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T. Pursimo

Publications and source records attributed to T. Pursimo.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

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.

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The 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko observation campaign in support of the Rosetta mission

We present a summary of the campaign of remote observations that supported the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission. Telescopes across the globe (and in space) followed comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from before Rosetta's arrival until nearly the end of mission in September 2016. These provided essential data for mission planning, large-scale context information for the coma and tails beyond the spacecraft, and a way to directly compare 67P with other comets. The observations revealed 67P to be a relatively `well behaved' comet, typical of Jupiter family comets and with activity patterns that repeat from orbit-to-orbit. Comparison between this large collection of telescopic observations and the in situ results from Rosetta will allow us to better understand comet coma chemistry and structure. This work is just beginning as the mission ends -- in this paper we present a summary of the ground-based observations and early results, and point to many questions that will be addressed in future studies.

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Radio and optical intra-day variability observations of five blazars

We carried out a pilot campaign of radio and optical band intra-day variability (IDV) observations of five blazars (3C66A, S5 0716+714, OJ287, B0925+504, and BL Lacertae) on December 18--21, 2015 by using the radio telescope in Effelsberg (Germany) and several optical telescopes in Asia, Europe, and America. After calibration, the light curves from both 5 GHz radio band and the optical R band were obtained, although the data were not smoothly sampled over the sampling period of about four days. We tentatively analyse the amplitudes and time scales of the variabilities, and any possible periodicity. The blazars vary significantly in the radio (except 3C66A and BL Lacertae with only marginal variations) and optical bands on intra- and inter-day time scales, and the source B0925+504 exhibits a strong quasi-periodic radio variability. No significant correlation between the radio- and optical-band variability appears in the five sources, which we attribute to the radio IDV being dominated by interstellar scintillation whereas the optical variability comes from the source itself. However, the radio- and optical-band variations appear to be weakly correlated in some sources and should be investigated based on well-sampled data from future observations.

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Optical Spectra of Candidate International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) Flat-Spectrum Radio Sources. III

In extending our spectroscopic program, which targets sources drawn from the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) Catalog, we have obtained spectra for about 160 compact flat-spectrum radio sources and determined redshifts for 112 quasars and radio galaxies. A further 14 sources with featureless spectra have been classified as BL Lac objects. Spectra were obtained at three telescopes: the 3.58-m ESO New Technology Telescope (NTT), and the two 8.2-m Gemini telescopes in Hawaii and Chile. While most of the sources are powerful quasars, a significant fraction of radio galaxies is also included from the list of non-defining ICRF radio sources.

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Multiwavelength variability study and search for periodicity of PKS 1510-089

Blazars are the most luminous and variable AGNs, and thus excellent probes of accretion and emission processes close to the central engine. We focus on PKS 1510-089 ($z=0.36$), one of the brightest gamma-ray sources in the Fermi LAT catalog, to study its complex multi-wavelength variability. PKS 1510-089 was observed twice in hard X-rays with the IBIS instrument onboard INTEGRAL during the flares of Jan 2009 and Jan 2010, and simultaneously with Swift and NOT, in addition to the constant Fermi monitoring. The optical polarization was measured in several bands on 18 Jan 2010 at the NOT. Using our and archival data we constructed historical light curves at gamma-to-radio wavelengths covering nearly 20 years and applied variability tests. We assembled SEDs in 2009 and 2010 and compared them with those at two previous epochs and with a model based on synchrotron and inverse Compton (IC) radiation. The SED modeling suggests that the physical quantities that undergo the largest variations are the total power injected into the emitting region and the random Lorentz factor of the electron distribution cooling break, that are higher in the higher gamma-ray states. This suggests a correlation of the injected power with enhanced activity of the acceleration mechanism. The cooling likely takes place at a much smaller distance ($\sim$0.03 pc) than the BLR radius. The emission at a few hundred GeV can be reproduced with IC scattering of highly relativistic electrons off FIR photons at $\sim$0.2 pc, presumably in a dusty torus. DCF analysis between the long-term optical and gamma-ray light curves yields a good correlation with no measurable delay. Our time analysis of the RXTE PCA and Fermi LAT light curves reveals no obvious (quasi-)periodicities, up to the maximum time scale (a few years) probed by the light curves, which are severely affected by red noise.

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Optical polarization of high-energy BL Lac objects

We investigate the optical polarization properties of high-energy BL Lac objects using data from the RoboPol blazar monitoring program and the Nordic Optical Telescope. We wish to understand if there are differences in the BL Lac objects that are detected with the current-generation TeV instruments compared to those that have not yet been detected. The mean polarization fraction of the TeV-detected BL Lacs is 5% while the non-TeV sources show a higher mean polarization fraction of 7%. This difference in polarization fraction disappears when the dilution by the unpolarized light of the host galaxy is accounted for. The TeV sources show somewhat lower fractional polarization variability amplitudes than the non-TeV sources. Also the fraction of sources with a smaller spread in the Q/I - U/I -plane and a clumped distribution of points away from the origin, possibly indicating a preferred polarization angle, is larger in the TeV than in the non-TeV sources. These differences between TeV and non-TeV samples seems to arise from differences between intermediate and high spectral peaking sources instead of the TeV detection. When the EVPA variations are studied, the rate of EVPA change is similar in both samples. We detect significant EVPA rotations in both TeV and non-TeV sources, showing that rotations can occur in high spectral peaking BL Lac objects when the monitoring cadence is dense enough. Our simulations show that we cannot exclude a random walk origin for these rotations. These results indicate that there are no intrinsic differences in the polarization properties of the TeV-detected and non-TeV-detected high-energy BL Lac objects. This suggests that the polarization properties are not directly related to the TeV-detection, but instead the TeV loudness is connected to the general flaring activity, redshift, and the synchrotron peak location. (Abridged)

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A significant hardening and rising shape detected in the MeV/GeV nuFnu spectrum from the recently-discovered very-high-energy blazar S4 0954+65 during the bright optical flare in 2015 February

We report on Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) and multi-wavelength results on the recently-discovered very-high-energy (VHE, $E>$ 100 GeV) blazar S4 0954+65 ($z=0.368$) during an exceptionally bright optical flare in 2015 February. During the time period (2015 February, 13/14, or MJD 57067) when the MAGIC telescope detected VHE $γ$-ray emission from the source, the Fermi-LAT data indicated a significant spectral hardening at GeV energies, with a power-law photon index of $1.8 \pm 0.1$---compared with the 3FGL value (averaged over four years of observation) of $2.34 \pm 0.04$. In contrast, Swift/XRT data showed a softening of the X-ray spectrum, with a photon index of $1.72 \pm 0.08$ (compared with $1.38 \pm 0.03$ averaged during the flare from MJD 57066 to 57077), possibly indicating a modest contribution of synchrotron photons by the highest-energy electrons superposed on the inverse Compton component. Fitting of the quasi-simultaneous ($<1$ day) broadband spectrum with a one-zone synchrotron plus inverse-Compton model revealed that GeV/TeV emission could be produced by inverse-Compton scattering of external photons from the dust torus. We emphasize that a flaring blazar showing high flux of $\gtrsim 1.0 \times 10^{-6}$ photons cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ ($E>$ 100 MeV) and a hard spectral index of $Γ_{\rm GeV} < 2.0$ detected by Fermi-LAT on daily time scales is a promising target for TeV follow-up by ground-based Cherenkov telescopes to discover high-redshift blazars, investigate their temporal variability and spectral features in the VHE band, and also constrain the intensity of the extragalactic background light.

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Primary black hole spin in OJ287 as determined by the General Relativity centenary flare

OJ287 is a quasi-periodic quasar with roughly 12 year optical cycles. It displays prominent outbursts which are predictable in a binary black hole model. The model predicted a major optical outburst in December 2015. We found that the outburst did occur within the expected time range, peaking on 2015 December 5 at magnitude 12.9 in the optical R-band. Based on Swift/XRT satellite measurements and optical polarization data, we find that it included a major thermal component. Its timing provides an accurate estimate for the spin of the primary black hole, chi = 0.313 +- 0.01. The present outburst also confirms the established general relativistic properties of the system such as the loss of orbital energy to gravitational radiation at the 2 % accuracy level and it opens up the possibility of testing the black hole no-hair theorem with a 10 % accuracy during the present decade.

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A pulsation analysis of K2 observations of the subdwarf B star PG1142-037 during Campaign 1: A subsynchronously rotating ellipsoidal variable

We report a new subdwarf B (sdB) pulsator, PG1142-037, discovered during the first full-length campaign of K2, the two-gyro mission of the Kepler space telescope. Fourteen periodicities have been detected between 0.9 and 2.5 hours with amplitudes below 0.35 ppt. We have been able to associate all of the pulsations with low-degree, ell<=2 modes. Follow-up spectroscopy of PG1142 has revealed it to be in a binary with a period of 0.54 days. Phase-folding the K2 photometry reveals a two-component variation including both Doppler boosting and ellipsoidal deformation. Perhaps the most surprising and interesting result is the detection of an ellipsoidal, tidally distorted variable with no indication of rotationally-induced pulsation multiplets. This indicates that the rotation period is longer than 45 days, even though the binary period is near 13 hours.

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Radio and Gamma-ray Properties of Extragalactic Jets from the TANAMI Sample

Using high-resolution radio imaging with VLBI techniques, the TANAMI program has been observing the parsec-scale radio jets of southern (declination south of -30°) gamma-ray bright AGN simultaneously with Fermi/LAT monitoring of their gamma-ray emission. We present the radio and gamma-ray properties of the TANAMI sources based on one year of contemporaneous TANAMI and Fermi/LAT data. A large fraction (72%) of the TANAMI sample can be associated with bright gamma-ray sources for this time range. Association rates differ for different optical classes with all BL Lacs, 76% of quasars and just 17% of galaxies detected by the LAT. Upper limits were established on the gamma-ray flux from TANAMI sources not detected by LAT. This analysis led to the identification of three new Fermi sources whose detection was later confirmed. The gamma-ray and radio luminosities are related by $L_γ\propto L_r^{0.89+-0.04}$. The brightness temperatures of the radio cores increase with the average gamma-ray luminosity, and the presence of brightness temperatures above the inverse Compton limit implies strong Doppler boosting in those sources. The undetected sources have lower gamma/radio luminosity ratios and lower contemporaneous brightness temperatures. Unless the Fermi/LAT-undetected blazars are strongly gamma-ray-fainter than the Fermi/LAT-detected ones, their gamma-ray luminosity should not be significantly lower than the upper limits calculated here.

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The High A(V) Quasar Survey: Reddened quasi-stellar objects selected from optical/near-infrared photometry - II

Quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) whose spectral energy distributions (SEDs) are reddened by dust either in their host galaxies or in intervening absorber galaxies are to a large degree missed by optical color selection criteria like the one used by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). To overcome this bias against red QSOs, we employ a combined optical and near-infrared color selection. In this paper, we present a spectroscopic follow-up campaign of a sample of red candidate QSOs which were selected from the SDSS and the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS). The spectroscopic data and SDSS/UKIDSS photometry are supplemented by mid-infrared photometry from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. In our sample of 159 candidates, 154 (97%) are confirmed to be QSOs. We use a statistical algorithm to identify sightlines with plausible intervening absorption systems and identify nine such cases assuming dust in the absorber similar to Large Magellanic Cloud sightlines. We find absorption systems toward 30 QSOs, 2 of which are consistent with the best-fit absorber redshift from the statistical modeling. Furthermore, we observe a broad range in SED properties of the QSOs as probed by the rest-frame 2 μm flux. We find QSOs with a strong excess as well as QSOs with a large deficit at rest-frame 2 μm relative to a QSO template. Potential solutions to these discrepancies are discussed. Overall, our study demonstrates the high efficiency of the optical/near-infrared selection of red QSOs.

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TANAMI monitoring of Centaurus A: The complex dynamics in the inner parsec of an extragalactic jet

Centaurus A is the closest radio-loud active galaxy. Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) enables us to study the jet-counterjet system on milliarcsecond (mas) scales, providing essential information for jet emission and propagation models. We study the evolution of the central parsec jet structure of Cen A over 3.5 years. The proper motion analysis of individual jet components allows us to constrain jet formation and propagation and to test the proposed correlation of increased high energy flux with jet ejection events. Cen A is an exceptional laboratory for such detailed study as its proximity translates to unrivaled linear resolution, where 1 mas corresponds to 0.018 pc. The first 7 epochs of high-resolution TANAMI VLBI observations at 8 GHz of Cen A are presented, resolving the jet on (sub-)mas scales. They show a differential motion of the sub-pc scale jet with significantly higher component speeds further downstream where the jet becomes optically thin. We determined apparent component speeds within a range of 0.1c to 0.3c, as well as identified long-term stable features. In combination with the jet-to-counterjet ratio we can constrain the angle to the line of sight to ~12° to 45°. The high resolution kinematics are best explained by a spine-sheath structure supported by the downstream acceleration occurring where the jet becomes optically thin. On top of the underlying, continuous flow, TANAMI observations clearly resolve individual jet features. The flow appears to be interrupted by an obstacle causing a local decrease in surface brightness and a circumfluent jet behavior. We propose a jet-star interaction scenario to explain this appearance. The comparison of jet ejection times with high X-ray flux phases yields a partial overlap of the onset of the X-ray emission and increasing jet activity, but the limited data do not support a robust correlation.

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An active state of the BL Lac Object Markarian 421 detected by INTEGRAL in April 2013

Multiwavelength variability of blazars offers indirect insight into their powerful engines and on the mechanisms through which energy is propagated from the centre down the jet. The BL Lac object Mkn 421 is a TeV emitter, a bright blazar at all wavelengths, and therefore an excellent target for variability studies. Mkn 421 was observed by INTEGRAL and Fermi-LAT in an active state on 16-21 April 2013. Well sampled optical, soft, and hard X-ray light curves show the presence of two flares. The average flux in the 20-100 keV range is 9.1e-11 erg/s/cm2 (~4.5 mCrab) and the nuclear average apparent magnitude, corrected for Galactic extinction, is V ~12.2. In the time-resolved X-ray spectra (3.5-60 keV), which are described by broken power laws and, marginally better, by log-parabolic laws, we see a hardening that correlates with flux increase, as expected in refreshed energy injections in a population of electrons that later cool via synchrotron radiation. The hardness ratios between the JEM-X fluxes in two different bands and between the JEM-X and IBIS/ISGRI fluxes confirm this trend. During the observation, the variability level increases monotonically from the optical to the hard X-rays, while the large LAT errors do not allow a significant assessment of the MeV-GeV variability. The cross-correlation analysis during the onset of the most prominent flare suggests a monotonically increasing delay of the lower frequency emission with respect to that at higher frequency, with a maximum time-lag of about 70 minutes, that is however not well constrained. The spectral energy distributions from the optical to the TeV domain are satisfactorily described by homogeneous models of blazar emission based on synchrotron radiation and synchrotron self-Compton scattering, except in the state corresponding to the LAT softest spectrum and highest flux.

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The planetary nebula IPHASXJ211420.0+434136 (Ou5): insights into common-envelope dynamical and chemical evolution

While analysing the images of the IPHAS H$α$ survey, we noticed that the central star of the candidate planetary nebula IPHASXJ211420.0+434136 (also named Ou5) was clearly variable. This is generally considered as an indication of binarity. To confirm it, we performed a photometric monitoring of the central star, and obtained images and spectra of the nebula. The nebular spectrum confirms that IPHASXJ211420.0+434136 is a planetary nebula of moderately high excitation. It has a remarkable morphology with two nested pairs of bipolar lobes, and other unusual features. The light curve of the central star reveals that it is an eclipsing binary system with an orbital period of 8.74 hours. It also displays a strong irradiation effect with an amplitude of 1.5~mag. The presence of multiple bipolar outflows adds constraints to the formation of these nebulae, suggesting the occurrence of discrete ejection events during, or immediately before, the common-envelope phase. IPHASXJ211420.0+434136 also adds evidence to the hypothesis that a significant fraction of planetary nebulae with close binary central stars have a peculiar nebular chemistry and a relatively low nebular mass. This may point to low-mass, low-metallicity progenitors, with additional effects related to the binary evolution. We also suggest that these objects may be relevant to understand the abundance discrepancy problem in planetary nebulae.

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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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The unusual multiwavelength properties of the gamma-ray source PMNJ1603-4904

We investigate the nature and classification of PMNJ1603-4904, a bright radio source close to the Galactic plane, which is associated with one of the brightest hard-spectrum gamma-ray sources detected by Fermi/LAT. It has previously been classified as a low-peaked BL Lac object based on its broadband emission and the absence of optical emission lines. Optical measurements, however, suffer strongly from extinction and the absence of pronounced short-time gamma-ray variability over years of monitoring is unusual for a blazar. We are combining new and archival multiwavelength data in order to reconsider the classification and nature of this unusual gamma-ray source. For the first time, we study the radio morphology at 8.4GHz and 22.3GHz, and its spectral properties on milliarcsecond (mas) scales, based on VLBI observations from the TANAMI program. We combine the resulting images with multiwavelength data in the radio, IR, optical/UV, X-ray, and gamma-ray regimes. PMNJ1603-4904 shows a symmetric brightness distribution at 8.4GHz on mas-scales, with the brightest, and most compact component in the center of the emission region. The morphology is reminiscent of a Compact Symmetric Object (CSO). Such objects have been predicted to produce gamma-ray emission but have not been detected as a class by Fermi/LAT so far. Sparse (u, v)-coverage at 22.3GHz prevents an unambiguous modeling of the source morphology. IR measurements reveal an excess in the spectral energy distribution (SED), which can be modeled with a blackbody with a temperature of about 1600K, and which is usually not present in blazar SEDs. The VLBI data and the shape of the SED challenge the current blazar classification. PMNJ1603-4904 seems to be either a highly peculiar BL Lac object or a misaligned jet source. In the latter case, the intriguing VLBI structure opens room for a possible classification as a gamma-ray bright CSO.

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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.

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Redshift constraints for RGB 0136+391 and PKS 0735+178 from deep optical imaging

We present the results of deep I-band imaging of two BL Lacerate objects, RGB 0136+391 and PKS 0735+178, during an epoch when the optical nucleus was in a faint state in both targets. In PKS 0735+178 we find a significant excess over a point source, which, if fitted by the de Vaucouleurs model, corresponds to a galaxy with I = 18.64 +- 0.11 and r_eff = 1.8 +- 0.4 arcsec. Interpreting this galaxy as the host galaxy of PKS 0735+178 we derive z = 0.45 +- 0.06 using the host galaxy as a "standard candle". We also discuss the immediate optical environment of PKS 0735+178 and the identity of the MgII absorber at z = 0.424. Despite of the optimally chosen epoch and deep imaging we find the surface brightness profile of RGB 0136+391 to be consistent with a point source. By determining a lower limit for the host galaxy brightness by simulations, we derive z > 0.40 for this target.

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