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Title: A near magnetic-to-kinetic energy equipartition flare from the relativistic jet in AO 0235 + 164 during 2013–2019

Journal Article · · Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
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ABSTRACT We present the multiwavelength flaring activity of the blazar AO 0235 + 164 during its recent active period from 2013 to 2019. From a discrete correlation function analysis, we find a significant ($$\gt 95~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$$) correlation between radio and gamma-ray light curves with flares at longer wavelengths following flares at shorter wavelengths. We identify a new jet component in 43 GHz Very Long Baseline Array data that was ejected from the radio core on MJD $$57246^{+26}_{-30}$$ (2015 August 12), during the peak of the 2015 radio flare. From the analysis of the jet component, we derived a Doppler factor of δvar = 28.5 ± 8.4, a bulk Lorentz factor of $$\Gamma =16.8^{+3.6}_{-3.1}$$, and an intrinsic viewing angle of $$\theta _{\rm v}=1.42^{+1.07}_{-0.52}\textrm {~degrees}$$. Investigation of the quasi-simultaneous radio data revealed a partially absorbed spectrum with the turnover frequency varying in the range of 10−70 GHz and the peak flux density varying in the range of 0.7−4 Jy. We find the synchrotron self-absorption magnetic field strength to be $$B_{\rm SSA}=15.3^{+12.6}_{-14.0}\textrm {~mG}$$ at the peak of the 2015 radio flare, which is comparable to the equipartition magnetic field strength of $$B_{\rm EQ}=43.6^{+10.6}_{-10.4}\textrm {~mG}$$ calculated for the same epoch. Additional analysis of the radio emission region in the relativistic jet of AO 0235 + 164 suggests that it did not significantly deviate from equipartition during its recent flaring activity.

Research Organization:
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-76SF00515
OSTI ID:
2205132
Journal Information:
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Journal Name: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 527; ISSN 0035-8711
Publisher:
Oxford University PressCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English

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