arXiv subjects

Giacomo Bonnoli

Publications and source records attributed to Giacomo Bonnoli.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The IXPE and multifrequency polarimetric view of the extreme blazars 1ES 1101-232 and RGB J0710+591

Multiwavelength polarimetry is a powerful tool to probe magnetic field and flow geometries in the relativistic jets of blazars. In this respect, particularly interesting are the sources whose synchrotron emission covers a broad range of frequencies, from radio to X-rays, such as the BL Lac objects of the HSP type. Previous measurements including radio, optical and X-ray data show a clear trend, with the degree of polarization increasing with frequency. Here we report radio, optical and X-ray observations ($Swift$, $Nustar$ and $IXPE$) of 1ES 1101-232 and RGB J0710+591, two blazars belonging to the puzzling subclass of extreme BL Lacs (EHBL). For 1ES 1101-232 we found a strong frequency-dependency of the degree of polarization (with a ratio $Π_X/Π_O\simeq 5.2$). For RGB J0710+591, IXPE derived a 1$σ$ upper limit $Π_X<11.6\%$, comparable with the measured optical degree of polarization (average $Π_O\sim 12\%$). We discuss the results in the framework of current interpretations and, in particular, we report an improved version of the stratified shock model that is able to reproduce the observed data of both sources.

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arXiv2025

Intra-night optical polarization monitoring of blazars

Blazars are known for their extreme variability across the electromagnetic spectrum. Variability at very short timescales can push the boundaries between competing models offering us much needed discriminating power. This is particularly true for polarization variability that allows us to probe particle acceleration and high-energy emission models in blazars. Here we present results from the first pilot study of intra-night optical polarization monitoring conducted using RoboPol at the Skinakas Observatory and supplemented by observations from the Calar Alto, Perkins, and Sierra Nevada observatories. Our results show that while variability patterns can widely vary between sources, variability on timescales as short as minutes is prevalent in blazar jets. The amplitude of variations are typically small, a few percent for the polarization degree and less than 20 degrees for the polarization angle, pointing to a significant contribution to the optical emission from a turbulent magnetic field component, while the overall stability of the polarization angle over time points to a preferred magnetic field orientation.

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arXiv2025

Detection of Compton scattering in the jet of 3C 84

3C 84 is the brightest cluster galaxy in the Perseus Cluster. It is among the closest radio-loud active galaxies and among the very few that can be detected from low frequency radio up to TeV $γ$-rays. Here we report on the first X-ray polarization observation of 3C~84 with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer, for a total of 2.2 Msec that coincides with a flare in $γ$-rays. This is the longest observation for a radio-loud active galaxy that allowed us to reach unprecedented sensitivity, leading to the detection of an X-ray polarization degree of $\rmΠ_X=4.2\pm1.3\%$ ($\sim3.2σ$ confidence) at an X-ray electric vector polarization angle of $\rm ψ_X=163^{\circ}\pm9^{\circ}$, that is aligned with the radio jet direction on the sky. Optical polarization observations show fast variability about the jet axis as well. Our results strongly favor models in which X-rays are produced by Compton scattering from relativistic electrons -- specifically Synchrotron Self-Compton -- that takes places downstream, away from the supermassive black hole.

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arXiv2025

Recent observations of PKS 2155-304 with MAGIC and LST-1 in a multi-wavelength context

PKS 2155-304 is a well-known high-frequency peaked BL Lac (HBL) at redshift z=0.116, which has been extensively studied across the electromagnetic spectrum due to its rapid and large-amplitude variability. Several violent outbursts in X-rays and $γ$-rays have been observed in the past, with intra-night variability in very-high-energy $γ$-rays (VHE; E > 100 GeV) detected down to the minute timescale. The alternation of quiescent and enhanced states, observed with a tentative quasi-periodicity of 1.74 $\pm$ 0.13 years in high-energy (HE; 100 MeV < E < 100 GeV) $γ$-rays, makes this source a key target also for ground-based $γ$-ray instruments and in particular for the Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes. Its brightness, proximity, and well-determined redshift make this $γ$-ray source a prime target for fundamental physics studies, including tests of Lorentz Invariance Violation (LIV), searches for axion-like particles (ALPs), and constraints on the distribution of the extragalactic background light (EBL). In the last two years, PKS 2155-304 has been independently monitored by the Major Atmospheric Gamma-ray Imaging Cherenkov (MAGIC) telescopes and the first Large-Sized Telescope (LST-1) of the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) located at the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory (La Palma, Spain). The observations were carried out at large zenith angles (LZA; ZA > 55°), and the VHE data have been complemented with simultaneous observations in HE $γ$-rays (Fermi-LAT), X-rays (Swift-XRT) and optical wavelengths (ASAS-SN).

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arXiv2025

Unveiling blazar synchrotron emission: a multiwavelength polarimetric study of HSP and LSP populations

Polarimetric properties of blazars allow us to put constraints on the acceleration mechanisms that fuel their powerful jets. By studying the multiwavelength polarimetric behaviour of high synchrotron peaked (HSP) and low synchrotron peaked (LSP) blazars, we aim to explore differences in their emission mechanisms and magnetic field structure in the acceleration region. In this study, we take advantage of several X-ray polarisation observations of HSP by the IXPE, including four new observations of Mrk 501, and optical polarisation observations of LSP from RoboPol and many others. We find that the polarisation degree (PD) distribution of HSP in X-rays is systematically higher than in optical and mm-radio wavelengths, as reported in previous IXPE publications. The distribution of the X-ray electric vector position angles (PA) is centered around the jet axis with most of the observations consistent with zero difference within uncertainties. In fact, the distribution of the offset of the PA from the jet axis is consistent between the LSP and HSP populations (with PA measured in optical for the first, X-ray for the latter), suggesting a common magnetic field structure close to the acceleration region, in strong support of the emerging energy stratified picture of particle acceleration followed by energy loss in blazar jets.

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arXiv2025

Determining the origin of the X-ray emission in blazars through multiwavelength polarization

The origin of the high-energy emission in astrophysical jets from black holes is a highly debated issue. This is particularly true for jets from supermassive black holes that are among the most powerful particle accelerators in the Universe. So far, the addition of new observations and new messengers have only managed to create more questions than answers. However, the newly available X-ray polarization observations promise to finally distinguish between emission models. We use extensive multiwavelength and polarization campaigns as well as state-of-the-art polarized spectral energy distribution models to attack this problem by focusing on two X-ray polarization observations of blazar BL Lacertae in flaring and quiescent $γ$-ray states. We find that regardless of the jet composition and underlying emission model, inverse-Compton scattering from relativistic electrons dominates at X-ray energies.

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arXiv2025

High optical to X-ray polarization ratio reveals Compton scattering in BL Lacertae's jet

Blazars, supermassive black hole systems (SMBHs) with highly relativistic jets aligned with the line of sight, are the most powerful long-lived emitters of electromagnetic emission in the Universe. We report here on a radio to gamma-ray multiwavelength campaign on the blazar BL Lacertae with unprecedented polarimetric coverage from radio to X-ray wavelengths. The observations caught an extraordinary event on 2023 November 10-18, when the degree of linear polarization of optical synchrotron radiation reached a record value of 47.5%. In stark contrast, the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) found that the X-ray (Compton scattering or hadron-induced) emission was polarized at less than 7.4% (3sigma confidence level). We argue here that this observational result rules out a hadronic origin of the high energy emission, and strongly favors a leptonic (Compton scattering) origin, thereby breaking the degeneracy between hadronic and leptonic emission models for BL Lacertae and demonstrating the power of multiwavelength polarimetry to address this question. Furthermore, the multiwavelength flux and polarization variability, featuring an extremely prominent rise and decay of the optical polarization degree, is interpreted for the first time by the relaxation of a magnetic "spring" embedded in the newly injected plasma. This suggests that the plasma jet can maintain a predominant toroidal magnetic field component parsecs away from the central engine.

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arXiv2025

X-ray Polarization of the High-Synchrotron-Peak BL Lacertae Object 1ES 1959+650 during Intermediate and High X-ray Flux States

We report the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) polarimetric and simultaneous multiwavelength observations of the high-energy-peaked BL Lacertae (HBL) object 1ES 1959+650, performed in 2022 October and 2023 August. In 2022 October IXPE measured an average polarization degree $Π_{\rm X}=9.4\;\!\%\pm 1.6\;\!\%$ and an electric-vector position angle $ψ_{\rm X}=53^{\circ}\pm 5^{\circ}$. The polarized X-ray emission can be decomposed into a constant component, plus a rotating component, with rotation velocity $ω_{\rm EVPA}=(-117\;\!\pm\;\!12)$ ${\rm deg}\;\!{\rm d}^{-1}$. In 2023 August, during a period of pronounced activity of the source, IXPE measured an average $Π_{\rm X}=12.4\;\!\%\pm0.7\;\!\%$ and $ψ_X=20^{\circ}\pm2^{\circ}$, with evidence ($\sim$0.4$\;\!\%$ chance probability) for a rapidly rotating component with $ω_{\rm EVPA}=(1864\;\!\pm\;\!34)$ ${\rm deg}\;\!{\rm d}^{-1}$. These findings suggest the presence of a helical magnetic field in the jet of 1ES 1959+650 or stochastic processes governing the field in turbulent plasma. Our multiwavelength campaigns from radio to X-ray reveal variability in both polarization and flux from optical to X-rays. We interpret the results in terms of a relatively slowly varying component dominating the radio and optical emission, while rapidly variable polarized components dominate the X-ray and provide minor contribution at optical wavelengths. The radio and optical data indicate that on parsec scales the magnetic field is primarily orthogonal to the jet direction. On the contrary, X-ray measurements show a magnetic field almost aligned with the parsec jet direction. Confronting with other IXPE observations, we guess that the magnetic field of HBLs on sub-pc scale should be rather unstable, often changing its direction with respect to the VLBA jet.

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arXiv2025

IXPE Observation of the Low-Synchrotron Peaked Blazar S4 0954+65 During An Optical-X-ray Flare

The X-ray polarization observations made possible with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) offer new ways of probing high-energy emission processes in astrophysical jets from blazars. Here we report on the first X-ray polarization observation of the blazar S4 0954+65 in a high optical and X-ray state. During our multi-wavelength campaign on the source, we detected an optical flare whose peak coincided with the peak of an X-ray flare. This optical-X-ray flare most likely took place in a feature moving along the parsec-scale jet, imaged at 43 GHz by the Very Long Baseline Array. The 43 GHz polarization angle of the moving component underwent a rotation near the time of the flare. In the optical band, prior to the IXPE observation, we measured the polarization angle to be aligned with the jet axis. In contrast, during the optical flare the optical polarization angle was perpendicular to the jet axis; after the flare, it reverted to being parallel to the jet axis. Due to the smooth behavior of the optical polarization angle during the flare, we favor shocks as the main acceleration mechanism. We also infer that the ambient magnetic field lines in the jet were parallel to the jet position angle. The average degree of optical polarization during the IXPE observation was (14.3$\pm$4.1)%. Despite the flare, we only detected an upper limit of 14% (at 3$σ$ level) on the X-ray polarization degree; although a reasonable assumption on the X-ray polarization angle results in an upper limit of 8.8% ($3σ$). We model the spectral energy distribution (SED) and spectral polarization distribution (SPD) of S4 0954+65 with leptonic (synchrotron self-Compton) and hadronic (proton and pair synchrotron) models. The constraints we obtain with our combined multi-wavelength polarization observations and SED modeling tentatively disfavor hadronic models for the X-ray emission in S4 0954+65.

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arXiv2025

Combined Fit of Spectrum and Composition for FR0 Radio-galaxy-emitted Ultra-high-energy Cosmic Rays with Resulting Secondary Photons and Neutrinos

This study comprehensively investigates the gamma-ray dim population of Fanaroff-Riley Type 0 (FR0) radio galaxies as potentially significant sources of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs, E $>$ 10$^{18}$ eV) detected on Earth. While individual FR0 luminosities are relatively low compared to the more powerful Fanaroff-Riley Type 1 and Type 2 galaxies, FR0s are substantially more prevalent in the local universe, outnumbering the more energetic galaxies by a factor of $\sim$5 within a redshift of z $\leq$ 0.05. Employing CRPropa3 simulations, we estimate the mass composition and energy spectra of UHECRs originating from FR0 galaxies for energies above 10$^{18.6}$ eV. This estimation fits data from the Pierre Auger Observatory (Auger) using three extensive air shower models; both constant and energy-dependent observed elemental fractions are considered. The simulation integrates an approximately isotropic distribution of FR0 galaxies, extrapolated from observed characteristics, with UHECR propagation in the intergalactic medium, incorporating various plausible configurations of extragalactic magnetic fields, both random and structured. We then compare the resulting emission spectral indices, rigidity cutoffs, and elemental fractions with recent Auger results. In total, 25 combined energy spectrum and mass composition fits are considered. Beyond the cosmic ray fluxes emitted by FR0 galaxies, this study predicts the secondary photon and neutrino fluxes from UHECR interactions with intergalactic cosmic photon backgrounds. The multi-messenger approach, encompassing observational data and theoretical models, helps elucidate the contribution of low luminosity FR0 radio galaxies to the total cosmic ray energy density.

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arXiv2025

Gamma Ray Burst GRB 221009A: two distinct hints at once at new physics

The brightest ever observed gamma ray burst GRB 221009A at redshift $z = 0.151$ was detected on October 9, 2022. Its highest energy photons have been recorded by the LHAASO collaboration up to above $12 \, \rm TeV$, and one of the at ${\cal E} = 251 \, \rm TeV$ by the Carpet-2 collaboration. Very recently, the Carpet-3 collaboration has completed the data analysis, showing that the evidence of the $251 \, {\rm TeV}$ photon is quite robust. Still, according to conventional physics photons with ${\cal E} \gtrsim 10 \, \rm TeV$ cannot be observed owing to the absorption by the extragalactic background light (EBL). Previously it has been demonstrated that an axion-like particle (ALP) with allowed parameters ensures the observability of the LHAASO photons. Here we show that the Lorentz invariance violation allows the ${\cal E} = 251 \, {\rm TeV}$ (now around 300 TeV) Carpet photon to be detected.

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arXiv2024

Hint at an axion-like particle from GRB 221009A

The detection by the LHAASO Collaboration of the gamma-ray burst GRB 221009A at redshift $z = 0.151$ with energies up to $(13-18) \, \rm TeV$ challenges conventional physics. Photons emitted with energies above $10 \, \rm TeV$ at this redshift can hardly be observed on Earth due to their interaction with the extragalactic background light (EBL). We show that indeed the LHAASO Collaboration should not have observed photons with energies above $10 \, \rm TeV$ if the state-of-the-art EBL model by Saldana-Lopez et al. is taken into account. A problem therefore arises: the Universe should be more transparent than currently believed. We also show that the issue is solved if we introduce the interaction of photons with axion-like particles (ALPs). ALPs are predicted by String Theory, are among the best candidates for dark matter and can produce spectral and polarization effects on astrophysical sources in the presence of external magnetic fields. In particular, for GRB 221009A, photon-ALP oscillations occur within the crossed magnetized media, i.e. the host galaxy, the extragalactic space, the Milky Way, partially reducing the EBL absorption to a level that explains the LHAASO detection of GRB 221009A and its observed spectrum without the need of contrived choices of parameter values, which are instead compulsory within proposed emission models within conventional physics. This fact regarding GRB 221009A represents a strong hint at the ALP existence, which adds to two other indications coming from blazars, a class of active galactic nuclei.

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arXiv2024

GRB multi-TeV detection: Beyond standard physics?

The recent detection by LHAASO up to 18 TeV of the gamma ray burst GRB 221009A at redshift $z = 0.151$ challenges standard physics because of the strong absorption due to the extragalactic background light (EBL) for photons with energies above 10 TeV. Emission models partially avoiding EBL absorption proposed to explain such an event are unsatisfactory since they require peculiar and contrived assumptions. By introducing in magnetized media the interaction of photons with axion-like particles (ALPs) - which are a generic prediction of most theories extending the standard model of particle physics towards a more satisfying theory - the detection of GRB 221009A can be naturally explained, thereby providing a strong hint at ALP existence.

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arXiv2024

A Two-Week $IXPE$ Monitoring Campaign on Mrk 421

X-ray polarization is a unique new probe of the particle acceleration in astrophysical jets made possible through the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer. Here we report on the first dense X-ray polarization monitoring campaign on the blazar Mrk 421. Our observations were accompanied by an even denser radio and optical polarization campaign. We find significant short-timescale variability in both X-ray polarization degree and angle, including a $\sim90^\circ$ angle rotation about the jet axis. We attribute this to random variations of the magnetic field, consistent with the presence of turbulence but also unlikely to be explained by turbulence alone. At the same time, the degree of lower-energy polarization is significantly lower and shows no more than mild variability. Our campaign provides further evidence for a scenario in which energy-stratified shock-acceleration of relativistic electrons, combined with a turbulent magnetic field, is responsible for optical to X-ray synchrotron emission in blazar jets.

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arXiv2024

X-ray and multiwavelength polarization of Mrk 501 from 2022 to 2023

We present multiwavelength polarization measurements of the luminous blazar Mrk~501 over a 14-month period. The 2--8 keV X-ray polarization was measured with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) with six 100-ks observations spanning from 2022 March to 2023 April. Each IXPE observation was accompanied by simultaneous X-ray data from NuSTAR, Swift/XRT, and/or XMM-Newton. Complementary optical-infrared polarization measurements were also available in the B, V, R, I, and J bands, as were radio polarization measurements from 4.85 GHz to 225.5 GHz. Among the first five IXPE observations, we did not find significant variability in the X-ray polarization degree and angle with IXPE. However, the most recent sixth observation found an elevated polarization degree at $>3σ$ above the average of the other five observations. The optical and radio measurements show no apparent correlations with the X-ray polarization properties. Throughout the six IXPE observations, the X-ray polarization degree remained higher than, or similar to, the R-band optical polarization degree, which remained higher than the radio value. This is consistent with the energy-stratified shock scenario proposed to explain the first two IXPE observations, in which the polarized X-ray, optical, and radio emission arises from different regions.

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arXiv2024

Testing particle acceleration in blazar jets with continuous high-cadence optical polarization observations

Variability can be the pathway to understanding the physical processes in astrophysical jets, however, the high-cadence observations required to test particle acceleration models are still missing. Here we report on the first attempt to produce continuous, >24 hour polarization light curves of blazars using telescopes distributed across the globe and the rotation of the Earth to avoid the rising Sun. Our campaign involved 16 telescopes in Asia, Europe, and North America. We observed BL Lacertae and CGRaBS J0211+1051 for a combined 685 telescope hours. We find large variations in the polarization degree and angle for both sources in sub-hour timescales as well as a ~180 degree rotation of the polarization angle in CGRaBS J0211+1051 in less than two days. We compared our high-cadence observations to Particle-In-Cell magnetic reconnection and turbulent plasma simulations. We find that although the state of the art simulation frameworks can produce a large fraction of the polarization properties, they do not account for the entirety of the observed polarization behavior in blazar jets.

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arXiv2024

IXPE observation of PKS 2155-304 reveals the most highly polarized blazar

We report the X-ray polarization properties of the high-synchrotron-peaked (HSP) blazar PKS 2155$-$304 based on observations with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). We observed the source between Oct 27 and Nov 7, 2023. We also conducted an extensive contemporaneous multiwavelength (MW) campaign. We find that during the first half ($T_1$) of the IXPE pointing, the source exhibited the highest X-ray polarization degree detected for an HSP blazar thus far, (30.7$\pm$2.0)%, which dropped to (15.3$\pm$2.1)% during the second half ($T_2$). The X-ray polarization angle remained stable during the IXPE pointing at 129.4$^\circ$$\pm$1.8$^\circ$ and 125.4$^\circ$$\pm$3.9$^\circ$ during $T_1$ and $T_2$, respectively. Meanwhile, the optical polarization degree remained stable during the IXPE pointing, with average host-galaxy-corrected values of (4.3$\pm$0.7)% and (3.8$\pm$0.9)% during the $T_1$ and $T_2$, respectively. During the IXPE pointing, the optical polarization angle changed achromatically from $\sim$140$^\circ$ to $\sim$90$^\circ$ and back to $\sim$130$^\circ$. Despite several attempts, we only detected (99.7% conf.) the radio polarization once (during $T_2$, at 225.5 GHz): with degree (1.7$\pm$0.4)% and angle 112.5$^\circ$$\pm$5.5$^\circ$. The direction of the broad pc-scale jet is rather ambiguous and has been found to point to the east and south at different epochs; however, on larger scales (> 1.5 pc) the jet points toward the southeast ($\sim$135$^\circ$), similar to all of the MW polarization angles. Moreover, the X-ray to optical polarization degree ratios of $\sim$7 and $\sim$4 during $T_1$ and $T_2$, respectively, are similar to previous IXPE results for several HSP blazars. These findings, combined with the lack of correlation of temporal variability between the MW polarization properties, agree with an energy-stratified shock-acceleration scenario in HSP blazars.

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arXiv2024

IOP4, the Interactive Optical Photo-Polarimetric Python Pipeline

IOP4 is a pipeline to perform photometry and polarimetry analysis of optical data from Calar Alto (CAHA) and Sierra Nevada (OSN) observatories. IOP4 implements Object Relational Mapping (ORM) to seamlessly integrate all information about the reduction and results in a database which can be used to query and plot results, flag data and inspect the reduction process in an integrated fashion with the whole pipeline. It also ships with an already built-in web interface which can be used out of the box to browse the database and supervise all pipeline processes. It is built to ease debugging and inspection of data. Reduction from five different instruments are already implemented: RoperT90, AndorT90 and DIPOL (at OSN 0.9m telescope), AndorT150 (OSN 1.5m telescope) and CAFOS (CAHA 2.2m telescope). IOP4's modular design allows for easy integration of new observatories and instruments, and its results have already featured in several high-impact refereed publications. In this paper we describe the implementation and characteristics of IOP4.

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