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Title: DEGREE-SCALE GeV 'JETS' FROM ACTIVE AND DEAD TeV BLAZARS

Abstract

We show that images of TeV blazars in the GeV energy band should contain, along with point-like sources, degree-scale jet-like extensions. These GeV extensions are the result of electromagnetic cascades initiated by TeV {gamma}-rays interacting with extragalactic background light and the deflection of the cascade electrons/positrons in extragalactic magnetic fields (EGMFs). Using Monte Carlo simulations, we study the spectral and timing properties of the degree-scale extensions in simulated GeV band images of TeV blazars. We show that the brightness profile of such degree-scale extensions can be used to infer the light curve of the primary TeV {gamma}-ray source over the past 10{sup 7} yr, i.e., over a time scale comparable to the lifetime of the parent active galactic nucleus. This implies that the degree-scale jet-like GeV emission could be detected not only near known active TeV blazars, but also from 'TeV blazar remnants', whose central engines were switched off up to 10 million years ago. Since the brightness profile of the GeV 'jets' depends on the strength and the structure of the EGMF, their observation provides additional information about the EGMF.

Authors:
 [1];  [2]; ;  [3];  [4]
  1. ISDC Data Centre for Astrophysics, Ch. d'Ecogia 16, Versoix (Switzerland)
  2. APC, 10 rue Alice Domon et Leonie Duquet, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13 (France)
  3. Institutt for fysikk, NTNU, Trondheim (Norway)
  4. Institut d'Astrophysique et de Geophysique, Universite de Liege, 4000 Liege (Belgium)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21450963
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 719; Journal Issue: 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/719/2/L130; Journal ID: ISSN 2041-8205
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; 79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; BRIGHTNESS; COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION; COSMIC GAMMA SOURCES; GALAXIES; GAMMA RADIATION; GEV RANGE; MAGNETIC FIELDS; MONTE CARLO METHOD; TEV RANGE; TIMING PROPERTIES; CALCULATION METHODS; COSMIC RAY SOURCES; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; ENERGY RANGE; IONIZING RADIATIONS; OPTICAL PROPERTIES; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; RADIATIONS; SIMULATION

Citation Formats

Neronov, A, Semikoz, D, Kachelriess, M, Ostapchenko, S, and Elyiv, A. DEGREE-SCALE GeV 'JETS' FROM ACTIVE AND DEAD TeV BLAZARS. United States: N. p., 2010. Web. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/719/2/L130.
Neronov, A, Semikoz, D, Kachelriess, M, Ostapchenko, S, & Elyiv, A. DEGREE-SCALE GeV 'JETS' FROM ACTIVE AND DEAD TeV BLAZARS. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/719/2/L130
Neronov, A, Semikoz, D, Kachelriess, M, Ostapchenko, S, and Elyiv, A. 2010. "DEGREE-SCALE GeV 'JETS' FROM ACTIVE AND DEAD TeV BLAZARS". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/719/2/L130.
@article{osti_21450963,
title = {DEGREE-SCALE GeV 'JETS' FROM ACTIVE AND DEAD TeV BLAZARS},
author = {Neronov, A and Semikoz, D and Kachelriess, M and Ostapchenko, S and Elyiv, A},
abstractNote = {We show that images of TeV blazars in the GeV energy band should contain, along with point-like sources, degree-scale jet-like extensions. These GeV extensions are the result of electromagnetic cascades initiated by TeV {gamma}-rays interacting with extragalactic background light and the deflection of the cascade electrons/positrons in extragalactic magnetic fields (EGMFs). Using Monte Carlo simulations, we study the spectral and timing properties of the degree-scale extensions in simulated GeV band images of TeV blazars. We show that the brightness profile of such degree-scale extensions can be used to infer the light curve of the primary TeV {gamma}-ray source over the past 10{sup 7} yr, i.e., over a time scale comparable to the lifetime of the parent active galactic nucleus. This implies that the degree-scale jet-like GeV emission could be detected not only near known active TeV blazars, but also from 'TeV blazar remnants', whose central engines were switched off up to 10 million years ago. Since the brightness profile of the GeV 'jets' depends on the strength and the structure of the EGMF, their observation provides additional information about the EGMF.},
doi = {10.1088/2041-8205/719/2/L130},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21450963}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal Letters},
issn = {2041-8205},
number = 2,
volume = 719,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Aug 20 00:00:00 EDT 2010},
month = {Fri Aug 20 00:00:00 EDT 2010}
}