Unraveling the Complex Behavior of Mrk 421 with Simultaneous X-Ray and VHE Observations during an Extreme Flaring Activity in 2013 April

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Unraveling the Complex Behavior of Mrk 421 with Simultaneous X-Ray and VHE Observations during an Extreme Flaring Activity in 2013 April. / MAGIC Collaboration.

In: The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, Vol. 248, No. 2, 29, 06.2020, p. 29.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

BibTeX

@article{3feb20c3ef684047b078338ee0b2f2f5,

title = "Unraveling the Complex Behavior of Mrk 421 with Simultaneous X-Ray and VHE Observations during an Extreme Flaring Activity in 2013 April",

abstract = "We report on a multiband variability and correlation study of the TeV blazar Mrk 421 during an exceptional flaring activity observed from 2013 April 11 to 19. The study uses, among others, data from GLAST-AGILE Support Program (GASP) of the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT), Swift, Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), Fermi Large Area Telescope, Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS), and Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov (MAGIC). The large blazar activity and the 43 hr of simultaneous NuSTAR and MAGIC/VERITAS observations permitted variability studies on 15 minute time bins over three X-ray bands (3-7 keV, 7-30 keV, and 30-80 keV) and three very-high-energy (VHE; >0.1 TeV) gamma-ray bands (0.2-0.4 TeV, 0.4-0.8 TeV, and >0.8 TeV). We detected substantial flux variations on multi-hour and sub-hour timescales in all of the X-ray and VHE gamma-ray bands. The characteristics of the sub-hour flux variations are essentially energy independent, while the multi-hour flux variations can have a strong dependence on the energy of the X-rays and the VHE gamma-rays. The three VHE bands and the three X-ray bands are positively correlated with no time lag, but the strength and characteristics of the correlation change substantially over time and across energy bands. Our findings favor multi-zone scenarios for explaining the achromatic/chromatic variability of the fast/slow components of the light curves, as well as the changes in the flux-flux correlation on day-long timescales. We interpret these results within a magnetic reconnection scenario, where the multi-hour flux variations are dominated by the combined emission from various plasmoids of different sizes and velocities, while the sub-hour flux variations are dominated by the emission from a single small plasmoid moving across the magnetic reconnection layer.",

keywords = "BL Lacertae objects, Blazars, Active galaxies, Markarian galaxies, Gamma-ray detectors, Gamma-rays, Relativistic jets, High energy astrophysics, Observational astronomy, 158, 164, 17, 1006, 630, 637, 1390, 739, 1145, PHOTONS, BLAZARS, FAST TEV VARIABILITY, JETS, MARKARIAN-421, RECONNECTION, ACCELERATION, FERMI, EMISSION, PLASMOIDS",

author = "{MAGIC Collaboration} and Acciari, {V. A.} and S. Ansoldi and Antonelli, {L. A.} and {Arbet Engels}, A. and D. Baack and A. Babi{\'c} and B. Banerjee and {Barres de Almeida}, U. and Barrio, {J. A.} and {Becerra Gonz{\'a}lez}, J. and W. Bednarek and Bellizzi, {L. K.} and E. Bernardini and A. Berti and J. Besenrieder and W. Bhattacharyya and C. Bigongiari and A. Biland and O. Blanch and G. Bonnoli and {\v Z}. Bo{\v s}njak and G. Busetto and R. Carosi and G. Ceribella and M. Cerruti and Y. Chai and A. Chilingarian and S. Cikota and Colak, {S. M.} and U. Colin and E. Colombo and Contreras, {J. L.} and J. Cortina and S. Covino and V. D'Elia and {da Vela}, P. and F. Dazzi and {de Angelis}, A. and {de Lotto}, B. and Blinov, {D. A.} and Grishina, {T. S.} and Jorstad, {S. G.} and Kopatskaya, {E. N.} and Larionova, {E. G.} and Larionova, {L. V.} and Larionov, {V. M.} and Mokrushina, {A. A.} and Morozova, {D. A.} and Troitskaya, {Yu. V.} and Troitsky, {I. S.}",

year = "2020",

month = jun,

doi = "10.3847/1538-4365/ab89b5",

language = "English",

volume = "248",

pages = "29",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series",

issn = "0067-0049",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",

number = "2",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Unraveling the Complex Behavior of Mrk 421 with Simultaneous X-Ray and VHE Observations during an Extreme Flaring Activity in 2013 April

AU - MAGIC Collaboration

AU - Acciari, V. A.

AU - Ansoldi, S.

AU - Antonelli, L. A.

AU - Arbet Engels, A.

AU - Baack, D.

AU - Babić, A.

AU - Banerjee, B.

AU - Barres de Almeida, U.

AU - Barrio, J. A.

AU - Becerra González, J.

AU - Bednarek, W.

AU - Bellizzi, L. K.

AU - Bernardini, E.

AU - Berti, A.

AU - Besenrieder, J.

AU - Bhattacharyya, W.

AU - Bigongiari, C.

AU - Biland, A.

AU - Blanch, O.

AU - Bonnoli, G.

AU - Bošnjak, Ž.

AU - Busetto, G.

AU - Carosi, R.

AU - Ceribella, G.

AU - Cerruti, M.

AU - Chai, Y.

AU - Chilingarian, A.

AU - Cikota, S.

AU - Colak, S. M.

AU - Colin, U.

AU - Colombo, E.

AU - Contreras, J. L.

AU - Cortina, J.

AU - Covino, S.

AU - D'Elia, V.

AU - da Vela, P.

AU - Dazzi, F.

AU - de Angelis, A.

AU - de Lotto, B.

AU - Blinov, D. A.

AU - Grishina, T. S.

AU - Jorstad, S. G.

AU - Kopatskaya, E. N.

AU - Larionova, E. G.

AU - Larionova, L. V.

AU - Larionov, V. M.

AU - Mokrushina, A. A.

AU - Morozova, D. A.

AU - Troitskaya, Yu. V.

AU - Troitsky, I. S.

PY - 2020/6

Y1 - 2020/6

N2 - We report on a multiband variability and correlation study of the TeV blazar Mrk 421 during an exceptional flaring activity observed from 2013 April 11 to 19. The study uses, among others, data from GLAST-AGILE Support Program (GASP) of the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT), Swift, Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), Fermi Large Area Telescope, Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS), and Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov (MAGIC). The large blazar activity and the 43 hr of simultaneous NuSTAR and MAGIC/VERITAS observations permitted variability studies on 15 minute time bins over three X-ray bands (3-7 keV, 7-30 keV, and 30-80 keV) and three very-high-energy (VHE; >0.1 TeV) gamma-ray bands (0.2-0.4 TeV, 0.4-0.8 TeV, and >0.8 TeV). We detected substantial flux variations on multi-hour and sub-hour timescales in all of the X-ray and VHE gamma-ray bands. The characteristics of the sub-hour flux variations are essentially energy independent, while the multi-hour flux variations can have a strong dependence on the energy of the X-rays and the VHE gamma-rays. The three VHE bands and the three X-ray bands are positively correlated with no time lag, but the strength and characteristics of the correlation change substantially over time and across energy bands. Our findings favor multi-zone scenarios for explaining the achromatic/chromatic variability of the fast/slow components of the light curves, as well as the changes in the flux-flux correlation on day-long timescales. We interpret these results within a magnetic reconnection scenario, where the multi-hour flux variations are dominated by the combined emission from various plasmoids of different sizes and velocities, while the sub-hour flux variations are dominated by the emission from a single small plasmoid moving across the magnetic reconnection layer.

AB - We report on a multiband variability and correlation study of the TeV blazar Mrk 421 during an exceptional flaring activity observed from 2013 April 11 to 19. The study uses, among others, data from GLAST-AGILE Support Program (GASP) of the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT), Swift, Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), Fermi Large Area Telescope, Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS), and Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov (MAGIC). The large blazar activity and the 43 hr of simultaneous NuSTAR and MAGIC/VERITAS observations permitted variability studies on 15 minute time bins over three X-ray bands (3-7 keV, 7-30 keV, and 30-80 keV) and three very-high-energy (VHE; >0.1 TeV) gamma-ray bands (0.2-0.4 TeV, 0.4-0.8 TeV, and >0.8 TeV). We detected substantial flux variations on multi-hour and sub-hour timescales in all of the X-ray and VHE gamma-ray bands. The characteristics of the sub-hour flux variations are essentially energy independent, while the multi-hour flux variations can have a strong dependence on the energy of the X-rays and the VHE gamma-rays. The three VHE bands and the three X-ray bands are positively correlated with no time lag, but the strength and characteristics of the correlation change substantially over time and across energy bands. Our findings favor multi-zone scenarios for explaining the achromatic/chromatic variability of the fast/slow components of the light curves, as well as the changes in the flux-flux correlation on day-long timescales. We interpret these results within a magnetic reconnection scenario, where the multi-hour flux variations are dominated by the combined emission from various plasmoids of different sizes and velocities, while the sub-hour flux variations are dominated by the emission from a single small plasmoid moving across the magnetic reconnection layer.

KW - BL Lacertae objects

KW - Blazars

KW - Active galaxies

KW - Markarian galaxies

KW - Gamma-ray detectors

KW - Gamma-rays

KW - Relativistic jets

KW - High energy astrophysics

KW - Observational astronomy

KW - 158

KW - 164

KW - 17

KW - 1006

KW - 630

KW - 637

KW - 1390

KW - 739

KW - 1145

KW - PHOTONS

KW - BLAZARS

KW - FAST TEV VARIABILITY

KW - JETS

KW - MARKARIAN-421

KW - RECONNECTION

KW - ACCELERATION

KW - FERMI

KW - EMISSION

KW - PLASMOIDS

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85087986974&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/668f9b38-5e7c-34be-8117-65d8016f690b/

U2 - 10.3847/1538-4365/ab89b5

DO - 10.3847/1538-4365/ab89b5

M3 - Article

VL - 248

SP - 29

JO - Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series

JF - Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series

SN - 0067-0049

IS - 2

M1 - 29

ER -

ID: 61159740