A TIGHT CONNECTION BETWEEN GAMMA-RAY OUTBURSTS AND PARSEC-SCALE JET ACTIVITY IN THE QUASAR 3C 454.3

作者：Jorstad Svetlana G^*; Marscher Alan P; Smith Paul S; Larionov Valeri M; Agudo Ivan; Gurwell Mark; Wehrle Ann E; Lahteenmaki Anne; Nikolashvili Maria G; Schmidt Gary D; Arkharov Arkady A; Blinov Dmitry A; Blumenthal Kelly; Casadio Carolina; Chigladze Revaz A; Efimova Natalia V; Eggen Joseph R; Gomez Jose L; Grupe Dirk; Hagen Thorn Vladimir A; Joshi Manasvita; Kimeridze Givi N; Konstantinova Tatiana S; Kopatskaya Evgenia N; Kurtanidze Omar M

来源：Astrophysical Journal, 2013, 773(2): 147.

DOI：10.1088/0004-637X/773/2/147

• galaxies: active
• galaxies: jets
• quasars: individual (3C 454.3)
• techniques: interferometric
• techniques: photometric
• techniques: polarimetric

We analyze the multi-frequency behavior of the quasar 3C 454.3 during three prominent gamma-ray outbursts: 2009 Autumn, 2010 Spring, and 2010 Autumn. The data reveal a repeating pattern, including a triple flare structure, in the properties of each gamma-ray outburst, which implies similar mechanism(s) and location for all three events. The multi-frequency behavior indicates that the lower frequency events are co-spatial with the gamma-ray outbursts, although the gamma-ray emission varies on the shortest timescales. We determine that the variability from UV to IR wavelengths during an outburst results from a single synchrotron component whose properties do not change significantly over the different outbursts. Despite a general increase in the degree of optical linear polarization during an outburst, the polarization drops significantly at the peak of the gamma-ray event, which suggests that both shocks and turbulent processes are involved. We detect two disturbances (knots) with superluminal apparent speeds in the parsec-scale jet associated with the outbursts in 2009 Autumn and 2010 Autumn. The kinematic properties of the knots can explain the difference in amplitudes of the gamma-ray events, while their millimeter-wave polarization is related to the optical polarization during the outbursts. We interpret the multi-frequency behavior within models involving either a system of standing conical shocks or magnetic reconnection events located in the parsec-scale millimeter-wave core of the jet. We argue that gamma-ray outbursts with variability timescales as short as similar to 3 hr can occur on parsec scales if flares take place in localized regions such as turbulent cells.

• 出版日期2013-8-20
• 单位国家自然科学基金委员会