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J. M. Bai

Publications and source records attributed to J. M. Bai.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Quasi-simultaneous Spectroscopic and Multi-band Photometric Observations of Blazar S5 0716+714 during 2018-2019

In order to study short timescale optical variability of $γ$-ray blazar S5 0716+714, quasi-simultaneous spectroscopic and multi-band photometric observations were performed from 2018 November to 2019 March with the 2.4 m optical telescope located at Lijiang Observatory of Yunnan Observatories. The observed spectra are well fitted with a power-law $F_λ=Aλ^{-α}$ (spectral index $α>0$). Correlations found between $\dotα$, $\dot{A}$, $\dot{A}/A$, $\dot{F_{\rmλ}}$, and $\dot{F_{\rmλ}}/F_{\rmλ}$ are consistent with the trend of bluer-when-brighter (BWB). \textbf{The same case is for colors, magnitudes, color variation rates, and magnitude variation rates of photometric observations.} The variations of $α$ lead those of $F_{\rmλ}$. Also, the color variations lead the magnitude variations. The observational data are mostly distributed in the I(+,+) and III(-,-) quadrants of coordinate system. Both of spectroscopic and photometric observations show BWB behaviors in S5 0716+714. The observed BWB may be explained by the shock-jet model, and its appearance may depend on the relative position of the observational frequency ranges with respect to the synchrotron peak frequencies, e.g., at the left of the peak frequencies. \textbf{Fractional variability amplitudes are $F_{\rm{var}}\sim 40\%$ for both of spectroscopic and photometric observations. Variations of $α$ indicate variations of relativistic electron distribution producing the optical spectra. }

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The first six months of the Advanced LIGO's and Advanced Virgo's third observing run with GRANDMA

We present the Global Rapid Advanced Network Devoted to the Multi-messenger Addicts (GRANDMA). The network consists of 21 telescopes with both photometric and spectroscopic facilities. They are connected together thanks to a dedicated infrastructure. The network aims at coordinating the observations of large sky position estimates of transient events to enhance their follow-up and reduce the delay between the initial detection and the optical confirmation. The GRANDMA program mainly focuses on follow-up of gravitational-wave alerts to find and characterise the electromagnetic counterpart during the third observational campaign of the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. But it allows for any follow-up of transient alerts involving neutrinos or gamma-ray bursts, even with poor spatial localisation. We present the different facilities, tools, and methods we developed for this network, and show its efficiency using observations of LIGO/Virgo S190425z, a binary neutron star merger candidate. We furthermore report on all GRANDMA follow-up observations performed during the first six months of the LIGO-Virgo observational campaign, and we derive constraints on the kilonova properties assuming that the events' locations were imaged by our telescopes.

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Search for Intra-day Optical Variability in $γ$-ray--loud Blazars S5 0716+714 and 3C 273

We present the photometric observations of blazars S5 0716+714 and 3C 273 with high temporal resolution (30--60s) in the $I$ or $R$ bands. The observations were performed with a 1.02 m optical telescope from 2007 March 07 to 2012 May 16. The $F$-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test, and $z$-transformed discrete correlation function (ZDCF) cross-correlation zero lag test are used to search for intra-day variability (IDV). Four and five reliable IDVs survive three tests for S5 0716+714 and 3C 273, respectively. IDVs are found for S5 0716+714 and 3C 273. A flare on 2008 May 08 has $ΔI \approx$ 0.06$\pm$0.01 mag in a duration of 0.54 hr for S5 0716+714. A flare on 2011 May 10 shows $ΔR \approx$ 0.05$\pm$0.01 mag in a duration of 0.40 hr for 3C 273. Sharp dips appear on 2011 May 9 for 3C 273, and show $ΔR \approx$ 0.05$\pm$0.01 mag. Under the assumptions that the IDV is tightly connected to black hole mass, $M_{\bullet}$, and that the flare durations are representative of the minimum characteristic timescales, we can estimate upper bounds to $M_{\bullet}$. In the case of the Kerr black holes, $M_{\bullet} \la 10^{8.91} M_{\odot}$ and $M_{\bullet} \la 10^{9.02} M_{\odot}$ are given for S5 0716+714 and 3C 273, respectively. These mass measurements are consistent with those measurements reported in the literatures. Also, we discuss the origins of optical variations found in this work.

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Particle acceleration and synchrotron self-Compton emission in blazar jets I : an application to the quiescent emission

There are still some important unanswered questions about the detailed particle acceleration and escape occurring during the quiescent epoches. As a result, the particle distribution that is adopted in the blazar quiescent spectral model have numerous unconstrained shapes. To help remedy this problem, we introduce a analytical particle transport model to reproduce quiescent broadband spectral energy distribution of blazar. In this model, the exact electron distribution is solved from a generalized transport equation that contains the terms describing first-order and secondary-order \emph{Fermi} acceleration, escape of particle due to both the advection and spatial diffusion, energy losses due to synchrotron emission and inverse-Compton scattering of an assumed soft photon field. We suggest that the advection is a significant escape mechanism in blazar jet. We find that in our model the advection process tends to harden the particle distribution, which enhances the high energy components of resulting synchrotron and synchrotron self-Comptom spectrum from jet. Our model is able to roughly reproduce the observed spectra of extreme BL Lac object 1ES 0414+009 with reasonable assumptions about the physical parameters.

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Formation of the Electronic Spectrum in Relativistic Jets of Gamma-Ray Blazars

We describe the theory of Fermi-type acceleration, including first-order Fermi acceleration at a parallel shock front and second-order Fermi acceleration in a test particle limit. Including the theory of the turbulent acceleration and the derivation of the general Fokker-Planck equation, we take into account the basic particle-transport equation and the Fokker-Planck equation with spatially homogeneous isotropic distribution. In the cases of some special physical processes, we construct the particle-transport equations, and compile the analytical or semi-analytical solutions in 11 different cases. Even though, traditionally, one of the electron energy distributions for these different cases can be used to reproduce the multi-wavelength emission of a blazar, due to very long integration times of high-energy observations, a time-integrated electron energy distribution should be introduced in approaches to modeling the multi-wavelength spectral energy distribution of blazars, especially in modeling the flaring state.

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Verification of the diffusive shock acceleration in Mrk 501

The present work considers a plane shock front propagating along a cylindrical jet. Electrons experience the diffusive shock acceleration around the shock front, and subsequently drift away into the downstream flow in which they emit most of their energy. Assuming a proper boundary condition at the interface between the shock zone and the downstream zone, we solve the transport equation for the electrons in the downstream flow zone, where the combined effects of escape, synchrotron and IC cooling in the Thomson regime are taken into account. Using the electron spectrum obtained in this manner we calculate the multi-wavelength spectral energy distribution of Mrk 501 in the synchrotron self-Compton scenario. We check numerically if the Klein-Nishina cross-section could be approximated to the Thomsom regime. We consider whether the model results yield physically reasonable parameters, and further discuss some of implications of the model results. It suggests that the process of diffusive shock acceleration operates in the outflow of Mrk 501.

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The flat-spectrum radio quasar 3C 345 from the high to the low emission state

We report simultaneous observations at different energy bands in radio, optical, UV, X-rays and $γ$ rays of the flat-spectrum radio-quasar 3C 345. We built the light curve of the source at different frequencies from 2008, the beginning of the \textit{Fermi} all-sky survey, to 2016, using new data and public archives. In particular we obtained several optical spectra, to study the behavior of emission lines and the continuum in different activity states and to derive the black hole mass. 3C 345 showed two flaring episodes in 2009, which occurred simultaneously in $γ$ ray, optical/UV and X-rays, and were later followed in radio. The source shows an inverse Compton dominated spectral energy distribution, which moved from higher to lower frequencies from the high to the low state. The reverberation of emission lines during one outburst event allowed us to constrain the location of production of $γ$ rays very close to the broad-line region, and possibly in the jet-base. We report the observation of an increased accretion after the outburst, possibly induced by the decrease of magnetic field intensity with respect to the low state.

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Search for intra-day optical variability in Mrk 501

We present our observations of the optical intra-day variability (IDV) in $γ$-ray BL Lac object Mrk 501. The observations were run with the 1.02 m and 2.4 m optical telescopes at Yunnan Observatories from 2005 April to 2012 May. The light curve at the $R$ band on 2010 May 15 passes both variability tests (the $F$ test and the ANOVA test). A flare within the light curve on 2010 May 15 has a magnitude change $Δm = 0.03 \pm 0.005_{\rm{stat}} \pm 0.007_{\rm{sys}}$ mag, \textbf{a darkening timescale of $τ_{\rm{d}}=$ 26.7 minutes}, and an amplitude of IDV $Amp=2.9\% \pm0.7\%$. A decline \textbf{described by 11 consecutive flux measurements} within the flare can be fitted linearly with a Pearson's correlation coefficient $r = 0.945$ at the confidence level of $> 99.99\%$. Under the assumptions that the IDV is tightly connected to the mass of the black hole, \textbf{and that the flare duration, being two times $τ_{\rm{d}}$, is representative of the minimum characteristic timescale, we can derive upper bounds to the mass of the black hole}. In the case of the Kerr black hole, the timescale of $Δt_{\rm{min}}^{\rm{ob}}=$ 0.89 hours gives $M_{\bullet}\la 10^{9.20} M_{\odot}$, which is consistent with measurements reported in the literature. This agreement indicates that the hypothesis about $M_{\bullet}$ and $Δt_{\rm{min}}^{\rm{ob}}$ is consistent with the measurements/data.

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A new method to measure the virial factors in the reverberation mapping of AGNs

Based on the gravitational redshift, one prediction of Einstein's general relativity theory, of broad optical emission lines in active galactic nuclei (AGNs), a new method is proposed to estimate the virial factors $f$ in measuring black hole masses $M_{\rm{RM}}$ by the reverberation mapping of AGNs. The factors $f$ can be measured on the basis of two physical quantities, i.e. the gravitational redshifts $z_{\rm{g}}$ and full widths at half maxima $v_{\rm{FWHM}}$ of broad lines. In the past it has been difficult to determine the factors $f$ for individual AGNs. We apply this new method to several reverberation mapped Seyfert 1 galaxies. There is a correlation between $f$ and broad-line region (BLR) radius $r_{\rm{BLR}}$, $f=5.4 r_{\rm{BLR}}^{0.3}$, for the gravitationally redshifted broad lines He II, He I, H$β$ and H$α$ in narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy (NLS1) Mrk 110. This correlation results from the radiation pressure influence of the accretion disc on the BLR clouds. The radiation pressure influence seems to be more important than usually thought in AGNs. Mrk 110 has $f \approx$ 8--16, distinctly larger than the mean $\langle f\rangle \approx 1$, usually used to estimate $M_{\rm{RM}}$ in the case of $v_{\rm{FWHM}}$. NGC 4593 and NLS1 Mrk 486 has $f\approx 3$ and $f\approx 9$, respectively. Higher $f$ values of several tens are derived for three other NLS1s. There is a correlation between $f$ and accretion rate $\mathscr{\dot M}_{f=1}$, $f=6.8\mathscr{\dot M}^{0.4}_{f=1}$ for five objects, where $\mathscr{\dot M}_{f=1}=\dot M_{\bullet}/L_{\rm{Edd}}c^{-2}$ as $f=1$ is assumed to estimate $M_{\rm{RM}}$ used in the Eddington luminosity $L_{\rm{Edd}}$, $\dot M_{\bullet}$ is the mass accretion rate, and $c$ is the speed of light. These larger $f$ values will produce higher $M_{\rm{RM}}$ values and lower Eddington ratios.

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Influences of Radiation Pressures on Mass Estimates of Supermassive Black Holes in AGNs

In this paper, we investigate the influences of two continuum radiation pressures of the central engines on the black hole mass estimates for 40 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with high accretion rates. The two continuum radiation pressure forces, usually believed negligible or not considered, are from the free electron Thomson scattering, and the recombination and re-ionization of hydrogen ions that continue to absorb ionizing photons to compensate for the recombination. The masses counteracted by the two radiation pressures $M_{\rm{RP}}$ depend sensitively on the percent of ionized hydrogen in the clouds $β$, and are not ignorable compared to the black hole virial masses $M_{\rm{RM}}$, estimated from the reverberation mapping method, for these AGNs. As $β$ increases, $M_{\rm{RP}}$ also does. The black hole masses $M_{\rm{\bullet}}$ could be underestimated at least by a factor of 30--40 percent for some AGNs accreting around the Eddington limit, regardless of redshifts of sources $z$. Some AGNs at $z < 0.3$ and quasars at $z \ga 6.0$ have the same behaviors in the plots of $M_{\rm{RP}}$ versus $M_{\rm{RM}}$. The complete radiation pressures will be added as AGNs match $M_{\rm{RP}}\ga 0.3 M_{\rm{RM}}$ due to the two continuum radiation pressures. Compared to $M_{\rm{RM}}$, $M_{\rm{\bullet}}$ might be extremely underestimated if considering the complete radiation pressures for the AGNs accreting around the Eddington limit.

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Constraints on black hole massess with timescales of variations in blazars

In this paper, we investigated the issue of black hole masses and minimum timescales of jet emission for blazars. We proposed a sophisticated model that sets an upper limit to the central black hole masses $M_{\bullet}$ with the minimum timescales $Δt^{\rm{ob}}_{\rm{min}}$ of variations observed in blazars. The value of $Δt^{\rm{ob}}_{\rm{min}}$ presents an upper limit to the size of blob in jet. The blob is assumed to be generated in the jet-production region in the vicinity of black hole, and then the expanding blob travels outward along the jet. We applied the model to 32 blazars, 29 of which were detected in gamma rays by satellites, and these $Δt^{\rm{ob}}_{\rm{min}}$ are on the order of hours with large variability amplitudes. In general, these $M_{\bullet}$ estimated with this method are not inconsistent with those masses reported in the literatures. This model is natural to connect $M_{\bullet}$ with $Δt^{\rm{ob}}_{\rm{min}}$ for blazars, and seems to be applicable to constrain $M_{\bullet}$ in the central engines of blazars.

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Revisiting Correlations Between Broad-Line and Jet Emission Variations for AGNs: 3C 120 and 3C 273

We restudy the issue of cross-correlations between broad-line and jet emission variations, and aim to locate the position of radio (and gamma-ray) emitting region in jet of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Considering the radial profiles of the radius and number density of clouds in a spherical broad-line region (BLR), we derive new formulae connecting jet emitting position $R_{\rm{jet}}$ to time lag $τ_{\rm{ob}}$ between broad-line and jet emission variations, and BLR radius. Also, formulae are derived for a disk-like BLR and a spherical shell BLR. The model-independent FR/RSS method is used to estimate $τ_{\rm{ob}}$. For 3C 120, positive lags of about 0.3 yr are found between the 15 GHz emission and the H$β$, H$γ$ and He II $λ4686$ lines, including broad-line data in a newly published paper, indicating the line variations lead the 15 GHz ones. Each of the broad-line light curves corresponds to a radio outburst. $R_{\rm{jet}}=$1.1--1.5 parsec (pc) are obtained for 3C 120. For 3C 273, a common feature of negative time lags is found in the cross-correlation functions between light curves of radio emission and the Balmer lines, and as well Ly$α\/\ λ1216$ and C~{\sc iv} $λ1549$ lines. $R_{\rm{jet}}=$ 1.0--2.6 pc are obtained for 3C 273. The estimated $R_{\rm{jet}}$ are comparable for 3C 120 and 3C 273, and the gamma-ray emitting positions will be within $\sim$ 1--3 pc from the central engines. Comparisons show that the cloud number density and radius radial distributions and the BLR structures only have negligible effects on $R_{\rm{jet}}$.

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Is BZB J1450+5201 the most distant $γ$-ray BL Lacertae object?

BL Lacertae (BL Lac) objects at high redshifts ($z\geq 2$) are rarely detected. Through careful analysis of the SDSS spectrum, BZB J1450+5201 is confirmed to be a high-$z$ BL Lac object with $z\geq$ 2.471 by identifying the Ly$α$ 1216 and CIV 1548/1550 absorption lines. This indicates that BZB J1450+5201 is the most distant BL Lac object discovered to date. Careful analysis of the five-year \fermi data of 2FGL J1451.0+5159 shows that its $γ$-ray emission is robust with confidence level of 6.2$σ$ at 1-3 GeV and 6.7$σ$ at 3-10 GeV, and that the confusion of bright neighbor is negligible, which can not be fixed in the analysis of the two-year data. Meanwhile, 2FGL J1451.0+5159 is confirmed to be associated with BZB J1450+5201 using the five-year data. The analysis of multiwavelength data, from radio to $γ$-ray energies, indicates BZB J1450+5201 is an intermediate synchrotron peaked (ISP) source and consistent with distributions of other ISP sources at lower redshifts in the second LAT AGN catalog. The pure SSC model seems to be disfavoured, while scattering of weak external emission plus SSC process can provide a satisfactory description of the broadband emission.

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Multi-wavelength variability properties of Fermi blazar S5 0716+714

S5 0716+714 is a typical BL Lacertae object. In this paper we present the analysis and results of long term simultaneous observations in the radio, near-infrared, optical, X-ray and $γ$-ray bands, together with our own photometric observations for this source. The light curves show that the variability amplitudes in $γ$-ray and optical bands are larger than those in the hard X-ray and radio bands and that the spectral energy distribution (SED) peaks move to shorter wavelengths when the source becomes brighter, which are similar to other blazars, i.e., more variable at wavelengths shorter than the SED peak frequencies. Analysis shows that the characteristic variability timescales in the 14.5 GHz, the optical, the X-ray, and the $γ$-ray bands are comparable to each other. The variations of the hard X-ray and 14.5 GHz emissions are correlated with zero-lag, so are the V band and $γ$-ray variations, which are consistent with the leptonic models. Coincidences of $γ$-ray and optical flares with a dramatic change of the optical polarization are detected. Hadronic models do not have the same nature explanation for these observations as the leptonic models. A strong optical flare correlating a $γ$-ray flare whose peak flux is lower than the average flux is detected. Leptonic model can explain this variability phenomenon through simultaneous SED modeling. Different leptonic models are distinguished by average SED modeling. The synchrotron plus synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) model is ruled out due to the extreme input parameters. Scattering of external seed photons, such as the hot dust or broad line region emission, and the SSC process are probably both needed to explain the $γ$-ray emission of S5 0716+714.

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Hints of correlation between broad-line and radio variations for 3C 120

In the paper, we investigate correlation between broad-line and radio variations for broad-line radio galaxy 3C 120. By the z-transformed discrete correlation function method and the model-independent flux randomization/random subset selection (FR/RSS) Monte Carlo method, we find that the broad Hbeta line variations lead the 15 GHz variations. The FR/RSS method shows that the Hbeta line variations lead the radio variations by a factor of tau_{ob}=0.34 +/- 0.01 yr. This time lag can be used to locate the position of emitting region of radio outbursts in jet, on the order of ~ 5 light-years, from the central engine. This distance is much larger than the size of broad-line region. The large separation of the radio outburst emitting region from the broad-line region will observably influence the gamma-ray emission in 3C 120.

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Gamma-Ray Burst Spectrum with Decaying Magnetic Field

In the internal shock model for gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), the synchrotron spectrum from the fast cooling electrons in a homogeneous downstream magnetic field (MF) is too soft to produce the low-energy slope of GRB spectra. However the magnetic field may decay downstream with distance from the shock front. Here we show that the synchrotron spectrum becomes harder if electrons undergo synchrotron and inverse-Compton cooling in a decaying MF. To reconcile this with the typical GRB spectrum with low energy slope $νF_ν\proptoν$, it is required that the postshock MF decay time is comparable to the cooling time of the bulk electrons (corresponding to a MF decaying length typically of $\sim10^5$ skin depths); that the inverse-Compton cooling should dominate synchrotron cooling after the MF decay time; and/or that the MF decays with comoving time roughly as $B\propto t^{-1.5}$. An internal shock synchrotron model with a decaying MF can account for the majority of GRBs with low energy slopes not harder than $ν^{4/3}$.

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Diversity of multiwavelength emission bumps in the GRB 100219A afterglow

Context. Multi-wavelength observations of gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglows provide important information about the activity of their central engines and their environments. In particular, the short timescale variability, such as bumps and/or rebrightening features visible in the multi-wavelength light curves, is still poorly understood. Aims. We analyze the multi-wavelength observations of the GRB100219A afterglow at redshift 4.7. In particular, we attempt to identify the physical origin of the late achromatic flares/bumps detected in the X-ray and optical bands. Methods. We present ground-based optical photometric data and Swift X-ray observations on GRB100219A. We analyzed the temporal behavior of the X-ray and optical light curves, as well as the X-ray spectra. Results. The early flares in the X-ray and optical light curves peak simultaneously at about 1000 s after the burst trigger, while late achromatic bumps in the X-ray and optical bands appear at about 20000 s after the burst trigger. These are uncommon features in the afterglow phenomenology. Considering the temporal and spectral properties, we argue that both optical and X-ray emissions come from the same mechanism. The late flares/bumps may be produced by late internal shocks from long-lasting activity of the central engine. An off-axis origin for a structured jet model is also discussed to interpret the bump shapes. The early optical bump can be interpreted as the afterglow onset, while the early X-ray flare could be caused by the internal activity. GRB 100219A exploded in a dense environment as revealed by the strong attenuation of X-ray emission and the optical-to-X-ray spectral energy distribution.

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Constraining broad-line regions from time lags of broad emission lines relative to radio emission

In this paper, a new method is proposed to estimate the broad-line region sizes of UV lines $R^{\rm{uv}}_{\rm{BLR}}$. It is applied to 3C 273. First, we derive the time lags of radio emission relative to broad emission lines Ly$α$ and C IV by the ZDCF method. The broad lines lag the 5, 8, 15, 22 and 37 GHz emission. The measured lags $τ^{\rm{uv}}_{\rm{ob}}$ are of the order of years. For a given line, $τ^{\rm{uv}}_{\rm{ob}}$ decreases as the radio frequency increases. This trend results from the radiative cooling of relativistic electrons. Both UV lines have a lag of $τ^{\rm{uv}}_{\rm{ob}}=-2.74^{+0.06}_{-0.25}$ yr relative to the 37 GHz emission. These results are consistent with those derived from the Balmer lines in Paper I. Second, we derive the time lags of the lines Ly$α$, CIV, H$γ$, H$β$ and H$α$ relative to the 37 GHz emission by the FR/RSS Monte Carlo method. The measured lags are $τ_{\rm{ob}}=-3.40^{+0.31}_{-0.05}$, $-3.40^{+0.41}_{-0.14}$, $-2.06^{+0.36}_{-0.92}$, $-3.40^{+1.15}_{-0.20}$ and $-3.56^{+0.35}_{-0.18}$ yr for the lines Ly$α$, CIV, H$γ$, H$β$ and H$α$, respectively. These estimated lags are consistent with those derived by the ZDCF method within the uncertainties. Based on the new method, we derive $R^{\rm{uv}}_{\rm{BLR}}=2.54^{+0.71}_{-0.35}$--$4.01^{+0.90}_{-1.16}$ and $2.54^{+0.80}_{-0.43}$--$4.01^{+0.98}_{-1.24}$ light-years for the Ly$α$ and CIV lines, respectively. Considering the uncertainties, these estimated sizes are consistent with those obtained in the classical reverberation mapping for the UV lines and the Balmer lines. This indicates that their emitting regions are not separated so large as in the classical mapping of the UV and optical lines. These results seem to depart from the stratified ionization structures obtained in the classical mapping.

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