arXiv subjects

R. Nesci

Publications and source records attributed to R. Nesci.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

A high geometric albedo and small size of the Haumea cluster member (24835) 1995 SM55 from a stellar occultation and photometric observations

Trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) are among the most ancient bodies of the solar system. Understanding their physical properties is key to constraining their origin and the evolution of the outer regions beyond Neptune. Stellar occultations provide highly accurate size and shape information. (24835) 1995 SM55 is one of the few members of the Haumea cluster and thus of particular interest. We aimed to determine its projected size, absolute magnitude, and geometric albedo, and to compare these with Haumea. A stellar occultation on 25 February 2024 was observed from five sites, with seven positive detections and 33 negative chords. An elliptical fit to the occultation chords yields semi-axes of $(104.3 \pm 0.4) \times (83.5 \pm 0.5)$ km, giving an area-equivalent diameter of $186.7 \pm 1.8$ km, smaller than the 250 km upper limit from Herschel thermal data. Photometry provides an absolute magnitude $H_V = 4.55 \pm 0.03$, a phase slope of $0.04 \pm 0.02$ mag/deg, and a $V-R = 0.37 \pm 0.05$. The rotational variability has an amplitude $\Delta m = 0.05$ mag, but the period remains uncertain. Combining occultation and photometry, we derive a geometric albedo $p_V = 0.80 \pm 0.04$, one of the highest values measured for a TNO. This value is slightly higher than that of Haumea, consistent with the interpretation that 1995 SM55 belongs to the Haumea cluster.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2021

Multi-wavelength flare observations of the blazar S5 1803+784

The radio, optical, and $γ$-ray light curves of the blazar S5 1803+784, from the beginning of the {\it Fermi} Large Area Telescope (LAT) mission in August 2008 until December 2018, are presented. The aim of this work is to look for correlations among different wavelengths useful for further theoretical studies. We analyzed all the data collected by {\it Fermi} LAT for this source, taking into account the presence of nearby sources, and we collected optical data from our own observations and public archive data to build the most complete optical and $γ$-ray light curve possible. Several $γ$-ray flares ($\mathrm{F>2.3~10^{-7} ph(E>0.1 GeV)~cm^{-2}~s^{-1}}$) with optical coverage were detected, all but one with corresponding optical enhancement; we also found two optical flares without a $γ$-ray counterpart. We obtained two {\it Swift} Target of Opportunity observations during the strong flare of 2015. Radio observations performed with VLBA and EVN through our proposals in the years 2016-2020 were analyzed to search for morphological changes after the major flares. The optical/$γ$-ray flux ratio at the flare peak varied for each flare. Very minor optical V-I color changes were detected during the flares. The X-ray spectrum was well fitted by a power law with photon spectral index $α$=1.5, nearly independent of the flux level: no clear correlation with the optical or the $γ$-ray emission was found. The $γ$-ray spectral shape was well fitted by a power law with average photon index $α$= 2.2. These findings support an Inverse Compton origin for the high-energy emission of the source, nearly co-spatial with the optically emitting region. The radio maps showed two new components originating from the core and moving outwards, with ejection epochs compatible with the dates of the two largest $γ$-ray flares.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

The large gamma-ray flare of the FSRQ PKS 0346-27

In this paper, we characterize the first $γ$-ray flaring episode of the FSRQ PKS 0346-27 (z=0.991), as revealed by Fermi-LAT monitoring data, and the concurrent multi-wavelength variability observed from radio through X-rays. The quasi-simultaneous multi-wavelength coverage allowed us to construct time-resolved spectral energy distributions (SEDs). PKS 0346-27 entered an elevated $γ$-ray activity state starting from the beginning of 2018. The high-state continued throughout the year, displaying the highest fluxes in May 2018. We find evidence of short-time scale variability down to $\sim$1.5 hours, which constrains the $γ$-ray emission region to be compact. The extended flaring period was characterized by a persistently harder spectrum with respect to the quiescent state, indicating changes in the broadband spectral properties of the source. This was confirmed by the multi-wavelength observations, which show a shift in the position of the two SED peaks by $\sim$2 orders of magnitude in energy and peak flux value. As a result, during the high state the non-thermal jet emission completely outshines the thermal contribution from the dust torus and accretion disk. The broadband SED of PKS 0346-27 transitions from a typical Low-Synchrotron-Peaked (LSP) to the Intermediate-Synchrotron-Peaked (ISP) class, a behavior previously observed in other flaring $γ$-ray sources. Our one-zone leptonic emission model of the high-state SEDs constrains the $γ$-ray emission region to have a lower magnetic field, larger radius, and higher maximum electron Lorentz factors with respect to the quiescent SED. Finally, we note that the bright and hard $γ$-ray spectrum observed during the peak of flaring activity in May 2018 implies that PKS 0346-27 could be a promising target for future ground-based Cherenkov observatories such as the CTA.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2018

Proper identification of variable star V683 Cas

Investigation on the object reported by SIMBAD database as V683 Cas shows that this variable star corresponds to the eclipsing binary system GSC 03699-00091 (also identified as NSVS 1850718). The results of the photometric observations of the stars nearby to the position indicated for V683 Cas are reported.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2017

TANAMI: Tracking Active Galactic Nuclei with Austral Milliarcsecond Interferometry - II. Additional Sources

TANAMI is a multiwavelength program monitoring active galactic nuclei (AGN) south of -30deg declination including high-resolution Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) imaging, radio, optical/UV, X-ray and gamma-ray studies. We have previously published first-epoch 8.4GHz VLBI images of the parsec-scale structure of the initial sample. In this paper, we present images of 39 additional sources. The full sample comprises most of the radio- and gamma-ray brightest AGN in the southern quarter of the sky, overlapping with the region from which high-energy (>100TeV) neutrino events have been found. We characterize the parsec-scale radio properties of the jets and compare with the quasi-simultaneous Fermi/LAT gamma-ray data. Furthermore, we study the jet properties of sources which are in positional coincidence with high-energy neutrino events as compared to the full sample. We test the positional agreement of high-energy neutrino events with various AGN samples. Our observations yield the first images of many jets below -30deg declination at milliarcsecond resolution. We find that gamma-ray loud TANAMI sources tend to be more compact on parsec-scales and have higher core brightness temperatures than gamma-ray faint jets, indicating higher Doppler factors. No significant structural difference is found between sources in positional coincidence with high-energy neutrino events and other TANAMI jets. The 22 gamma-ray brightest AGN in the TANAMI sky show only a weak positional agreement with high-energy neutrinos demonstrating that the >100TeV IceCube signal is not simply dominated by a small number of the $γ$-ray brightest blazars. Instead, a larger number of sources have to contribute to the signal with each individual source having only a small Poisson probability for producing an event in multi-year integrations of current neutrino detectors.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2017

Infrared characteristics of the BIS catalog objects

We have studied several color-color infrared diagrams of the 276 late type stars of the BIS catalog. For 95 of these stars we derived spectral classification from our slit spectroscopy. From the 2MASS color diagram we derive that none of the sample stars is a dwarf. The WISE 3.4-12 vs 12-22 plot is the best to discriminate the variability type (Mira, irregular and not-variable), as well as Carbon stars: IRAS colors are less useful due to the poor quality of the data for most of the BIS stars. Mixed plots involving 2MASS, AKARI and WISE were also explored: the 2MASS-AKARI J-[S09] vs [S09]-[L18] plot is efficient to discriminate Carbon and Mira stars. From the color plots and our spectroscopy we can statistically predict that in whole BIS catalog no other dusty Carbon star is present, while a few Miras and CH or R Carbon stars could be discovered. Only about 15 percent of the BIS stars are of early M type.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2017

Spectral Properties and Variability of BIS objects

Through the analysis and interpretation of newly obtained and of literature data we have clarified the nature of poorly investigated IRAS point sources classified as late type stars, belonging to the Byurakan IRAS ~Stars catalog. From medium resolution spectroscopyof 95 stars we have strongly revised 47 spectral types and newly classified 31 sources. Nine stars are of G or K types, four are N carbon stars in the Asymptotic Giant Branch, the others being M type stars. From literature and new photometric observations we have studied their variability behaviour. For the regular variables we determined distances, absolute magnitudes and mass loss rates. For the other stars we estimated the distances, ranging between 1.3 and 10~kpc with a median of 2.8~kpc from the galactic plane, indicating that BIS stars mostly belong to the halo population.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2016

GR 290 (Romano's Star): 2. Light history and evolutionary state

We have built the historical light curve of the luminous variable GR 290 back to 1901, from old observations of the star found in several archival plates of M 33. These old recordings together with published and new data show that for at least half a century the star was in a low luminosity state, with B ~18. After 1960, five large variability cycles of visual luminosity were recorded. The amplitude of the oscillations was seen increasing towards the 1992-1994 maximum, then decreasing during the last maxima. The recent light curve indicates that the photometric variations have been quite similar in all the bands, and that the B-V color index has been constant within +/-0.1 m despite the 1.5m change of the visual luminosity. The spectrum of GR 290 at the large maximum of 1992-94, was equivalent to late-B type, while, during 2002-2014, it has varied between WN10h-11h near the visual maxima to WN8h-9h at the luminosity minima. We have detected, during this same period, a clear anti-correlation between the visual luminosity, the strength of the HeII 4686 A emission line, the strength of the 4600-4700 A lines blend and the spectral type. From a model analysis of the spectra collected during the whole 2002-2014 period we find that the Rosseland radius R_{2/3}, changed between the minimum and maximum luminosity phases by a factor of 3, while T_eff varied between about 33,000 K and 23,000 K. The bolometric luminosity of the star was not constant, but increased by a factor of ~1.5 between minimum and maximum luminosity, in phase with the apparent luminosity variations. In the light of current evolutionary models of very massive stars, we find that GR 290 has evolved from a ~60 M_Sun progenitor star and should have an age of about 4 million years. We argue that it has left the LBV stage and is moving to a Wolf-Rayet stage of late nitrogen spectral type.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2013

Near infrared and gamma-ray monitoring of TANAMI gamma-ray bright sources

Spectral energy distribution and its variability are basic tools for understanding the physical processes operating in active galactic nuclei (AGN). In this paper we report the results of a one-year near infra red (NIR) and optical monitoring of a sample of 22 AGN known to be gamma-ray emitters, aimed at discovering correlations between optical and gamma-ray emission. We observed our objects with the Rapid Eye Mount (REM) telescope in J, H, K, and R bands nearly twice every month during their visibility window and derived light curves and spectral indexes. We also analyzed the gamma-ray data from the Fermi gamma-ray Space Telescope, making weekly averages. Six sources were never detected during our monitoring, proving to be fainter than their historical Two micron all sky survey (2MASS) level. All of the sixteen detected sources showed marked flux density variability, while the spectral indexes remained unchanged within our sensitivity limits. Steeper sources showed, on average, a larger variability. From the NIR light curves we also computed a variability speed index for each detected source. Only one source (PKS 0208-512) underwent an NIR flare during our monitoring. Half of the sources showed a regular flux density trend on a one-year time scale, but do not show any other peculiar characteristic. The broadband spectral index alpha_ro appears to be a good proxy of the NIR spectral index only for BL Lac objects. No clear correlation between NIR and gamma-ray data is evident in our data, save for PKS 0537-441, PKS 0521-360, PKS 2155-304, and PKS 1424-418. The gamma-ray/NIR flux ratio showed a large spread, QSO being generally gamma-louder than BL Lac, with a marked correlation with the estimated peak frequency nu_peak of the synchrotron emission.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2012

Multiwavelength Intraday Variability of the BL Lac S5 0716+714

We report results from a 1 week multi-wavelength campaign to monitor the BL Lac object S5 0716+714 (on December 9-16, 2009). In the radio bands the source shows rapid (~ (0.5-1.5) day) intra-day variability with peak amplitudes of up to ~ 10 %. The variability at 2.8 cm leads by about 1 day the variability at 6 cm and 11 cm. This time lag and more rapid variations suggests an intrinsic contribution to the source's intraday variability at 2.8 cm, while at 6 cm and 11 cm interstellar scintillation (ISS) seems to predominate. Large and quasi-sinusoidal variations of ~ 0.8 mag were detected in the V, R and I-bands. The X-ray data (0.2-10 keV) do not reveal significant variability on a 4 day time scale, favoring reprocessed inverse-Compton over synchrotron radiation in this band. The characteristic variability time scales in radio and optical bands are similar. A quasi-periodic variation (QPO) of 0.9 - 1.1 days in the optical data may be present, but if so it is marginal and limited to 2.2 cycles. Cross-correlations between radio and optical are discussed. The lack of a strong radio-optical correlation indicates different physical causes of variability (ISS at long radio wavelengths, source intrinsic origin in the optical), and is consistent with a high jet opacity and a compact synchrotron component peaking at ~= 100 GHz in an ongoing very prominent flux density outburst. For the campaign period, we construct a quasi-simultaneous spectral energy distribution (SED), including gamma-ray data from the FERMI satellite. We obtain lower limits for the relativistic Doppler-boosting of delta >= 12-26, which for a BL\,Lac type object, is remarkably high.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2012

The Gamma-Ray Blazar PKS 0208-512, a Multi-Wavelength Investigation

The gamma-ray blazar PKS 0208-512 has shown strong periods of flaring, at all frequencies from radio to gamma-ray. This has led to its inclusion in the TANAMI project, which tracks the jets of southern AGN using VLBI as well as supporting flux density monitoring programs. Time series analysis of the light curves generated by such monitoring is presented and discussed and VLBI maps of the source are used to show the evolution in the jet. A frequency dependent lag is observed between flaring at different radio frequencies which does not appear to correspond to purely optical depth effects. Major flaring at gamma-ray frequencies appears to be preceded by a new component in the jet seen in our VLBI data.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2012

A New Fast Silicon Photomultiplier Photometer

The realization of low-cost instruments with high technical performance is a goal which deserves some efforts in an epoch of fast technological developments: indeed such instruments can be easily reproduced and therefore allow to open new research programs in several Observatories. We realized a fast optical photometer based on the SiPM technology, using commercially available modules. Using low-cost components we have developed a custom electronic chain to extract the signal produced by a commercial MPPC module produced by Hamamatsu, in order to obtain sub millisecond sampling of the light curve of astronomical sources, typically pulsars. In the early February 2011 we observed the Crab Pulsar at the Cassini telescope with our prototype photometer, deriving its period, power spectrum and shape of its light curve in very good agreement with the results obtained in the past with other instruments.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2012

S5 1803+78 revisited

We report on our optical monitoring of the BL Lac object S5 1803+78 from 1996 to 2011. The source showed no clear periodicity, but a time scale of about 1300 days between major flares is possibly present. No systematic trend of the color index with flux variations is evident, at variance with other BL Lacs. In one flare, however, the source was bluer in the rising phase and redder in the falling one. Two Gamma-ray flares were detected by Fermi-GST during our monitoring: on the occasion of only one of them we found simultaneous optical brightening. A one-zone Synchrotron Self Compton (SSC) model appears too simple to explain the source behavior.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2010

BZBJ1058+5628: a new quasi-periodic BL Lac

We present the historic photographic light curves of three little known Blazars (two BL Lacs and one FSRQ), BZB J1058+5628, BZQ J1148+5254 and BZB J1209+4119 spanning a time interval of about 50 years, mostly built using the Asiago plate archive. All objects show evident long-term variability, over which short-term variations are superposed. One source, BZB J1058+5628, showed a marked quasi-periodic variability of 1 mag on time scale of about 6.3 years, making it one of the few BL Lac objects with a quasi-periodic behavior.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2010

J004457+4123 (Sharov 21): not a remarkable nova in M31 but a background quasar with a spectacular UV flare

We announce the discovery of a quasar behind the disk of M31, which was previously classified as a remarkable nova in our neighbour galaxy. The paper is primarily aimed at the outburst of J004457+4123 (Sharov 21), with the first part focussed on the optical spectroscopy and the improvement in the photometric database. Both the optical spectrum and the broad band spectral energy distribution of Sharov 21 are shown to be very similar to that of normal, radio-quiet type 1 quasars. We present photometric data covering more than a century and resulting in a long-term light curve that is densely sampled over the past five decades. The variability of the quasar is characterized by a ground state with typical fluctuation amplitudes of ~0.2 mag around B~20.5, superimposed by a singular flare of ~2 yr duration (observer frame) with the maximum at 1992.81 where the UV flux has increased by a factor of ~20. The total energy in the flare is at least three orders of magnitudes higher than the radiated energy of the most luminous supernovae, provided that it comes from an intrinsic process and the energy is radiated isotropically. The profile of the flare light curve appears to be in agreement with the standard predictions for a stellar tidal disruption event where a ~10 M_sun giant star was shredded in the tidal field of a ~2...5 10^8 M_sun black hole. The short fallback time derived from the light curve requires an ultra-close encounter where the pericentre of the stellar orbit is deep within the tidal disruption radius. Gravitational microlensing provides an alternative explanation, though the probability of such a high amplification event is very low.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2009

Swift observations of IBL and LBL objects

BL Lacs are an enigmatic class of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), characterized by the non-thermal continuum typically attributed to synchrotron and inverse Compton emission. Depending on the frequency location of the maxima of these components, they are subdivided into three subclasses LBLs, IBLs, and HBLs. We present the results of a set of observations of eight BL Lac objects of LBL and IBL type performed by the XRT and UVOT detectors onboard the Swift satellite between January 2005 and November 2006. We are mainly interested in measuring the spectral parameters, and particularly the steepness between the UV and the X-ray band, useful for determining the classification of these sources. We compare the behavior of these sources with previous XMM-Newton, BeppoSAX obser- vations and with historical data in the X-ray and in the optical band. We are also interested in classifying the sources in our sample on the basis of the observations and comparing them with their classification presented in literature. We performed X-ray spectral analysis of observed BL Lac objects using a simple powerlaw and in a few cases the log-parabolic model. We also combined the UV emission with the low energy X-ray data to We used observational data to classify sources in our sample and derived parameters of their spectral energy distribution. We found that for the IBLs X-rays low states show features of the high energy component, usually interpreted as due to inverse Compton emission. Sources in our sample exhibit a range of temporal UV and X-ray behaviors, some objects having clear and neat correlated UV and X-ray variations (e.g. ON231) and other objects showing no clear (e.g. AO 0235+164) UV and X-ray correlation. Finally, we also note that our estimates of spectral curvature are in the range of that measured for the HBLs.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2007

The 26 year-long X-ray light curve and the X-ray spectrum of the BL Lac Object 1E 1207.9+3945 in its brightest state

We studied the temporal and spectral evolution of the synchrotron emission from the high energy peaked BL Lac object 1E 1207.9+3945. Two recent observations have been performed by the XMM-Newton and Swift satellites; we carried out X-ray spectral analysis for both of them, and photometry in optical-ultraviolet filters for the Swift one. Combining the results thus obtained with archival data we built the long-term X-ray light curve, spanning a time interval of 26 years, and the Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) of this source. The light curve shows a large flux increasing, about a factor of six, in a time interval of a few years. After reaching its maximum in coincidence with the XMM-Newton pointing in December 2000 the flux decreased in later years, as revealed by Swift. The very good statistics available in the 0.5-10 keV XMM-Newton X-ray spectrum points out a highly significant deviation from a single power law. A log-parabolic model with a best fit curvature parameter of 0.25 and a peak energy at ~1 keV describes well the spectral shape of the synchrotron emission. The simultaneous fit of Swift UVOT and XRT data provides a milder curvature (b~0.1) and a peak at higher energies (~15 keV), suggesting a different state of source activity. In both cases UVOT data support the scenario of a single synchrotron emission component extending from the optical/UV to the X-ray band. New X-ray observations are important to monitor the temporal and spectral evolution of the source; new generation gamma-ray telescopes like AGILE and GLAST could for the first time detect its inverse Compton emission.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Swift detection of all previously undetected blazars in a micro-wave flux-limited sample of WMAP foreground sources

Almost the totality of the bright foreground sources in the WMAP CMB maps are blazars, a class of sources that show usually also X-ray emission. However, 23 objects in a flux-limited sample of 140 blazars of the WMAP catalog (first year) were never reported before as X-ray sources. We present here the results of 41 Swift observations which led to the detection of all these 23 blazars in the 0.3-10 keV band. We conclude that all micro-wave selected blazars are X-ray emitters and that the distribution of the micro-wave to X-ray spectral slope $α_{mu x}$ of LBL blazars is very narrow, confirming that the X-ray flux of most blazars is a very good estimator of their micro-wave emission. The X-ray spectral shape of all the objects that were observed long enough to allow spectral analysis is flat and consistent with inverse Compton emission within the commonly accepted view where the radiation from blazars is emitted in a Sychrotron-Inverse-Compton scenario. We predict that all blazars and most radio galaxies above the sensitivity limit of the WMAP and of the Planck CMB missions are X-ray sources detectable by the present generation of X-ray satellites. An hypothetical all-sky soft X-ray survey with sensitivity of approximately $10^{-15}$ erg/s would be crucial to locate and remove over 100,000 blazars from CMB temperature and polarization maps and therefore accurately clean the primordial CMB signal from the largest population of extragalactic foreground contaminants.

astro-ph↗