Polarization swings reveal magnetic energy dissipation in blazars
Abstract
The polarization signatures of blazar emissions are known to be highly variable. In addition to small fluctuations of the polarization angle around a mean value, large (≳ 180°) polarization angle swings are observed. We suggest that such phenomena can be interpreted as arising from light-travel-time effects within an underlying axisymmetric emission region. We present the first simultaneous fitting of the multi-wavelength spectrum, variability, and time-dependent polarization features of a correlated optical and gamma-ray flaring event of the prominent blazar 3C279, which was accompanied by a drastic change in its polarization signatures. This unprecedented combination of spectral, variability, and polarization information in a coherent physical model allows us to place stringent constraints on the particle acceleration and magnetic-field topology in the relativistic jet of a blazar, strongly favoring a scenario in which magnetic energy dissipation is the primary driver of the flare event.
- Authors:
-
- Ohio Univ., Athens, OH (United States); Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Univ. of Potsdam, Potsdam-Golm (Germany); DESY, Zeuthen (Germany)
- North-West Univ., Potchefstroom (South Africa); Ohio Univ., Athens, OH (United States)
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1200615
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-15-24291
Journal ID: ISSN 1538-4357
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25396
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- The Astrophysical Journal (Online)
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: The Astrophysical Journal (Online); Journal Volume: 804; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 1538-4357
- Publisher:
- Institute of Physics (IOP)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; Astronomy and Astrophysics
Citation Formats
Zhang, Haocheng, Chen, Xuhui, Böttcher, Markus, Guo, Fan, and Li, Hui. Polarization swings reveal magnetic energy dissipation in blazars. United States: N. p., 2015.
Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/804/1/58.
Zhang, Haocheng, Chen, Xuhui, Böttcher, Markus, Guo, Fan, & Li, Hui. Polarization swings reveal magnetic energy dissipation in blazars. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/804/1/58
Zhang, Haocheng, Chen, Xuhui, Böttcher, Markus, Guo, Fan, and Li, Hui. Fri .
"Polarization swings reveal magnetic energy dissipation in blazars". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/804/1/58. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1200615.
@article{osti_1200615,
title = {Polarization swings reveal magnetic energy dissipation in blazars},
author = {Zhang, Haocheng and Chen, Xuhui and Böttcher, Markus and Guo, Fan and Li, Hui},
abstractNote = {The polarization signatures of blazar emissions are known to be highly variable. In addition to small fluctuations of the polarization angle around a mean value, large (≳ 180°) polarization angle swings are observed. We suggest that such phenomena can be interpreted as arising from light-travel-time effects within an underlying axisymmetric emission region. We present the first simultaneous fitting of the multi-wavelength spectrum, variability, and time-dependent polarization features of a correlated optical and gamma-ray flaring event of the prominent blazar 3C279, which was accompanied by a drastic change in its polarization signatures. This unprecedented combination of spectral, variability, and polarization information in a coherent physical model allows us to place stringent constraints on the particle acceleration and magnetic-field topology in the relativistic jet of a blazar, strongly favoring a scenario in which magnetic energy dissipation is the primary driver of the flare event.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/804/1/58},
journal = {The Astrophysical Journal (Online)},
number = 1,
volume = 804,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}
Web of Science
Figures / Tables:
Works referenced in this record:
FERMI LARGE AREA TELESCOPE AND MULTI-WAVELENGTH OBSERVATIONS OF THE FLARING ACTIVITY OF PKS 1510-089 BETWEEN 2008 SEPTEMBER AND 2009 JUNE
journal, September 2010
- Abdo, A. A.; Ackermann, M.; Agudo, I.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 721, Issue 2
An Exceptional Very High Energy Gamma-Ray Flare of PKS 2155-304
journal, July 2007
- Aharonian, F.; Akhperjanian, A. G.; Bazer-Bachi, A. R.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 664, Issue 2
Very-High-Energy Gamma Rays from a Distant Quasar: How Transparent Is the Universe?
journal, June 2008
- Albert, J.; Aliu, E.; Anderhub, H.
- Science, Vol. 320, Issue 5884
MAGIC gamma-ray and multi-frequency observations of flat spectrum radio quasar PKS 1510−089 in early 2012
journal, September 2014
- Aleksić, J.; Ansoldi, S.; Antonelli, L. A.
- Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 569
Timing Signatures of the Internal-Shock Model for Blazars
journal, February 2010
- Böttcher, M.; Dermer, C. D.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 711, Issue 1
LEPTONIC AND HADRONIC MODELING OF FERMI -DETECTED BLAZARS
journal, April 2013
- Böttcher, M.; Reimer, A.; Sweeney, K.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 768, Issue 1
Magnetic field amplification and flat spectrum radio quasars
journal, May 2014
- Chen, X.; Chatterjee, R.; Zhang, H.
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 441, Issue 3
Time-dependent simulations of emission from the FSRQ PKS 1510−089: multiwavelength variability of external Compton and synchrotron self-Compton models: Variability of EC and SSC models
journal, June 2012
- Chen, Xuhui; Fossati, Giovanni; Böttcher, Markus
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 424, Issue 1
AGILE detection of extreme γ -ray activity from the blazar PKS 1510-089 during March 2009 : Multifrequency analysis⋆
journal, April 2011
- D’Ammando, F.; Raiteri, C. M.; Villata, M.
- Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 529
Role of electron physics in the development of turbulent magnetic reconnection in collisionless plasmas
journal, April 2011
- Daughton, W.; Roytershteyn, V.; Karimabadi, H.
- Nature Physics, Vol. 7, Issue 7
Simultaneous Multiwavelength Spectrum and Variability of 3C 279 from 10 9 to 10 24 Hz
journal, April 1996
- Hartman, R. C.; Webb, J. R.; Marscher, A. P.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 461
Photopolarimetric Monitoring of Blazars in the Optical and Near-Infrared Bands with the Kanata Telescope. I. Correlations between Flux, Color, and Polarization
journal, June 2011
- Ikejiri, Yuki; Uemura, Makoto; Sasada, Mahito
- Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, Vol. 63, Issue 3
Modeling the Spectral Energy Distribution and Variability of 3C 66A during the WEBT Campaign of 2003–2004
journal, June 2007
- Joshi, M.; Bottcher, M.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 662, Issue 2
A Tight Connection Between Gamma-Ray Outbursts and Parsec-Scale jet Activity in the Quasar 3c 454.3
journal, August 2013
- Jorstad, Svetlana G.; Marscher, Alan P.; Smith, Paul S.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 773, Issue 2
The Outburst of the Blazar s5 0716+71 in 2011 October: Shock in a Helical jet
journal, April 2013
- Larionov, V. M.; Jorstad, S. G.; Marscher, A. P.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 768, Issue 1
Polarization and structure of relativistic parsec-scale AGN jets
journal, July 2005
- Lyutikov, M.; Pariev, V. I.; Gabuzda, D. C.
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 360, Issue 3
A jet model for the gamma-ray emitting blazar 3C 279
journal, September 1992
- Maraschi, L.; Ghisellini, G.; Celotti, A.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 397
The 1993 multiwavelength campaign on 3C 279: The radio to gamma-ray energy distribution inlow state
journal, November 1994
- Maraschi, L.; Grandi, P.; Urry, C. M.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 435
Models for high-frequency radio outbursts in extragalactic sources, with application to the early 1983 millimeter-to-infrared flare of 3C 273
journal, November 1985
- Marscher, A. P.; Gear, W. K.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 298
The inner jet of an active galactic nucleus as revealed by a radio-to-γ-ray outburst
journal, April 2008
- Marscher, Alan P.; Jorstad, Svetlana G.; D’Arcangelo, Francesca D.
- Nature, Vol. 452, Issue 7190
Probing the Inner jet of the Quasar pks 1510–089 with Multi-Waveband Monitoring During Strong Gamma-Ray Activity
journal, February 2010
- Marscher, Alan P.; Jorstad, Svetlana G.; Larionov, Valeri M.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 710, Issue 2
Turbulent, Extreme Multi-Zone Model for Simulating flux and Polarization Variability in Blazars
journal, December 2013
- Marscher, Alan P.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 780, Issue 1
The Outburst of the Blazar s4 0954+658 in 2011 March-April
journal, July 2014
- Morozova, D. A.; Larionov, V. M.; Troitsky, I. S.
- The Astronomical Journal, Vol. 148, Issue 3
A proton synchrotron blazar model for flaring in Markarian 501
journal, March 2001
- Mücke, A.; Protheroe, R. J.
- Astroparticle Physics, Vol. 15, Issue 1
Spine-sheath polarization structures in four active galactic nuclei jets
journal, January 2005
- Pushkarev, A. B.; Gabuzda, D. C.; Vetukhnovskaya, Yu. N.
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 356, Issue 3
Comptonization of diffuse ambient radiation by a relativistic jet: The source of gamma rays from blazars?
journal, January 1994
- Sikora, Marek; Begelman, Mitchell C.; Rees, Martin J.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 421
Internal shocks in the jets of radio-loud quasars
journal, August 2001
- Spada, M.; Ghisellini, G.; Lazzati, D.
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 325, Issue 4
Multiwavelength Observations of a Dramatic High‐Energy Flare in the Blazar 3C 279
journal, April 1998
- Wehrle, A. E.; Pian, E.; Urry, C. M.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 497, Issue 1
The Polarization of Synchrotron Radiation.
journal, July 1959
- Westfold, K. C.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 130
X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Polarization in Leptonic and Hadronic jet Models of Blazars
journal, August 2013
- Zhang, H.; Böttcher, M.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 774, Issue 1
Synchrotron Polarization in Blazars
journal, June 2014
- Zhang, Haocheng; Chen, Xuhui; Böttcher, Markus
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 789, Issue 1
Works referencing / citing this record:
Polarization and QPOs from jets in black hole systems
journal, November 2018
- Mangalam, A.
- Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy, Vol. 39, Issue 6
Polarization angle swings in blazars: The case of 3C 279
journal, April 2016
- Kiehlmann, S.; Savolainen, T.; Jorstad, S. G.
- Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 590
Multiwavelength observations of a VHE gamma-ray flare from PKS 1510−089 in 2015
journal, July 2017
- Ahnen, M. L.; Ansoldi, S.; Antonelli, L. A.
- Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 603
A swirling jet in the quasar 1308+326
journal, May 2017
- Britzen, S.; Qian, S. -J.; Steffen, W.
- Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 602
Optical polarisation variability of radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies: Search for long rotations of the polarisation plane
journal, October 2018
- Angelakis, E.; Kiehlmann, S.; Myserlis, I.
- Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 618
Extreme HBL behavior of Markarian 501 during 2012
journal, December 2018
- Ahnen, M. L.; Ansoldi, S.; Antonelli, L. A.
- Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 620
Particle acceleration during magnetic reconnection in a low-beta pair plasma
journal, May 2016
- Guo, Fan; Li, Hui; Daughton, William
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 23, Issue 5
Particle diffusion and localized acceleration in inhomogeneous AGN jets – II. Stochastic variation
journal, March 2016
- Chen, Xuhui; Pohl, Martin; Böttcher, Markus
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 458, Issue 3
Microscopic Processes in Global Relativistic Jets Containing Helical Magnetic Fields
journal, September 2016
- Nishikawa, Ken-Ichi; Mizuno, Yosuke; Niemiec, Jacek
- Galaxies, Vol. 4, Issue 4
Blazar Optical Polarimetry: Current Progress in Observations and Theories
journal, October 2019
- Zhang, Haocheng
- Galaxies, Vol. 7, Issue 4
Leptonic and Hadronic Modeling of Fermi -LAT Hard Spectrum Quasars and Predictions for High-energy Polarization
journal, August 2018
- Paliya, Vaidehi S.; Zhang, Haocheng; Böttcher, Markus
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 863, Issue 1
The Polarization Behavior of Relativistic Synchrotron Jets
journal, September 2018
- Peirson, A. L.; Romani, Roger W.
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 864, Issue 2
Optical Polarimetric and Multiwavelength Flaring Activity of Blazar 3C 279
journal, November 2019
- Fraija, N.; Benítez, E.; Hiriart, D.
- The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, Vol. 245, Issue 1
Large-amplitude Blazar Polarization Angle Swing as a Signature of Magnetic Reconnection
journal, August 2018
- Zhang, Haocheng; Li, Xiaocan; Guo, Fan
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 862, Issue 2
Determining the Dominant Acceleration Mechanism during Relativistic Magnetic Reconnection in Large-scale Systems
journal, July 2019
- Guo, Fan; Li, Xiaocan; Daughton, William
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 879, Issue 2
Particle diffusion and localized acceleration in inhomogeneous AGN jets – II. Stochastic variation
text, January 2016
- Chen, Xuhui; Pohl, Martin; Böttcher, Markus
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY, Hamburg
Microscopic Processes In Global Relativistic Jets Containing Helical Magnetic Fields
posted_content, July 2016
- Nishikawa, Kenichi; Mizuno, Yosuke; Niemiec, Jacek
- Preprints.org
Multiwavelength observations of a VHE gamma-ray flare from PKS 1510-089 in 2015
text, January 2016
- Collaboration, Magic; Ahnen, M. L.; Ansoldi, S.
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY, Hamburg
Microscopic Processes in Global Relativistic Jets Containing Helical Magnetic Fields
text, January 2016
- Nishikawa, Ken-Ichi; Mizuno, Yosuke; Niemiec, Jacek
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY, Hamburg
The extreme HBL behaviour of Markarian 501 during 2012
text, January 2018
- Ahnen, M. L.; Ansoldi, S.; Antonelli, L. A.
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY, Hamburg
Multiwavelength observations of a VHE gamma-ray flare from PKS 1510−089 in 2015
text, January 2017
- Ahnen, M. L.; Ansoldi, S.; Antonelli, L. A.
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY, Hamburg
Polarization angle swings in blazars: The case of 3C 279
text, January 2016
- Kiehlmann, S.; Savolainen, T.; Jorstad, S. G.
- arXiv
Particle Acceleration during Magnetic Reconnection in a Low-beta Pair Plasma
text, January 2016
- Guo, Fan; Li, Hui; Daughton, William
- arXiv
Multiwavelength observations of a VHE gamma-ray flare from PKS 1510-089 in 2015
text, January 2016
- Collaboration, Magic; Ahnen, M. L.; Ansoldi, S.
- arXiv
Large-Amplitude Blazar Polarization Angle Swing as a Signature of Magnetic Reconnection
text, January 2018
- Zhang, Haocheng; Li, Xiaocan; Guo, Fan
- arXiv