributions of the X-ray and MeV–GeV fluxes, thus hinting at the possible imprint of the accretion disc’s variability onto the jet.

Kinetic powers of the relativistic jets in Mrk 421 and Mrk 501

ABSTRACT Using the standard one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model and the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) technique, we systematically analyse the quasi-simultaneous multiwavelength spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of Mrk 421 and Mrk 501 during states of relatively low activity. With this model in place, a semi-analytical method is developed to examine the uncertainty in jet power estimation caused by degeneracy of the radiative models. The semi-analytical method, in combination with the MCMC technique, allows us to explore the jet properties over a wide range of the variability time-scale. Our results seem to support the following. (i) In both Mrk 421 and Mrk 501, the jets are powered by rapidly rotating black holes. The black hole spin in Mrk 501 could be lower than that in Mrk 421 or possibly they are equal under the assumption of the Blandford–Znajek mechanism. (ii) The energy losses, which could be used to form the large-scale radio structure, are important for reconciling the differences of the kinetic power derived from the observations of the large-scale structure and the SED fitting results. Moreover, the jet energy losses in the propagation are more significant for Mrk 501 than for Mrk 421.

Studies of extragalactic background light with TeV BL Lacertae objects

ABSTRACT Very high energy (VHE; E ≥ 100 GeV) gamma-rays from cosmological distances are attenuated by the extragalactic background light (EBL) in the infrared to ultraviolet bands. By contrasting measured versus intrinsic emission,we can derive the EBL photon density. However, we do not know the intrinsic spectra and the EBL separately, only their combined effect. Here we first present a flexible model-dependent optical depth method to study the EBL by fitting the emission spectra of TeV BL Lacertae objects (BL Lacs) via a one-zone leptonic synchrotron self-Compton model (SSC). We have little information about electron energy distributions (EEDs) in the jet, which is critically important to build spectral energy distributions (SEDs) in the SSC scenario. Based on current particle acceleration models, we use two types of EEDs to fit the observed spectra: a power-law log-parabola (PLLP) EED and a broken power-law (BPL) EED. We find that the upper limit of the EBL density is about 30 n W m−2 sr−1, which is similar to the published measurement. Furthermore, we propose an unprecedented method to test the radiation mechanisms involved in TeV objects, by simply comparing the reduced EBL density with the limit obtained by galaxy counts. We demonstrate that for some BL Lacs, at least, the one-zone SSC model should be reconsidered.

Testing two-component models on very high-energy gamma-ray-emitting BL Lac objects

Context. It has become evident that one-zone synchrotron self-Compton models are not always adequate for very high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray-emitting blazars. While two-component models perform better, they are difficult to constrain due to the large number of free parameters. Aims. In this work, we make a first attempt at taking into account the observational constraints from very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) data, long-term light curves (radio, optical, and X-rays), and optical polarisation to limit the parameter space for a two-component model and test whether or not it can still reproduce the observed spectral energy distribution (SED) of the blazars. Methods. We selected five TeV BL Lac objects based on the availability of VHE gamma-ray and optical polarisation data. We collected constraints for the jet parameters from VLBI observations. We evaluated the contributions of the two components to the optical flux by means of decomposition of long-term radio and optical light curves as well as modelling of the optical polarisation variability of the objects. We selected eight epochs for these five objects based on the variability observed at VHE gamma rays, for which we constructed the SEDs that we then modelled with a two-component model. Results. We found parameter sets which can reproduce the broadband SED of the sources in the framework of two-component models considering all available observational constraints from VLBI observations. Moreover, the constraints obtained from the long-term behaviour of the sources in the lower energy bands could be used to determine the region where the emission in each band originates. Finally, we attempt to use optical polarisation data to shed new light on the behaviour of the two components in the optical band. Our observationally constrained two-component model allows explanation of the entire SED from radio to VHE with two co-located emission regions.

Broad-band study of high-synchrotron-peaked BL Lac object 1ES 1218+304

ABSTRACT The origin of the multiwavelength emission from the high-synchrotron-peaked BL Lac 1ES 1218+304 is studied using the data from SwiftUVOT/XRT, NuSTAR, and Fermi-LAT. A detailed temporal and spectral analysis of the data observed during 2008–2020 in the γ-ray (>100 MeV), X-ray (0.3–70 keV), and optical/UV bands is performed. The γ-ray spectrum is hard with a photon index of 1.71 ± 0.02 above 100 MeV. The SwiftUVOT/XRT data show a flux increase in the UV/optical and X-ray bands; the highest 0.3–3 keV X-ray flux was (1.13 ± 0.02) × 10−10 erg cm−2 s−1. In the 0.3–10 keV range, the averaged X-ray photon index is >2.0 which softens to 2.56 ± 0.028 in the 3–50 keV band. However, in some periods, the X-ray photon index became extremely hard (<1.8), indicating that the peak of the synchrotron component was above 1 keV, and so 1ES 1218+304 behaved like an extreme synchrotron BL Lac. The hardest X-ray photon index of 1ES 1218+304 was 1.60 ± 0.05 on MJD 58489. The time-averaged multiwavelength spectral energy distribution is modelled within a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton leptonic model using a broken power law and power law with an exponential cutoff electron energy distributions. The data are well explained when the electron energy distribution is $E_{\rm e}^{-2.1}$ extending up to γbr/cut ≃ (1.7 − 4.3) × 105, and the magnetic field is weak (B ∼ 1.5 × 10−2 G). By solving the kinetic equation for electron evolution in the emitting region, the obtained electron energy distributions are discussed considering particle injection, cooling, and escape.

Simultaneous observations of the blazar PKS 2155−304 from ultra-violet to TeV energies

Here we report the results of the first ever contemporaneous multi-wavelength observation campaign on the BL Lac object PKS 2155−304 involvingSwift,NuSTAR,Fermi-LAT, and H.E.S.S. The use of these instruments allows us to cover a broad energy range, which is important for disentangling the different radiative mechanisms. The source, observed from June 2013 to October 2013, was found in a low flux state with respect to previous observations but exhibited highly significant flux variability in the X-rays. The high-energy end of the synchrotron spectrum can be traced up to 40 keV without significant contamination by high-energy emission. A one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model was used to reproduce the broadband flux of the source for all the observations presented here but failed for previous observations made in April 2013. A lepto-hadronic solution was then explored to explain these earlier observational results.

Broadband characterisation of the very intense TeV flares of the blazar 1ES 1959+650 in 2016

1ES 1959+650 is a bright TeV high-frequency-peaked BL Lac object exhibiting interesting features like “orphan” TeV flares and broad emission in the high-energy regime that are difficult to interpret using conventional one-zone Synchrotron Self-Compton (SSC) scenarios. We report the results from the Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov (MAGIC) observations in 2016 along with the multi-wavelength data from theFermiLarge Area Telescope (LAT) andSwiftinstruments. MAGIC observed 1ES 1959+650 with different emission levels in the very-high-energy (VHE,E > 100 GeV)γ-ray band during 2016. In the long-term data, the X-ray spectrum becomes harder with increasing flux and a hint of a similar trend is also visible in the VHE band. An exceptionally high VHE flux reaching ∼3 times the Crab Nebula flux was measured by MAGIC on the 13 and 14 of June, and 1 July 2016 (the highest flux observed since 2002). During these flares, the high-energy peak of the spectral energy distribution (SED) lies in the VHE domain and extends up to several TeV. The spectrum in theγ-ray (bothFermi-LAT and VHE bands) and the X-ray bands are quite hard. On 13 June and 1 July 2016, the source showed rapid variations in the VHE flux within timescales of less than an hour. A simple one-zone SSC model can describe the data during the flares requiring moderate to large values of the Doppler factors (δ ≥ 30−60). Alternatively, the high-energy peak of the SED can be explained by a purely hadronic model attributed to proton-synchrotron radiation with jet powerLjet ∼ 1046erg s−1and under high values of the magnetic field strength (∼100 G) and maximum proton energy (∼few EeV). Mixed lepto-hadronic models require super-Eddington values of the jet power. We conclude that it is difficult to get detectable neutrino emission from the source during the extreme VHE flaring period of 2016.

Variations of the physical parameters of the blazar Mrk 421 based on analysis of the spectral energy distributions

Abstract We report on the variations of the physical parameters of the jet observed in the blazar Mrk 421, and discuss the origin of X-ray flares in the jet, based on analysis of several spectral energy distributions (SEDs). The SEDs are modeled using the one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model, its parameters determined using a Markov chain Monte Carlo method. The lack of data at TeV energies means many of the parameters cannot be uniquely determined and are correlated. These are studied in detail. We find that the optimal solution can be uniquely determined only when we apply a constraint to one of four parameters: the magnetic field (B), the Doppler factor, the size of the emitting region, and the normalization factor of the electron energy distribution. We used 31 sets of SEDs from 2009 to 2014 with optical–UV data observed with UVOT/Swift and the Kanata telescope, X-ray data with XRT/Swift, and γ-ray data with the Fermi Large Area Telescope. The result of our SED analysis suggests that, in the X-ray faint state, the emission occurs in a relatively small area (∼1016 cm) with a relatively strong magnetic field (B ∼ 10−1 G). The X-ray bright state shows a tendency opposite to that of the faint state, that is, a large emitting area (∼1018 cm), probably downstream of the jet, and a weak magnetic field (B ∼ 10−3 G). The high X-ray flux was due to an increase in the maximum energy of electrons. On the other hand, the presence of two kinds of emitting areas implies that the one-zone model is unsuitable for reproducing at least part of the observed SEDs.

Study of the variable broadband emission of Markarian 501 during the most extreme Swift X-ray activity

Context. Markarian 501 (Mrk 501) is a very high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray blazar located at z = 0.034, which is regularly monitored by a wide range of multi-wavelength instruments, from radio to VHE gamma rays. During a period of almost two weeks in July 2014, the highest X-ray activity of Mrk 501 was observed in ∼14 years of operation of the Neil Gehrels Swift Gamma-ray Burst Observatory. Aims. We characterize the broadband variability of Mrk 501 from radio to VHE gamma rays during the most extreme X-ray activity measured in the last 14 years, and evaluate whether it can be interpreted within theoretical scenarios widely used to explain the broadband emission from blazars. Methods. The emission of Mrk 501 was measured at radio with Metsähovi, at optical–UV with KVA and Swift/UVOT, at X-ray with Swift/XRT and Swift/BAT, at gamma ray with Fermi-LAT, and at VHE gamma rays with the FACT and MAGIC telescopes. The multi-band variability and correlations were quantified, and the broadband spectral energy distributions (SEDs) were compared with predictions from theoretical models. Results. The VHE emission of Mrk 501 was found to be elevated during the X-ray outburst, with a gamma-ray flux above 0.15 TeV varying from ∼0.5 to ∼2 times the Crab nebula flux. The X-ray and VHE emission both varied on timescales of 1 day and were found to be correlated. We measured a general increase in the fractional variability with energy, with the VHE variability being twice as large as the X-ray variability. The temporal evolution of the most prominent and variable segments of the SED, characterized on a day-by-day basis from 2014 July 16 to 2014 July 31, is described with a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model with variations in the break energy of the electron energy distribution (EED), and with some adjustments in the magnetic field strength and spectral shape of the EED. These results suggest that the main flux variations during this extreme X-ray outburst are produced by the acceleration and the cooling of the high-energy electrons. A narrow feature at ∼3 TeV was observed in the VHE spectrum measured on 2014 July 19 (MJD 56857.98), which is the day with the highest X-ray flux (>0.3 keV) measured during the entire Swift mission. This feature is inconsistent with the classical analytic functions to describe the measured VHE spectra (power law, log-parabola, and log-parabola with exponential cutoff) at more than 3σ. A fit with a log-parabola plus a narrow component is preferred over the fit with a single log-parabola at more than 4σ, and a dedicated Monte Carlo simulation estimated the significance of this extra component to be larger than 3σ. Under the assumption that this VHE spectral feature is real, we show that it can be reproduced with three distinct theoretical scenarios: (a) a pileup in the EED due to stochastic acceleration; (b) a structured jet with two-SSC emitting regions, with one region dominated by an extremely narrow EED; and (c) an emission from an IC pair cascade induced by electrons accelerated in a magnetospheric vacuum gap, in addition to the SSC emission from a more conventional region along the jet of Mrk 501.

Reconcilement of VHE γ -ray/X-ray correlation studies in Mrk 421 and break-down at high fluxes

Multi-wavelength campaigns have been carried out to study the correlation between the very high energy (VHE) $\gamma$-ray and the X-ray emissions in blazars but, no conclusive results have been achieved yet. In this paper, we add Milagro data to the existing VHE $\gamma$-ray data from HEGRA-CT1 and Whipple and test the consistency and robustness of the reported correlation between VHE $\gamma$-ray and X-ray fluxes in Mrk 421. We found that at monthly time scale the correlation is robust, consistent between instruments and described as a linear function. Furthermore, most of the fluxes on shorter time scales are consistent with the correlation within 3 $\sigma_A$ even, where $\sigma_A$ is an estimated intrinsic scatter. However, a break-down of the correlation becomes clearly evident at high states of activity with fluxes $\rm \gtrsim 2.5\times 10^{-10}\, cm^{-2}s^{-1}$ at energies above 400 GeV independently of the time scale, observational period or instrument, even for single flares, the X-ray and VHE $\gamma$-ray emissions lie on the correlation until the VHE $\gamma$-ray flux reaches values higher than the one mentioned above. We have interpreted our results within the one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model. We found that describing a single and unique $\gamma$-ray/X-ray correlation strongly narrows the range of possible values of the magnetic field $B$ when a constant value of the spectral index along the correlation is assumed.

Multi-wavelength characterization of the blazar S5 0716+714 during an unprecedented outburst phase

Context. The BL Lac object S5 0716+714, a highly variable blazar, underwent an impressive outburst in January 2015 (Phase A), followed by minor activity in February (Phase B). The MAGIC observations were triggered by the optical flux observed in Phase A, corresponding to the brightest ever reported state of the source in the R-band. Aims.The comprehensive dataset collected is investigated in order to shed light on the mechanism of the broadband emission. Methods. Multi-wavelength light curves have been studied together with the broadband spectral energy distributions (SEDs). The sample includes data from Effelsberg, OVRO, Metsähovi, VLBI, CARMA, IRAM, SMA, Swift-UVOT, KVA, Tuorla, Steward, RINGO3, KANATA, AZT-8+ST7, Perkins, LX-200, Swift-XRT, NuSTAR, Fermi-LAT and MAGIC. Results. The flaring state of Phase A was detected in all the energy bands, providing for the first time a multi-wavelength sample of simultaneous data from the radio band to the very-high-energy (VHE, E > 100 GeV). In the constructed SED, the Swift-XRT+NuSTAR data constrain the transition between the synchrotron and inverse Compton components very accurately, while the second peak is constrained from 0.1 GeV to 600 GeV by Fermi+MAGIC data. The broadband SED cannot be described with a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model as it severely underestimates the optical flux in order to reproduce the X-ray to γ-ray data. Instead we use a two-zone model. The electric vector position angle (EVPA) shows an unprecedented fast rotation. An estimation of the redshift of the source by combined high-energy (HE, 0.1 GeV < E < 100 GeV) and VHE data provides a value of z = 0.31 ± 0.02stats ± 0.05sys, confirming the literature value. Conclusions. The data show the VHE emission originating in the entrance and exit of a superluminal knot in and out of a recollimation shock in the inner jet. A shock–shock interaction in the jet seems responsible for the observed flares and EVPA swing. This scenario is also consistent with the SED modeling.