A TIGHT CONNECTION BETWEEN GAMMA-RAY OUTBURSTS AND PARSEC-SCALE JET ACTIVITY IN THE QUASAR 3C 454.3
- Institute for Astrophysical Research, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 (United States)
- Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0065 (United States)
- Astronomical Institute, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskij Pr. 28, Petrodvorets, 198504 St. Petersburg (Russian Federation)
- Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)
- Space Science Institute, 4750 Walnut Street, Boulder, CO 80301 (United States)
- Aalto University Metsaehovi Radio Observatory Metsaehovintie 114, FIN-02540 Kylmaelae (Finland)
- Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory, Mt. Kanobili, Abastumani, Georgia (United States)
- National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Avenue, Arlington, VA, 22230 (United States)
- Main (Pulkovo) Astronomical Observatory of RAS, Pulkovskoye shosse, 60, 196140 St. Petersburg (Russian Federation)
- Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia, CSIC, Apartado 3004, E-18080 Granada (Spain)
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303-3083 (United States)
- Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pennsylvania State University, 525 Davey Lab, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)
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 {approx}3 hr can occur on parsec scales if flares take place in localized regions such as turbulent cells.
- OSTI ID:
- 22130968
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 773, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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