arXiv subjects

I. Nestoras

Publications and source records attributed to I. Nestoras.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2019

F-GAMMA: Multi-frequency radio monitoring of Fermi blazars. The 2.64 to 43 GHz Effelsberg light curves from 2007-2015

The advent of the Fermi-GST with its unprecedented capability to monitor the entire 4 pi sky within less than 2-3 hours, introduced new standard in time domain gamma-ray astronomy. To explore this new avenue of extragalactic physics the F-GAMMA programme undertook the task of conducting nearly monthly, broadband radio monitoring of selected blazars from January 2007 to January 2015. In this work we release all the light curves at 2.64, 4.85, 8.35, 10.45, 14.6, 23.05, 32, and 43 GHz and present first order derivative data products after all necessary post-measurement corrections and quality checks; that is flux density moments and spectral indices. The release includes 155 sources. The effective cadence after the quality flagging is around one radio SED every 1.3 months. The coherence of each radio SED is around 40 minutes. The released dataset includes more than $4\times10^4$ measurements. The median fractional error at the lowest frequencies (2.64-10.45 GHz) is below 2%. At the highest frequencies (14.6-43 GHz) with limiting factor of the atmospheric conditions, the errors range from 3% to 9%, respectively.

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arXiv2017

Scale invariant jets: from blazars to microquasars

Black holes, anywhere in the stellar-mass to supermassive range, are often associated with relativistic jets. Models suggest that jet production may be a universal process common in all black hole systems regardless of their mass. Although in many cases observations support such hypotheses for microquasars and Seyfert galaxies, little is known on whether boosted blazar jets also comply with such universal scaling laws. We use uniquely rich multiwavelength radio light curves from the F-GAMMA program and the most accurate Doppler factors available to date to probe blazar jets in their emission rest frame with unprecedented accuracy. We identify for the first time a strong correlation between the blazar intrinsic broad-band radio luminosity and black hole mass, which extends over $\sim$ 9 orders of magnitude down to microquasars scales. Our results reveal the presence of a universal scaling law that bridges the observing and emission rest frames in beamed sources and allows us to effectively constrain jet models. They consequently provide an independent method for estimating the Doppler factor, and for predicting expected radio luminosities of boosted jets operating in systems of intermediate or tens-of-solar mass black holes, immediately applicable to cases as those recently observed by LIGO.

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arXiv2017

F-GAMMA: Variability Doppler factors of blazars from multiwavelength monitoring

Recent population studies have shown that the variability Doppler factors can adequately describe blazars as a population. We use the flux density variations found within the extensive radio multi-wavelength datasets of the F-GAMMA program, a total of 10 frequencies from 2.64 up to 142.33 GHz, in order to estimate the variability Doppler factors for 58 $γ$-ray bright sources, for 20 of which no variability Doppler factor has been estimated before. We employ specifically designed algorithms in order to obtain a model for each flare at each frequency. We then identify each event and track its evolution through all the available frequencies for each source. This approach allows us to distinguish significant events producing flares from stochastic variability in blazar jets. It also allows us to effectively constrain the variability brightness temperature and hence the variability Doppler factor as well as provide error estimates. Our method can produce the most accurate (16\% error on average) estimates in the literature to date.

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arXiv2016

Inner jet kinematics and the viewing angle towards the γ-ray narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy 1H 0323+342

Near-Eddington accretion rates onto low-mass black holes are thought to be a prime driver of the multi-wavelength properties of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) population of active galactic nuclei (AGN). Orientation effects have repeatedly been considered as another important factor involved, but detailed studies have been hampered by the lack of measured viewing angles towards this type of AGN. Here we present multi-epoch, 15 GHz VLBA images (MOJAVE program) of the radio-loud and Fermi/LAT-detected NLS1 galaxy 1H 323+342. These are combined with single-dish, multi-frequency radio monitoring of the source's variability, obtained with the Effelsberg 100-m and IRAM 30-m telescopes, in the course of the F-GAMMA program. The VLBA images reveal 6 components with apparent peeds of ~1 to ~7 c, and one quasi-stationary feature. Combining the obtained apparent jet speed ($β_{app}$) and variability Doppler factor ($D_{var}$) estimates together with other methods, we constrain the viewing angle towards 1H 0323+342 to $θ\leq 4 - 13$ deg. Using literature values of $β_{app}$ and $D_{var}$, we also deduce a viewing angle of $\leq$ 8-9 deg towards another radio- and γ-ray-loud NLS1, namely SBS 0846+513.

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arXiv2016

The F-GAMMA program: Multi-frequency study of Active Galactic Nuclei in the Fermi era. Program description and the first 2.5 years of monitoring

To fully exploit the scientific potential of the Fermi mission, we initiated the F-GAMMA program. Between 2007 and 2015 it was the prime provider of complementary multi-frequency monitoring in the radio regime. We quantify the radio variability of gamma-ray blazars. We investigate its dependence on source class and examine whether the radio variability is related to the gamma-ray loudness. Finally, we assess the validity of a putative correlation between the two bands. The F-GAMMA monitored monthly a sample of about 60 sources at up to twelve radio frequencies between 2.64 and 228.39 GHz. We perform a time series analysis on the first 2.5-year dataset to obtain variability parameters. A maximum likelihood analysis is used to assess the significance of a correlation between radio and gamma-ray fluxes. We present light curves and spectra (coherent within ten days) obtained with the Effelsberg 100-m and IRAM 30-m telescopes. All sources are variable across all frequency bands with amplitudes increasing with frequency up to rest frame frequencies of around 60 - 80 GHz as expected by shock-in-jet models. Compared to FSRQs, BL Lacs show systematically lower variability amplitudes, brightness temperatures and Doppler factors at lower frequencies, while the difference vanishes towards higher ones. The time scales appear similar for the two classes. The distribution of spectral indices appears flatter or more inverted at higher frequencies for BL Lacs. Evolving synchrotron self-absorbed components can naturally account for the observed spectral variability. We find that the Fermi-detected sources show larger variability amplitudes as well as brightness temperatures and Doppler factors, than non-detected ones. Flux densities at 86.2 and 142.3 GHz correlate with 1 GeV fluxes at a significance level better than 3sigma, implying that gamma rays are produced very close to the mm-band emission region.

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arXiv2016

Location of Gamma-ray emission and magnetic field strengths in OJ 287

The Gamma-ray BL Lac object OJ 287 is known to exhibit inner-parsec "jet-wobbling", high degrees of variability at all wavelengths and quasi-stationary features including an apparent (~100 deg) position angle change in projection on the sky plane. Sub-50 micro-arcsecond resolution 86 GHz observations with the global mm-VLBI array (GMVA) supplement ongoing multi-frequency VLBI blazar monitoring at lower frequencies. Using these maps together with cm/mm total intensity and Gamma-ray observations from Fermi/LAT from 2008-2014, we aimed to determine the location of Gamma-ray emission and to explain the inner-mas structural changes. Observations with the GMVA offer approximately double the angular resolution compared with 43 GHz VLBA observations and allow us to observe above the synchrotron self-absorption peak frequency. The jet was spectrally decomposed at multiple locations along the jet. From this we derived estimates of the magnetic field. How the field decreases down the jet allowed an estimate of the distance to the jet apex and an estimate of the magnetic field strength at the jet apex and in the broad line region. Combined with accurate kinematics we attempt to locate the site of Gamma-ray activity, radio flares and spectral changes. Strong Gamma-ray flares appeared to originate from either the "core" region, a downstream stationary feature, or both, with Gamma-ray activity significantly correlated with radio flaring in the downstream quasi-stationary feature. Magnetic field estimates were determined at multiple locations along the jet, with the magnetic field found to be >1.6 G in the "core" and >0.4 G in the downstream quasi-stationary feature. We therefore found upper limits on the location of the "core" as >6.0 pc from the jet apex and determined an upper limit on the magnetic field near the jet base of the order of thousands of Gauss.

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arXiv2016

Exploring the nature of broadband variability in the FSRQ 3C 273

Detailed investigation of broadband flux variability in the blazar 3C 273 allows us to probe the location and size of emission regions and their physical conditions. We report the results on correlation studies of the flaring activity observed between 2008 and 2012. The observed broadband variations were investigated using the structure function and the discrete correlation function, and power spectral density analysis (PSD) methods. The PSD analysis showed that the optical/IR light curve slopes are consistent with the slope of white noise processes, while, the PSD slopes at radio, X-ray and gamma-ray energies are consistent with red-noise processes. The flux variations at gamma-ray and mm-radio bands are found to be significantly correlated. Using the estimated time lag of (110\pm27) days between gamma-ray and radio light curves, we constrained the location of the gamma-ray emission region at a de-projected distance of 1.2\pm0.9 pc from the jet apex. Flux variations at X-ray bands were found to have a significant correlation with variations at both radio and γ-rays energies. The correlation between X-rays and gamma-rays light curves suggests presence of two components responsible for the X-ray emission. A negative time lag of -(50\pm20) days, where the X-rays are leading the emission, suggests X-rays are emitted closer to the jet apex from a compact region at a distance of ~(0.5\pm0.4) pc from the jet apex. A positive time lag of (110\pm20) days suggests jet-base origin of the other X-ray component at ~(4--5)~pc from the jet apex. The flux variations at radio frequencies were found to be well correlated with each other such that the variations at higher frequencies are leading the lower frequencies, which could be expected in the standard shock-in-jet model.

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arXiv2016

What can the 2008/10 broadband flare of PKS 1502+106 tell us? Nuclear opacity, magnetic fields, and the location of gamma rays

Context. The origin of blazar variability, seen from radio up to gamma rays, is still a heavily debated matter and broadband flares offer a unique testbed towards a better understanding of these extreme objects. Such an energetic outburst was detected by Fermi/LAT in 2008 from the blazar PKS 1502+106. The outburst was observed from gamma rays down to radio frequencies. Aims. Through the delay between flare maxima at different radio frequencies, we study the frequency-dependent position of the unit-opacity surface and infer its absolute position with respect to the jet base. This nuclear opacity profile enables the magnetic field tomography of the jet. We also localize the gamma-ray emission region and explore the mechanism producing the flare. Methods. The radio flare of PKS 1502+106 is studied through single-dish flux density measurements at 12 frequencies in the range 2.64 to 226.5 GHz. To quantify it, we employ both a Gaussian process regression and a discrete cross-correlation function analysis. Results. We find that the light curve parameters (flare amplitude and cross-band delays) show a power-law dependence on frequency. Delays decrease with frequency, and the flare amplitudes increase up to about 43 GHz and then decay. This behavior is consistent with a shock propagating downstream the jet. The self-absorbed radio cores are located between about 10 and 4 pc from the jet base and their magnetic field strengths range between 14 and 176 mG, at the frequencies 2.64 to 86.24 GHz. Finally, the gamma-ray active region is located at (1.9 +/- 1.1) pc away from the jet base.

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arXiv2015

PKS 1502+106: A high-redshift Fermi blazar at extreme angular resolution. Structural dynamics with VLBI imaging up to 86 GHz

Context. Blazars are among the most energetic objects in the Universe. In 2008 August, Fermi/LAT detected the blazar PKS 1502+106 showing a rapid and strong gamma-ray outburst followed by high and variable flux over the next months. This activity at high energies triggered an intensive multi-wavelength campaign covering also the radio, optical, UV, and X-ray bands indicating that the flare was accompanied by a simultaneous outburst at optical/UV/X-rays and a delayed outburst at radio bands. Aims: In the current work we explore the phenomenology and physical conditions within the ultra-relativistic jet of the gamma-ray blazar PKS 1502+106. Additionally, we address the question of the spatial localization of the MeV/GeV-emitting region of the source. Methods: We utilize ultra-high angular resolution mm-VLBI observations at 43 and 86 GHz complemented by VLBI observations at 15 GHz. We also employ single-dish radio data from the F-GAMMA program at frequencies matching the VLBI monitoring. Results: PKS 1502+106 shows a compact core-jet morphology and fast superluminal motion with apparent speeds in the range 5--22 c. Estimation of Doppler factors along the jet yield values between ~7 up to ~50. This Doppler factor gradient implies an accelerating jet. The viewing angle towards the source differs between the inner and outer jet, with the former at ~3 degrees and the latter at ~1 degree, after the jet bends towards the observer beyond 1 mas. The de-projected opening angle of the ultra-fast, magnetically-dominated jet is found to be (3.8 +/- 0.5) degrees. A single jet component can be associated with the pronounced flare both at high-energies and in radio bands. Finally, the gamma-ray emission region is localized at less than 5.9 pc away from the jet base.

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arXiv2015

Localizing the $γ$ rays from blazar PKS 1502+106

Blazars are among the most variable objects in the universe. They feature energetic jets of plasma that launch from the cores of these active galactic nuclei (AGN), triggering activity from radio up to gamma-ray energies. Spatial localization of the region of their MeV/GeV emission is a key question in understanding the blazar phenomenon. The flat spectrum radio quasar (FSRQ) PKS 1502+106 has exhibited extreme and correlated, radio and high-energy activity that triggered intense monitoring by the Fermi-GST AGN Multi-frequency Monitoring Alliance (F-GAMMA) program and the Global Millimeter VLBI Array (GMVA) down to $λ$3 mm (or 86 GHz), enabling the sharpest view to date towards this extreme object. Here, we report on preliminary results of our study of the gamma-ray loud blazar PKS 1502+106, combining VLBI and single dish data. We deduce the critical aspect angle towards the source to be $θ_{\rm c} = 2.6^{\circ}$, calculate the apparent and intrinsic opening angles and constrain the distance of the 86 GHz core from the base of the conical jet, directly from mm-VLBI but also through a single dish relative timing analysis. Finally, we conclude that gamma rays from PKS 1502+106 originate from a region between ~1-16 pc away from the base of the hypothesized conical jet, well beyond the bulk of broad-line region (BLR) material of the source.

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arXiv2014

Multi-frequency linear and circular radio polarization monitoring of jet emission elements in $Fermi$ blazars

Radio emission in blazars -- the aligned subset of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) -- is produced by synchrotron electrons moving relativistically in their jet's magnetic field. Under the assumption of some degree of uniformity of the field, the emission can be highly polarized -- linearly and circularly. In the radio regime, the observed variability is in most of the cases attributed to flaring events undergoing opacity evolution, i.e. transitions from optically thick to thin emission (or vice versa). These transistions have a specific signature in the polarization parameter space (angle and magnitude) which can be traced with high cadence polarization monitoring and provide us with a unique probe of the microphysics of the emitting region. Here we present the full Stokes analysis of radio emission from blazars observed in the framework of the F-GAMMA program and discuss the case study of PKS\,1510$-$089 which has shown a prominent polarization event around MJD 55900.

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arXiv2014

Detection of significant cm to sub-mm band radio and gamma-ray correlated variability in Fermi bright blazars

The exact location of the gamma-ray emitting region in blazars is still controversial. In order to attack this problem we present first results of a cross-correlation analysis between radio (11 cm to 0.8 mm wavelength, F-GAMMA program) and gamma-ray (0.1-300 GeV) ~ 3.5 year light curves of 54 Fermi-bright blazars. We perform a source stacking analysis and estimate significances and chance correlations using mixed source correlations. Our results reveal: (i) the first highly significant multi-band radio and gamma-ray correlations (radio lagging gamma rays) when averaging over the whole sample, (ii) average time delays (source frame: 76+/-23 to 7+/-9 days), systematically decreasing from cm to mm/sub-mm bands with a frequency dependence tau_r,gamma (nu) ~ nu^-1, in good agreement with jet opacity dominated by synchrotron self-absorption, (iii) a bulk gamma-ray production region typically located within/upstream of the 3 mm core region (tau_3mm,gamma=12+/-8 days), (iv) mean distances between the region of gamma-ray peak emission and the radio "tau=1 photosphere" decreasing from 9.8+/-3.0 pc (11 cm) to 0.9+/-1.1 pc (2 mm) and 1.4+/-0.8 pc (0.8 mm), (v) 3 mm/gamma-ray correlations in 9 individual sources at a significance level where one is expected by chance (probability: 4 times 10^-6), (vi) opacity and "time lag core shift" estimates for quasar 3C 454.3 providing a lower limit for the distance of the bulk gamma-ray production region from the supermassive black hole (SMBH) of ~ 0.8-1.6 pc, i.e. at the outer edge of the Broad Line Region (BLR) or beyond. A 3 mm tau=1 surface at ~ 2-3 pc from the jet-base (i.e. well outside the "canonical BLR") finally suggests that BLR material extends to several pc distances from the SMBH.

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arXiv2014

Two active states of the narrow-line gamma-ray-loud AGN GB 1310+487

Previously unremarkable, the extragalactic radio source GB 1310+487 showed a gamma-ray flare on 2009 November 18, reaching a daily flux of ~10^-6 photons/cm^2/s at energies E>100 MeV and becoming one of the brightest GeV sources for about two weeks. Its optical spectrum is not typical for a blazar, instead, it resembles those of narrow emission-line galaxies. We investigate changes of the object's radio-to-GeV spectral energy distribution (SED) during and after the prominent GeV flare with the aim to determine the nature of the object and constrain the origin of the variable high-energy emission. The data collected by the Fermi and AGILE satellites at gamma-ray energies, Swift at X-ray and ultraviolet, Kanata, NOT, and Keck telescopes at optical, OAGH and WISE at infrared, and IRAM 30m, OVRO 40m, Effelsberg 100m, RATAN-600, and VLBA at radio, are analysed together to trace the SED evolution on timescales of months. The gamma-ray/radio-loud narrow-line active galactic nucleus (AGN) is located at redshift z=0.638. It is shining through an unrelated foreground galaxy at z=0.500. The AGN light is likely amplified by a factor of a few because of gravitational lensing. The AGN SED shows a two-humped structure typical of blazars and gamma-ray-loud NLSy1 galaxies, with the high-energy (inverse-Compton) emission dominating by more than an order of magnitude over the low-energy (synchrotron) emission during gamma-ray flares. The difference between the two SED humps is smaller during the low-activity state. Fermi observations reveal a strong correlation between the gamma-ray flux and spectral index, with the hardest spectrum observed during the brightest gamma-ray state. If the gamma-ray flux is a mixture of synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) and external Compton (EC) emission, the observed GeV spectral variability may result from varying relative contributions of these two emission components.

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arXiv2013

Properties of the radio jet emission of four gamma-ray Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxies

The detection of gamma rays from a small number of Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxies by the LAT instrument onboard Fermi seriously challenged our understanding of AGN physics. Among the most important findings associated with their discovery has been the realisation that smaller-mass black holes seem to be hosted by these systems. Immediately after their discovery a radio multi- frequency monitoring campaign was initiated to understand their jet radio emission. Here the first results of the campaign are presented. The light curves and some first variability analyses are discussed, showing that the brightness temperatures and Doppler factors are moderate. The phenomenologies are typically blazar-like. The frequency domain on the other hand indicates intense spectral evolution and the variability patterns indicate mechanisms similar to those acting in the jets of BL Lacs and FSRQs. Finally, the linear polarisation also reveals the presence of a quiescent, optically thin jet in certain cases.

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arXiv2013

Radio to gamma-ray variability study of blazar S5 0716+714

We present the results of a series of radio, optical, X-ray and gamma-ray observations of the BL Lac object S50716+714 carried out between April 2007 and January 2011. The multi-frequency observations were obtained using several ground and space based facilities. The intense optical monitoring of the source reveals faster repetitive variations superimposed on a long-term variability trend at a time scale of ~350 days. Episodes of fast variability recur on time scales of ~ 60-70 days. The intense and simultaneous activity at optical and gamma-ray frequencies favors the SSC mechanism for the production of the high-energy emission. Two major low-peaking radio flares were observed during this high optical/gamma-ray activity period. The radio flares are characterized by a rising and a decaying stage and are in agreement with the formation of a shock and its evolution. We found that the evolution of the radio flares requires a geometrical variation in addition to intrinsic variations of the source. Different estimates yield a robust and self-consistent lower limits of δ> 20 and equipartition magnetic field B_eq > 0.36 G. Causality arguments constrain the size of emission region θ< 0.004 mas. We found a significant correlation between flux variations at radio frequencies with those at optical and gamma-rays. The optical/GeV flux variations lead the radio variability by ~65 days. The longer time delays between low-peaking radio outbursts and optical flares imply that optical flares are the precursors of radio ones. An orphan X-ray flare challenges the simple, one-zone emission models, rendering them too simple. Here we also describe the spectral energy distribution modeling of the source from simultaneous data taken through different activity periods.

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arXiv2012

Radio and gamma-ray follow-up of the exceptionally high activity state of PKS 1510-089 in 2011

We investigate the radio and gamma-ray variability of the flat spectrum radio quasar PKS 1510-089 in the time range between 2010 November and 2012 January. In this period the source showed an intense activity, with two major gamma-ray flares detected in 2011 July and October. During the latter episode both the gamma-ray and the radio flux density reached their historical peak. Multiwavelength analysis shows a rotation of about 380 deg of the optical polarization angle close in time with the rapid and strong gamma-ray flare in 2011 July. An enhancement of the optical emission and an increase of the fractional polarization both in the optical and in radio bands is observed about three weeks later, close in time with another gamma-ray outburst. On the other hand, after 2011 September a huge radio outburst has been detected, first in the millimeter regime followed with some time delay at centimeter down to decimeter wavelengths. This radio flare is characterized by a rising and a decaying stage, in agreement with the formation of a shock and its evolution, as a consequence of expansion and radiative cooling. If the gamma-ray flare observed in 2011 October is related to this radio outburst, then this strongly indicates that the region responsible for the gamma-ray variability is not within the broad line, but a few parsecs downstream along the jet.

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arXiv2012

Radio-to-gamma-ray Monitoring of the Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 Galaxy PMN J0948+0022 from 2008 to 2011

We present more than three years of observations at different frequencies, from radio to high-energy gamma-rays, of the Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) Galaxy PMN J0948+0022 (z=0.585). This source is the first NLS1 detected at energies above 100 MeV and therefore can be considered the prototype of this emerging new class of gamma-ray emitting active galactic nuclei (AGN). The observations performed from 2008 August 1 to 2011 December 31 confirmed that PMN J0948+0022 generates a powerful relativistic jet, able to develop an isotropic luminosity at gamma-rays of the order of 10^48 erg s^-1, at the level of powerful quasars. The evolution of the radiation emission of this source in 2009 and 2010 followed the canonical expectations of relativistic jets, with correlated multiwavelength variability (gamma-rays followed by radio emission after a few months), but it was difficult to retrieve a similar pattern in the light curves of 2011. The comparison of gamma-ray spectra before and including 2011 data suggested that there was a softening of the high-energy spectral slope. We selected five specific epochs to be studied by modelling the broad-band spectrum, characterised by an outburst at gamma-rays or very low/high flux at other wavelengths. The observed variability can largely be explained either by changes in the injected power, the bulk Lorentz factor of the jet or the electron spectrum. The characteristic time scale of doubling/halving flux ranges from a few days to a few months, depending on the frequency and the sampling rate. The shortest doubling time scale at gamma-rays is 2.3+-0.5 days. These small values underline the need of highly-sampled multiwavelength campaigns to better understand the physics of these sources.

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arXiv2012

APEX sub-mm monitoring of gamma-ray blazars

So far, no systematic long-term blazar monitoring programs and detailed variability studies exist at sub-mm wavelengths. Here, we present a new sub-mm blazar monitoring program using the APEX 12-m telescope. A sample of about 40 gamma-ray blazars has been monitored since 2007/2008 with the LABOCA bolometer camera at 345 GHz. First light curves, preliminary variability results and a first comparison with the longer cm/mm bands (F-GAMMA program) are presented, demonstrating the extreme variability characteristics of blazars at such short wavelengths.

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