arXiv subjects

I. P. van der Westhuizen

Publications and source records attributed to I. P. van der Westhuizen.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Spectro-Polarimetric Observations of TeV Sources (SPOTS): First results

Blazars are jetted active galactic nuclei, with the jet aligned along the observer's line of sight. Their spectral energy distributions are dominated by non-thermal emission, with an underlying thermal component at optical/ultraviolet wavelengths. However, the underlying jet magnetic field structure and particle acceleration mechanisms requirements for the non-thermal emission are still under debate. Polarization measurements can provide critical insights, and we investigate the optical polarization properties of TeV-emitting blazars using long-term optical monitoring. We present results from the first 21-months of the Spectro-Polarimetric Observations of TeV Sources (SPOTS) campaign, using the Southern African Large Telescope, of 14 blazars. Overall, observations of the sample during this campaign showed a low average optical polarization ($Π\lesssim10\%$). While some sources exhibited smooth polarization angle rotations on timescales of days to weeks, others showed stochastic variations consistent with turbulent magnetic fields. The average ordering of the magnetic field was low ($F_B\lesssim0.10$), consistent with emission arising in extended, turbulent regions of the jet. For individual sources, correlations between polarization and its frequency dependence were found, but were not found across the entire sample. The nature of the frequency dependence varied between observations, indicating that simple one-zone models are insufficient and that $F_B$ must be wavelength dependent. This study highlights the complex nature of blazar jets and underscores the importance of long-term, multi-wavelength polarimetric monitoring. This comprehensive dataset enables detailed modelling of individual sources, and provides valuable context for future X-ray polarimetry observations.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

ZTF Monitoring of $γ-$ray emitting Narrow Line Seyfert 1 Galaxies

The $γ$-ray-emitting narrow-line Seyfert-I ($γ$-NLSy1) are among the most interesting systems for studying disk-jet coupling. The soft X-ray properties of these systems suggest the presence of a disc component, which peaks in the optical/UV regime, in addition to the active jet. In this work, we investigate the optical emission from $γ$-NLSy1 using long-term Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) observations and discussed in the context of blazars. We have reported the long-term flux and color variability in the g- and r-bands. The fractional variability ($F_{\rm var}$) goes as high as 72\%, with a mean value of 23\%, while the amplitude of variability ($ψ$) values range from 0.24 to 3.20, which is consistent with the long-term Swift-UVOT variability studies. The color-magnitude diagrams exhibit an RWB or BWB trend similar to that of blazars. The $t_{\rm var}$ suggests an emitting region size of $10^{15-17}$ cm, aligned with emissions coming from the inner accretion disk or base of the jet. The PSD analysis using both DRW and CARMA modeling exhibits a characteristic break timescale of a few days to hundreds of days, which is likely linked to fundamental physical timescales in the system, such as thermal or viscous timescales in the accretion disk or timescales for acceleration and energy dissipation in the jet. The existence of these timescales acts as another signature of the disc-jet connection. These time scales are correlated with black hole mass, and the relation is consistent with previous studies.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Unveiling the X-ray Secrets of Fermi-detected Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 Galaxies with XMM-Newton Observations

In the innermost regions of active galactic nuclei, where the accretion disk, corona, and jet processes are closely coupled, X-ray observations offer a direct probe to study the physics of disk-jet coupling and the mechanisms driving relativistic outflows. We present a comprehensive analysis of the X-ray timing and spectral variability of 16 Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxies detected by Fermi-LAT, based on 29 epochs of XMM-Newton observations. A moderate intraday flux variability is observed throughout the sample, with fractional variability ranging from 5 to 16\%. The temporal study of 1H\,0323+342 reveals a distinctive turnover timescale in structure functions, along with notable variations in flux and power spectral density slopes. The hardness ratio in some epochs demonstrates a clear trend of softer-when-brighter. The X-ray spectra of 1H 0323+342, PMN J0948+0022, RGB J1644+263, PKS 1502+036, and J1246+0238 are well fitted by a power-law + blackbody model, suggesting a bright disk along with a jet, and J1222+0413 is fitted by broken power-law, while the remaining sources are well fitted by a power-law model revealing the non-thermal domination. The X-ray luminosity exhibits a strong correlation with $γ$-ray and disk luminosity, and a strong correlation with the jet power, suggesting a close coupling of disk and jet. Additionally, we have found an anti-correlation between the X-ray spectral index and the X-ray luminosity, as well as with the FWHM of H$β$ line, indicating a complex interaction between the central engine, jet activity, and the accretion disk in these sources.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

The optical spectropolarimetric behaviour of a selection of high-energy blazars

At optical/ultraviolet energies, blazars display an underlying thermal (unpolarized) contribution from the accretion disc, torus and line emitting regions, diluting the polarized emission from the jet-component. Optical polarimetry can be used to disentangle the thermal and non-thermal components, and place constraints on the particle populations and acceleration mechanisms responsible for the non-thermal emission. We present the results of a linear optical spectropolarimetric observing campaign of 18 blazars (6 BLLs and 12 FSRQs) undertaken with the Southern African Large Telescope between 2016 and 2022. This was done to observe these systems during flaring states, as well as long term monitoring of PKS1510-089, AP Lib and PKS 1034-293. The observations traced the frequency dependence of the degree and angle of polarization, as well as changes in the spectral line strengths. We investigated possible correlations between the polarization and other observed characteristics for the sources. While an indication of correlation was found between the frequency dependence and the average level of polarization for some sources, a correlation was not found for the population as a whole. These results highlight that continuous observations and in-depth modelling of polarization and its frequency dependence is required to obtain a more holistic view of TeV blazars.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

Results from the long-term Fermi-LAT observations of the white dwarf binary pulsar AR Scorpii

The discovery of the white dwarf binary system AR Scorpii (AR Sco) with its fascinating non-thermal dominated multi-frequency emission has sparked renewed interest in potential high energy gamma-ray emission from white dwarf pulsars. The Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) below and above optical shows evidence of non-thermal synchrotron emission, with pulsed emission in optical and X-ray bands at the white dwarf spin period ($P_{*} = 117 \, \mbox{s}$) as well as a beat period ($P_{\rm b} = 118.1 \, \mbox{s}$) with the binary period. From an energy perspective, the highly magnetic rotating white dwarf can accelerate particles to TeV energies. In this study, a search for high energy gamma-ray emission was conducted between 100 MeV - 500 GeV by analysing the newly available Fermi-LAT Pass 8 data with the new Fermi 1.0.1 Science Tools. Binned likelihood analysis was done using power law, broken power law and log parabola models. From the selected Region of Interest (ROI) centred on AR Sco's position, we calculated a significance of $\sqrt{TS}\leq$ 3.87$σ$ for the integrated gamma-ray activity between 100 MeV - 500 GeV at a photon flux level of 0.486 $\pm$ 0.261 x 10$^{-8}$ photons cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ using the broken power law model. This resulted in a 3$σ$ upper-limit detection from the position of AR Sco. The location of AR Sco inside the Rho Ophiuchi (Rho Oph) molecular cloud complex combined with the poor spatial resolution of Fermi-LAT, complicates any positive identification of low-level gamma-ray activity at the location that coincides with the position of AR Sco.

astro-ph.HE↗