arXiv subjects

P. Giommi

Publications and source records attributed to P. Giommi.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources

arXiv2000

The 0.1-200 keV spectrum of the blazar PKS 2005-489 during an active state

The bright BL Lac object PKS 2005-489 was observed by BeppoSAX on November 1-2, 1998, following an active X-ray state detected by RossiXTE. The source, detected between 0.1 and 200 keV, was in a very high state with a continuum well fitted by a steepening spectrum due to synchrotron emission only. Our X-ray spectrum is the flattest ever observed for this source. The different X-ray spectral slopes and fluxes, as measured by various satellites, are consistent with relatively little changes of the peak frequency of the synchrotron emission, always located below 10^{17} Hz. We discuss these results in the framework of synchrotron self-Compton models. We found that for the BeppoSAX observation, the synchrotron peak frequency is between 10^{15} and 2.5x10^{16} Hz, depending on the model assumptions.

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arXiv2000

The Deep X-ray Radio Blazar Survey (DXRBS). II. New Identifications

We have searched the archived, pointed ROSAT Position Sensitive Proportional Counter data for blazars by correlating the WGACAT X-ray database with several publicly available radio catalogs, restricting our candidate list to serendipitous X-ray sources with a flat radio spectrum (alpha_r <= 0.70). This makes up the Deep X-ray Radio Blazar Survey (DXRBS). Here we present new identifications and spectra for 106 sources, including 86 radio-loud quasars, 11 BL Lacertae objects, and 9 narrow-line radio galaxies. Together with our previously published objects and already known sources, our sample now contains 298 identified objects: 234 radio-loud quasars (181 flat-spectrum quasars: FSRQ [alpha_r <= 0.50] and 53 steep-spectrum quasars: SSRQ), 36 BL Lacs, and 28 narrow-line radio galaxies. Redshift information is available for 96% of these. Thus our selection technique is ~ 90% efficient at finding radio-loud quasars and BL Lacs. Reaching 5 GHz radio fluxes ~ 50 mJy and 0.1-2.0 keV X-ray fluxes a few x 10^-14 erg/cm^2/s, DXRBS is the faintest and largest flat-spectrum radio sample with nearly complete (~ 85%) identification. We review the properties of the DXRBS blazar sample, including redshift distribution and coverage of the X-ray-radio power plane for quasars and BL Lacs. Additionally, we touch upon the expanded multiwavelength view of blazars provided by DXRBS. By sampling for the first time the faint end of the radio and X-ray luminosity functions, this sample will allow us to investigate the blazar phenomenon and the validity of unified schemes down to relatively low powers.

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arXiv2000

Surveys and the Blazar Parameter Space

The rareness of blazars, combined with the previous history of relatively shallow, single-band surveys, has dramatically colored our perception of these objects. Despite a quarter-century of research, it is not at all clear whether current samples can be combined to give us a relatively unbiased view of blazar properties, or whether they present a view so heavily affected by biases inherent in single-band surveys that a synthesis is impossible. We will use the coverage of X-ray/radio flux space for existing surveys to assess their biases. Only new, deeper blazar surveys approach the level needed in depth and coverage of parameter space to give us a less biased view of blazars. These surveys have drastically increased our knowledge of blazars' properties. We will specifically review the discovery of ``blue'' blazars, objects with broad emission lines but broadband spectral characteristics similar to HBL BL Lac objects.

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arXiv2000

The Cosmological Evolution of BL Lacertae Objects

We review the main results from several radio, X-ray and multi-frequency surveys on the topic of cosmological evolution of BL Lacertae objects. Updated findings on BL Lac evolution following the recent identification of many sources in the ``Sedentary Multi-Frequency survey'' are also discussed. By means of extensive Monte Carlo simulations we test some possible explanations for the peculiar cosmological evolution of BL Lacs. We find that a dependence of the relativistic Doppler factor on radio luminosity (as expected within the beaming scenario) may induce low values of V/V_max and that both edge effects at the low luminosity end of the BL Lacs radio luminosity function, and incompleteness at faint optical magnitudes may be the cause of the low V/V_max found for extreme HBL sources in X-ray selected samples.

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arXiv2000

Multiwaveband studies of the hard ROSAT SMC transient 1WGA J0053.8-7226: a new X-ray pulsar

We report on two optical candidates for the counterpart to an X-ray source in the SMC, 1WGA J0053.8-7226, identified as a serendipitous X-ray source from the ROSAT PSPC archive, and also observed by the Einstein IPC. Its X-ray properties, namely the hard X-ray spectrum, flux variability and column density indicate a hard, transient source, with a luminosity of 3.8 x 10E35 ergs/sec. XTE and ASCA observations have confirmed the source to be an X-ray pulsar, with a 46 s spin period. Our optical observations reveal two possible candidates within the error circle. Both exhibit strong H alpha and weaker H beta emission. The optical colours indicate that both objects are Be-type stars. The Be nature of the stars implies that the counterpart is most likely a Be/X-ray binary system. Subsequent IR photometry JHK of one of the objects shows the source varies by at least 0.5 mag, while the (J-K) measured nearly simultaneously with the UBVRI and spectroscopic observations indicate an IR-excess of approximately 0.3 magnitudes.

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arXiv2000

BeppoSAX Observations of Markarian 501 in June 1999

We present the preliminary results of a long BeppoSAX observation of the BL Lac object Mkn501 carried out in June 1999. The source was fainter than found during the BeppoSAX pointings of 1997 and 1998, but is still detected with a good signal-to-noise ratio up to ~40 keV. The X-ray spectrum in the energy range 0.1-40 keV, produced through synchrotron radiation, is steeper than in the previous years, it is clearly curved, and peaks (in nu*F_nu) at ~0.5 keV. This energy is much lower than those at which the synchrotron component was found to peak in 1997 and 1998. Some intraday variability suggests that activity of the source on small time scales accompanies the large long time scale changes of brightness and spectrum.

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arXiv2000

The BeppoSAX HELLAS survey: on the nature of faint hard X-ray selected sources

The BeppoSAX 4.5-10 keV High Energy Large Area Survey has covered about 80 square degrees of sky down to a flux of F(5-10keV)~5E-14 cgs. Optical spectroscopic identification of about half of the sources in the sample (62) shows that many (~50%) are highly obscured AGN, in line with the predictions of AGN synthesis models for the hard X-ray background (XRB, see e.g. Comastri et al. 1995). The X-ray data, complemented by optical, near-IR and radio follow-up, indicate that the majority of these AGN are ``intermediate'' objects, i.e. type 1.8-1.9 AGN,`red' quasars, and even a few broad line, blue continuum quasars, obscured in X-rays by columns of the order of logNH=22.5-23.5 cm-2, but showing a wide dispersion in optical extinction. The optical and near-IR photometry of the obscured objects are dominated by galaxy starlight, indicating that a sizeable fraction of the accretion power in the Universe may actually have been missed in optical color surveys. This also implies that multicolor photometry techniques may be efficiently used to assess the redshift of the hard X-ray selected sources.

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arXiv2000

Two BeppoSAX observations of BL Lac

We present the results of two ToO BeppoSAX observations of BL Lac. During the first observation we detected both the synchrotron and the Compton components. Fast time variability was present, but only for the synchrotron component. During the second observation the spectrum was flatter and only the Compton component was present. Four different SED are presented and can be described by a blob moving along a jet and responsible for the SSC emission. The seed photons for the Compton scattering are the synchrotron photons themself plus possibly external photons coming from the broad line region.

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arXiv2000

Looking for High Energy Peaked Blazars

Blazars can be classified on the basis of their overall Spectral Energy Distribution (SED). BL Lac objects are usually divided in LBL or HBL (Low or High energy peaked BL Lacs), according to the peak frequency of the synchrotron emission, if in the optical or UV-soft-X band respectively. FSRQs instead are characterized by synchrotron peaks mainly at IR-optical frequencies, similarly to LBLs. Here we report on recent BeppoSAX observations which are unveiling the high energy branch of the range of synchrotron peak frequencies. Four new "extreme" HBLs have been discovered, one of which (1ES 1426+428) peaks near or above 100 keV, in a quiescent state.

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arXiv2000

The BeppoSAX 2-10 keV Survey

We present the results of a 2-10 keV BeppoSAX survey based on 140 high galactic latitude MECS fields, 12 of which are deep exposures of ``blank'' parts of the sky. The limiting sensitivity is 5 10^-14 erg cm^-2 s^-1 where about 25% of the Cosmic X-ray Background (CXB) is resolved into discrete sources. The logN-logS function, built with a statistically complete sample of 177 sources, is steep and in good agreement with the counts derived from ASCA surveys. A CXB fluctuation analysis allowed us to probe the logN-logS down to about 1.5 10^-14 erg cm^-2 s^-1 where the contribution of discrete sources to the CXB grows to 40-50%. A hardness ratio analysis reveals the presence of a wide range of spectral shapes and that a fairly large fraction of sources appear to be heavily absorbed, some of which showing soft components. A comparison of the flux distribution of different subsamples confirms the existence of a spectral hardening with decreasing flux. This effect is probably due to an increasing percentage of absorbed sources at faint fluxes, rather than to a gradual flattening of the spectral slope. Nearly all the sources for which adequate ROSAT exposures exist, have been detected in the soft X-rays. This confirms that soft spectral components are present even in strongly absorbed objects, and that a large population of sources undetectable below a few keV does not exist. A Ve/Va test provides evidence for the presence of cosmological evolution of a magnitude similar to that found in soft X-ray extragalactic sources. Evolution is present both in normal and absorbed sources, with the latter population possibly evolving faster,although this effect could also be the result of complex selection effects.

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arXiv2000

Extragalactic 2-10 keV source counts from a fluctuation analysis of deep BeppoSAX MECS images

We present an analysis of the spatial fluctuations of the 2-10 keV Cosmic X-ray Background (CXB) as measured from 22 high galactic latitude (|b| > 25 deg) fields observed with the MECS instrument on-board BeppoSAX. This technique allowed us to probe extragalactic source counts a factor 3-4 fainter than is possible with direct measurements of pointlike sources in MECS deep fields. The slope of the 2-10 keV logN-logS relationship is found to be still close to the ``Euclidean'' one (gamma = 1.5) down to our flux limit of 1.5 10^-14 erg cm^-2 s^-1, where the contribution of discrete sources to the 2-10 keV CXB amounts to 40-50%. Source counts derived from the analysis presented in this letter are in very good agreement both with those directly measured with ASCA and BeppoSAX deep surveys at bright fluxes and with a first estimation of the 2-10 keV Chandra logN-logS at fainter fluxes.

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arXiv2000

Synchrotron and Compton Components and their Variability in BL Lac Objects

BL Lacertae objects are extreme extragalactic sources characterized by the emission of strong and rapidly variable nonthermal radiation over the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Synchrotron emission followed by inverse Compton scattering in a relativistic beaming scenario is generally thought to be the mechanism powering these objects. ...

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arXiv2000

Prompt and afterglow emission from the X-ray rich GRB981226 observed with BeppoSAX

We discuss observations of the prompt X and gamma-ray emission and X-ray afterglow from GRB981226. This event has the weakest gamma-ray peak flux detected with the Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor. It shows an isolated X-ray precursor and the highest X-ray to gamma-ray fluence ratio measured thus far with the Wide Field Cameras. The event was followed up with the Narrow Field Instruments, and the X-ray afterglow was detected up to 10 keV. The afterglow flux is observed to rise from a level below the sensitivity of the MECS/LECS telescopes up to a peak flux of (5 +/-1) * 10^(-13) erg cm-2 s-1, in the 2-10 keV energy band. This rise is followed by a decline according to a power law with index of 1.31 (+0.44,-0.39). We discuss these results in the light of the current GRB models.

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arXiv2000

BeppoSAX spectrum of GRB971214: evidence of a substantial energy output during afterglow

We report the X/gamma-ray spectrum of GRB971214 and of its afterglow. The afterglow was measured few hours after the main event and for an elapsed time of more than two days. The measure of this GRB and afterglow is relevant due to its extreme, cosmological distance (z=3.42). The prompt event shows a hard photon spectrum, consistent with a broken power law with photon indices Gamma_X~0.1 below ~20 keV and Gamma_g~1.3 above 60 keV. The afterglow spectrum, measured with the MECS and LECS BeppoSAX telescopes, is consistent with a power law with spectral photon index Gamma=1.6. Within the statistical accuracy of our measure no spectral evolution is detected during the observation of the afterglow. When integrated during the time span covered by BeppoSAX observations, the power in the afterglow emission, even with very conservative assumptions, is at least comparable with the power in the main event. The IR-to-X rays broad band spectrum is also presented, collecting data from the literature and adding them to the BeppoSAX measure. It shows that the predictions from synchrotron emission models is qualitatively confirmed. The BeppoSAX measurement of the X and gamma ray spectrum of this GRB/afterglow is discussed in the framework of current theoretical models.

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arXiv2000

New Extreme Synchrotron BL Lac Objects

We report on the BeppoSAX observations of four "extreme" BL Lacs, selected to have high synchrotron peak frequencies. All have been detected also in the PDS band. For 1ES 0120+340, PKS 0548-322 and H 2356-309 the spectrum is well fitted by a convex broken power-law, thus locating the synchrotron peak around 1 - 4 keV. 1ES 1426+428 presents a flat energy spectral index (alpha_x= 0.92) up to 100 keV, thus constraining the synchrotron peak to lie near or above that value. For their extreme properties, all sources could be strong TeV emitters.

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arXiv1999

The concave X-ray spectrum of the blazar ON 231: the signature of intermediate BL Lac objects

ON 231 was observed with BeppoSAX in May and June 1998, following an exceptional optical outburst which occured in April--May. We measured the X-ray spectrum from 0.1 up to 100 keV. In both occasions the spectrum had a concave shape, with a break detected at about 4 and 2.5 keV, respectively. We interpret the steeper component at energies below the break as due to synchrotron emission and the extremely flat component at energies above the break as due to inverse Compton emission. This is so far the best example in which both the synchrotron and the Inverse Compton component are detected simultaneously and with the same instruments in the X-ray spectrum of a blazar. We detect a decrease of the X-ray flux of about 30% below the break between the first and the second observation, and smaller variability amplitude between 4 and 10 keV. During the May observation we also detected a fast variability event with the flux below 4 keV increasing by about a factor of three in 5 hours. Above 4 keV no variability was detected. We discuss these results in the framework of synchrotron self-Compton models.

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arXiv1999

BeppoSAX Observations of GRB980425: Detection of the Prompt Event and Monitoring of the Error Box

We present BeppoSAX follow-up observations of GRB980425 obtained with the Narrow Field Instruments (NFI) in April, May, and November 1998. The first NFI observation has detected within the 8' radius error box of the GRB an X-ray source positionally consistent with the supernova 1998bw, which exploded within a day of GRB980425, and a fainter X-ray source, not consistent with the position of the supernova. The former source is detected in the following NFI pointings and exhibits a decline of a factor of two in six months. If it is associated with SN 1998bw, this is the first detection of X-ray emission from a Type I supernova above 2 keV. The latter source exhibits only marginally significant variability. The X-ray spectra and variability of the supernova are compared with thermal and non-thermal models of supernova high energy emission. Based on the BeppoSAX data, it is not possible to firmly establish which of the two detected sources is the GRB X-ray counterpart, although probability considerations favor the supernova.

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arXiv1999

Synchrotron and Inverse Compton Variability in the BL Lacertae object S5 0716+714

We report intensity variations of different spectral components in the BL Lac object S5 0716+714 detected during coordinated BeppoSAX and optical observations in 1996 and 1998. The transition between synchrotron and inverse Compton emission has been clearly detected as sharp X-ray spectral breaks at around 2-3 keV on both occasions. Correlated optical and soft X-ray variability was found during the second BeppoSAX pointing when intensive optical monitoring could be arranged. The hard (Compton) component changed by a factor of 2 between the two observations, but remained stable within each exposure. During events of rapid variability S5 0716+714 showed spectral steepening with intensity, a behaviour rarely observed in BL Lacs. We interpret these findings as the probable consequence of a shift of the synchrotron peak emission from the IR/optical band to higher energies, causing the synchrotron tail to push into the soft X-ray band more and more as the source brightens.

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