학술논문
The Outburst of the Blazar S40954+658 in March-April 2011
Document Type
Working Paper
Author
Morozova, D. A.; Larionov, V. M.; Troitsky, I. S.; Jorstad, S. G.; Marscher, A. P.; Gómez, J. L.; Blinov, D. A.; Efimova, N. V.; Hagen-Thorn, V. A.; Hagen-Thorn, E. I.; Joshi, M.; Konstantinova, T. S.; Kopatskaya, E. N.; Larionova, L. V.; Larionova, E. G.; Lähteenmäki, A.; Tammi, J.; Rastorgueva-Foi, E.; McHardy, I.; Tornikoski, M.; Agudo, I.; Casadio, C.; Molina, S. N.; Volvach, A. E.; Volvach, L. N.
Source
Subject
Language
Abstract
We present the results of optical (R band) photometric and polarimetric monitoring and Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) imaging of the blazar S4 0954+658, along with Fermi and gamma;-ray data during a multi-waveband outburst in 2011 March-April. After a faint state with a brightness level R ~17.6 mag registered in the first half of January 2011, the optical brightness of the source started to rise and reached ~14.8 mag during the middle of March, showing flare-like behavior. The most spectacular case of intranight variability was observed during the night of 2011 March 9, when the blazar brightened by ~0.7 mag within ~7 hours. During the rise of the flux the position angle of optical polarization rotated smoothly over more than 300$\deg$. At the same time, within 1$\sigma$ uncertainty a new superluminal knot appeared with an apparent speed of 19.0$\pm$0.3 c. We have very strong evidence for association of this knot with the multi-waveband outburst in 2011 March-April. We also analyze the multi-frequency behavior of S4 0954+658 during a number of minor outbursts from August 2008 to April 2012. We find some evidence of connections between at least two more superluminal ejecta and near-simultaneous optical flares.
Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal
Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal