The optical spectral slope variability of 17 blazars

Many quasi-simultaneous optical observations of 17 blazars are obtained from previous papers published over the last 19 years in order to investigate the spectral slope variability and understand the radiation mechanism of blazars. The long-period dereddened optical spectral slopes are calculated. We analyse the average spectral slope distribution, which suggests that the spectra of flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) and high energy peaked BL Lac objects (HBLs) are probably deformed by other emission components. The average spectral slopes of low energy peaked BL Lac objects(LBLs), which scatter around 1.5, show a good accordance with the synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) loss-dominated model. We present and discuss the variability between the spectral slope and optical luminosity. The spectra of all HBLs and LBLs get flatter when they turn brighter, while for FSRQs this trend does not exist or may even be reversed. This phenomenon may imply that there is a thermal contribution to the optical spectrum for FSRQs. For the FSRQ 1156+295, there is a hint that the slope gets flatter at both the brightest and faintest states. Our result shows that three subclasses locate in different regions in the pattern of slope variability indicator versus average spectral slope. The relativistic jet mechanism is supported by the significant correlation between the optical Doppler factor and the average spectral slope.     

The broadband spectral energy distributions of SDSS blazars

We compiled the radio, optical and X-ray data of blazars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey database, and presented the distribution of luminosities and broadband spectral indices. The distribution of luminosities shows that the averaged luminosity of flat spectrum radio quasars(FSRQs) is larger than that of BL Lacertae(BL Lac) objects. On the other hand, the broadband spectral energy distribution reveals that FSRQs and low energy peaked BL Lac objects have similar spectral properties,but high energy peaked BL Lac objects have a distinct spectral property. This may be due to the fact that different subclasses of blazars have different intrinsic environments and are at different cooling levels. Even so, a unified scheme is also revealed from the color-color diagram, which hints that there are similar physical processes operating in all objects under a range of intrinsic physical conditions or beaming parameters.     

X-ray spectral indices of the Fermi/LAT blazars

In this work, we analyze the X-ray spectral indices of the 245 Fermi-detected blazars. Relations between the γ-ray emission and the X-ray emission are our research focuses. Our analysis shows that: (1) the X-ray spectral indices of the Fermi/LAT-detected-blazars (α _X|Fermi ), have similar distributions with those of non-Fermi-detected blazars (α _X|non-Fermi ), and the averaged value \(\overline{\alpha_{X|Fermi}}\simeq\overline{\alpha_{X|non\mbox{-}Fermi}}\) ; (2) X-ray spectral indices are strong anti-correlated with the logarithmic Doppler factors, log(δ)=?(0.27±0.10)α _X +(1.09±0.14), with the correlative coefficient R=?0.33, the chance probability P=1.9 %; (3) X-ray spectral indices (α _X ) and γ-ray spectral indices (α _γ ) show strong anti-correlation, α _X =?(0.62±0.11)α _γ +(1.91±0.12), R=?0.35, P<0.001 %.     

A unifying view of the spectral energy distributions of blazars

We collect data at well-sampled frequencies from the radio to the γ-ray range for the following three complete samples of blazars: the Slew survey, the 1-Jy samples of BL Lacs and the 2-Jy sample of flat-spectrum radio-loud quasars (FSRQs). The fraction of objects detected in γ-rays ( E  ≳ 100 MeV) is ∼ 17, 26 and 40 per cent in the three samples respectively. Except for the Slew survey sample, γ-ray detected sources do not differ either from other sources in each sample, or from all the γ-ray detected sources, in terms of the distributions of redshift, radio and X-ray luminosities or of the broad-band spectral indices (radio to optical and radio to X-ray). We compute average spectral energy distributions (SEDs) from radio to γ-rays for each complete sample and for groups of blazars binned according to radio luminosity, irrespective of the original classification as BL Lac or FSRQ. The resulting SEDs show a remarkable continuity in that (i) the first peak occurs in different frequency ranges for different samples/luminosity classes, with most luminous sources peaking at lower frequencies; (ii) the peak frequency of the γ-ray component correlates with the peak frequency of the lower energy one; (iii) the luminosity ratio between the high and low frequency components increases with bolometric luminosity. The continuity of properties among different classes of sources and the systematic trends of the SEDs as a function of luminosity favour a unified view of the blazar phenomenon: a single parameter, related to luminosity, seems to govern the physical properties and radiation mechanisms in the relativistic jets present in BL Lac objects as well as in FSRQs. The general implications of this unified scheme are discussed while a detailed theoretical analysis, based on fitting continuum models to the individual spectra of most γ-ray blazars, is presented in a separate paper.     

The broad band spectral index of blazars in a low state

Using the broad band spectral index of 164 blazars in a low state, we studied the possible correlation between different broad band spectral index (α _r.ir , α _r.o , α _r.x , α _r.γ , α _ir.o , α _ir.x , α _ir.γ , α _o.x , α _o.γ , α _x.γ ). We also studied the possible correlation between different broad band spectral index of high-frequency peaked Bl Lac object (HBL), low-frequency peaked BL Lac object (LBL) and flat spectral radio quasars (FSRQs), respectively. The strong anti-correlations were found between α _r.o and α _o.γ , between α _r.o and α _x.γ in a low state for our blazar sample. For LBL and FSRQs, the strong anti-correlations were found between α _r.ir and α _ir.x , between α _r.o and α _o.x , and between α _r.o and α _o.γ in a low state. Based on these results, we suggested that the seed photons of the γ-ray drive from both the jet and the external accretion disk or the broad-line region, and that the subclasses of blazars seem to the different emission mechanism.     

The broad band spectral index of TeV blazars detected by Fermi LAT

Using γ-ray data detected by Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) and multi-wave band data for 35 TeV blazars sample, we have studied the possible correlations between different broad band spectral indices ( $\alpha_{\rm r.ir}$ , $\alpha_{\rm{r.o}}$ , $\alpha_{\rm r.x}$ , $\alpha_{\rm r.\gamma}$ , $\alpha_{\rm{ir.o}}$ , $\alpha_{\rm ir.x}$ , $\alpha_{\rm ir.\gamma}$ , $\alpha_{\rm o.x}$ , $\alpha_{\rm o.\gamma}$ , $\alpha_{\rm r.x}$ , $\alpha_{\rm x.\gamma}$ ) in all states (average/high/low). Our results are as follows: (1) For our TeV blazars sample, the strong positive correlations were found between $\alpha_{\rm r.ir}$ and $\alpha_{\rm{r.o}}$ , between $\alpha_{\rm r.ir}$ and $\alpha_{\rm r.x}$ , between $\alpha_{\rm r.ir}$ and $\alpha_{\rm r.\gamma}$ in all states (average/high/low); (2) For our TeV blazars sample, the strong anti-correlations were found between $\alpha_{\rm r.ir}$ and $\alpha_{\rm x.\gamma}$ , between $\alpha_{\rm{r.o}}$ and $\alpha_{\rm ir.\gamma}$ , between $\alpha_{\rm{r.o}}$ and $\alpha_{\rm o.\gamma}$ , between $\alpha_{\rm{r.o}}$ and $\alpha_{\rm x.\gamma}$ , between $\alpha_{\mathrm{ir.o}}$ and $\alpha_{\rm o.\gamma}$ , between $\alpha_{\rm r.x}$ and $\alpha_{\rm x.\gamma}$ , between $\alpha_{\rm ir.x}$ and $\alpha_{\rm x.\gamma}$ in all states (average/high/low). The results suggest that the synchrotron self-Compton radiation (SSC) is the main mechanism of high energy γ-ray emission and the inverse Compton scattering of circum-nuclear dust is likely to be a important complementary mechanism for TeV blazars. Our results also show that the possible correlations vary from state to state in the same pair of indices, Which suggest that there may exist differences in the emitting process and in the location of the emitting region for different states.     

Gamma-ray emission of blazars

In this paper, the correlations of gamma ray with other bands are discussed for highly polarized blazars. The results show gamma rays are beamed. It is closely associated with the radio band emission, but not associated with optical or X-ray emissions. Gamma ray emission is likely from resynchrotron-self-Compton (SSC) process.     

Long-term optical-infrared color variability of blazars

The long-term optical and infrared color variability of blazars has been investigated with monitoring data from the Small and Moderate Aperture Research Telescope System(SMARTS). The sample in this study consists of 49 flat spectrum radio quasars(FSRQs) and 22 BL Lacertae objects(BL Lacs). The fractional variability amplitudes of each source have been calculated in both optical R band and infrared J band. Overall, the variability amplitudes of FSRQs are larger than those of BL Lacs. The results also suggest that the variability amplitude of most FSRQs is larger at a lower energy band(J band) than at a higher one(R band), but the variability amplitude of BL Lacs is larger at the higher energy band. Both types of blazars display color variation along with variability in brightness. However, they show different variation behaviors in general. In the whole data set, 35 FSRQs exhibit redder-whenbrighter trends, and 11 FSRQs exhibit opposite trends; 11 BL Lacs follow bluer-whenbrighter trends, and seven BL Lacs follow opposite trends. A detailed examination indicates that there are 10 blazars showing redder-when-brighter trends in their low state, and bluer-when-brighter or stable-when-brighter trends in their high state. Some more complicated color behaviors have also been detected in several blazars. The nonthermal jet emission and the thermal emission from the accretion disk are employed to explain the observed color behaviors.     

Optical variability of gamma-ray loud blazars

Blazars display flux variability on diverse timescales ranging from minutes to months. In our blazar monitoring project carried out on the 1.2meter telescope at Gurushikhar, Mount Abu, India, we selected someγ-ray loud blazars to study the variability over both the short and the long time scales. In this paper we have reported results based on photometric monitoring on 8 nights during the observing run in the first half of the year 2000 for 5 blazars: S5 0716+714, OJ 287, S4 0954+658, Mrk421 and PKS 2155–304 in B and R passbands. Microvariability and rapid variability has been observed in these sources suggesting that variability is a common property in these objects. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The evolutionary sequence of Fermi blazars

Using γ-ray data (α _γ , F _γ ) detected by Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) and black hole mass which has been compiled from literatures for 116 Fermi blazars, we calculated intrinsic γ-ray luminosity, intrinsic bolometric luminosity, intrinsic Eddington ratio and studied the relationships between all above parameters and redshift, between α _γ and L _γ . Furthermore, we obtained the histograms of key parameters. Our results are the following: (1) The main reason for the evolutionary sequence of three subclasses (HBLs, LBLs, FSRQs) may be Eddington ratio rather than black hole mass; (2) FSRQs occupy in the earlier, high-luminosity, high Eddington ratio, violent phase of the galactic evolution sequence, while BL Lac objects occur in the low luminosity, low Eddington ratio, late phase of the galactic evolution sequence; (3) These results imply that the evolutionary track of Fermi blazars is FSRQs ? LBLs ? HBLs.     

Linkage between accretion disks and blazars

The magnetic field in an accretion disk is estimated assuming that all of the angular momentum within prescribed accretion disk radii is removed by a jet. The magnetic field estimated at the base of the jet is extrapolated to the blazar emission region using a model for a relativistic axisymmetric jet combined with some simplifying assumptions based on the relativistic nature of the flow. The extrapolated magnetic field is compared with estimates based upon the synchrotron and inverse Compton emission from three blazars, MKN 501, MKN 421 and PKS 2155-304. The magnetic fields evaluated from pure synchrotron self-Compton models are inconsistent with the magnetic fields extrapolated in this way. However, in two cases inverse Compton models in which a substantial part of the soft photon field is generated locally agree well, mainly because these models imply magnetic field strengths consistent with an important Poynting Flux component. This comparison is based on estimating the mass accretion rate from the jet energy flux. Further comparisons along these lines will be facilitated by independent estimates of the mass accretion rate in blazars and by more detailed models for jet propagation near the black hole.     

Multiwavelength observations of blazars: a summary

Because of their broad-band nature, multiwavelength observations of blazars are crucial to constrain the emission mechanisms, structure, and physical quantities of the inner jet on parsec and sub-parsec scales. Here I briefly review selected multiwavelength observations of blazars with a particular emphasis on sources detected at GeV and TeV gamma-rays. Their properties are discussed in the frame of the blazar “luminosity sequence”.     

Spectral energy distributions for TeV blazars

In this work, we collected a sample of 69 TeV blazars from TeVCat, obtained their multiwavelength observations, and fitted their spectral energy distributions by using a second degree polynomial function. The structure parameters of synchrotron bumps for 68 blazars and those of inverseCompton bumps for 56 blazars were derived. Then, we conducted statistical analysis on the parameters(curvature, peak frequency, peak luminosity, bolometric luminosity and X/γ-ray spectral indexes).From our analysis and discussions, we can conclude the following:(1) There is a clear positive correlation between the synchrotron peak frequency, log ν_p~s, and the inverse-Compton peak frequency, log ν_p~(IC),and between the synchrotron peak luminosity, log ν_p~sL_(νp)~s, and the inverse-Compton peak luminosity,log ν_p~(IC)L_(νp)~(IC).(2) The correlation between the peak frequency and the curvature of synchrotron bump is clearly different from that of the inverse-Compton bump, which further indicates that there are different emission mechanisms between them.(3) There is a correlation between log νIC pand γ-ray spectral index, α_γ, for the TeV blazars: log ν_p~(IC)=-(4.59 ± 0.30)α_γ+(32.67 ± 0.59), which is consistent with previous work.(4) An "L-shape" relation is found between log ν_p~s and α_X for both TeV blazars and Fermi blazars. A significant correlation between log νs pand X-ray photon index(α_X) is found for the TeV blazars with high synchrotron peak frequency: log ν_p~s=-(3.20 ± 0.34)α_X+(24.33 ± 0.79),while the correlation is positive for low synchrotron peaked TeV sources.(5) In the αX-αγdiagram,there is also an "L-shape." The anti-correlation is consistent with results available in the literature, and we also find a positive correlation between them.(6) Inverse-Compton dominant sources have luminous bolometric luminosities.     

Modeling the emission processes in blazars

Blazars are the most violent steady/recurrent sources of high-energy gamma-ray emission in the known Universe. They are prominent emitters of electromagnetic radiation throughout the entire electromagnetic spectrum. The observable radiation most likely originates in a relativistic jet oriented at a small angle with respect to the line of sight. This review starts out with a general overview of the phenomenology of blazars, including results from a recent multiwavelength observing campaign on 3C279. Subsequently, issues of modeling broadband spectra will be discussed. Spectral information alone is not sufficient to distinguish between competing models and to constrain essential parameters, in particular related to the primary particle acceleration and radiation mechanisms in the jet. Short-term spectral variability information may help to break such model degeneracies, which will require snap-shot spectral information on intraday time scales, which may soon be achievable for many blazars even in the gamma-ray regime with the upcoming GLAST mission and current advances in Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope technology. In addition to pure leptonic and hadronic models of gamma-ray emission from blazars, leptonic/hadronic hybrid models are reviewed, and the recently developed hadronic synchrotron mirror model for TeV γ-ray flares which are not accompanied by simultaneous X-ray flares (“orphan TeV flares”) is revisited. The U.S. Government’s right to retain a non-exclusive, royalty-free license in and to any copyright is acknowledged.     

The luminosity correlation analysis for Fermi blazars

In this paper, multiwavelength chromatic luminosity at radio (\(\log L _{\mathrm{R}}\)), optical (\(\log L_{\mathrm{O}}\)), X-ray (\(\log L _{\mathrm{X}}\)), and \(\gamma \)-rays (\(\log L_{\gamma }\)) for a sample of 442 Fermi blazars with known redshifts are collected from Fan et al. (2016), to study the correlations between the \(\gamma \)-rays and the low-energy bands using a multiple linear regression analysis. In this way, we can see which band is more important for the \(\gamma \)-ray emissions. Mutual correlation analysis is also used to discuss the correlations between the \(\gamma \)-ray and the low energy bands for the whole sample and subclasses. We come to following conclusions:

1. 1.
   The multiple linear correlation indicates that the \(\gamma \)-rays are correlated with the radio, optical and the X-ray emissions for the whole sample and the subclasses of flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) and BL Lac objects (BL Lacs), the correlation between the \(\gamma \)-rays and the radio emissions is the strongest one.
    
2. 2.
   For BL Lacs, the optical emissions are more important than the X-rays for the \(\gamma \)-rays, while the X-ray emissions are more important than optical ones in FSRQs.
    
3. 3.
   The \(\gamma \)-ray emissions in HBL are from an synchrotron self-Compton, while those in FSRQs may be from external Compton and synchrotron self-Compton as well.
    

     

Data boundary fitting using a generalized least-squares method

In many astronomical problems one often needs to determine the upper and/or lower boundary of a given data set. An automatic and objective approach consists in fitting the data using a generalized least-squares method, where the function to be minimized is defined to handle asymmetrically the data at both sides of the boundary. In order to minimize the cost function, a numerical approach, based on the popular downhill simplex method, is employed. The procedure is valid for any numerically computable function. Simple polynomials provide good boundaries in common situations. For data exhibiting a complex behaviour, the use of adaptive splines gives excellent results. Since the described method is sensitive to extreme data points, the simultaneous introduction of error weighting and the flexibility of allowing some points to fall outside of the fitted frontier, supplies the parameters that help to tune the boundary fitting depending on the nature of the considered problem. Two simple examples are presented, namely the estimation of spectra pseudo-continuum and the segregation of scattered data into ranges. The normalization of the data ranges prior to the fitting computation typically reduces both the numerical errors and the number of iterations required during the iterative minimization procedure.