A Multi - wavelength Study of Blazars with WIYN-

VERITAS-IceCube

Kirsten L. LarsonKirsten L. LarsonThe College of WoosterThe College of Wooster

Advisor:Advisor:

Teresa MontaruliTeresa MontaruliUniversity of Madison-WisconsinUniversity of Madison-Wisconsin

Picture from: http://www.ap.stmarys.ca/~ishort/Images/AGN/Model/

BlazarsBlazars

Our Blazars:Markarian 421 (z = 0.031)

Markarian 501 (z = 0.034)

1ES 1959+650 (z = 0.047)

Blazars are AGN with the jets pointed toward us.

Picture from: http://www.ap.stmarys.ca/~ishort/Images/AGN/Model/

γ-ray -- Neutrino γ-ray -- Neutrino ConnectionConnection

Multi-wavelength Campaign

WIYN 0.9m Whipple 10m

IceCube

Markarian 421Markarian 421

Mrk 421 was first detected in Mrk 421 was first detected in 1992 and was first extragalactic 1992 and was first extragalactic VHE gamma-ray source. VHE gamma-ray source.

The first flare was observed in The first flare was observed in 1994 when the flux increased 1994 when the flux increased from 0.15 Crabs to 1.5 Crabs.from 0.15 Crabs to 1.5 Crabs.

Since then, large flares have Since then, large flares have been observed in 1996, 2000, been observed in 1996, 2000, 2003 and 2004.2003 and 2004.

Schubnell et al. (1996)

Mrk 421Mrk 421

Throughout 1997 and 1998 Mrk 421 had an average flux of 0.5 Crabs and flared only 3 times to about 1 Crab.

In May 7 1996 Mrk 421 flared In May 7 1996 Mrk 421 flared to about 10 Crab, doubling to about 10 Crab, doubling its intensity in less then an its intensity in less then an hour. By May 8 its flux was hour. By May 8 its flux was back down to 0.3 Crabs.back down to 0.3 Crabs.

A Flare on May 15 showed A Flare on May 15 showed variability on a 15 min. variability on a 15 min. time scaletime scale

Gaidos et al. (1996)

Mrk 421Mrk 421

On April 2004 Mrk 421 had a flare that lasted more then 2 weeks with a flux reaching as high as 3 Crabs.

In 2000/2001 Mrk 421 had high flaring ranging from 0.4 to 13 Crabs and lasted for about 5 months.The Flux was steady throughout 2002/2003 until March 30, 2003 when it flared again.

Blasejowski et al (2005)

David Steele

Our Observing Period: Our Observing Period: 18 April – 10 May18 April – 10 May15 June – 19 June 15 June – 19 June

Optical and Gamma-Ray DataOptical and Gamma-Ray Data

WIYN0.9m

Raw Image

Reduced Image

Mrk 421

-Source (Mrk 421) and three stable reference stars to calibrate magnitude

Used IRAF to quantify “instrumental” magnitudes

Image needs to be reduced to account for instrumental effects (like the white line)

Mrk 421

Above: WIYN optical data for 18 Apr – 10 May

& June 15 2006.

Below: Whipple data for the same period

Above: Whipple gamma-ray data Nov 05 – Jun 06.

Our period is in the red box.

One jansky = 1E-23 erg/s/cm^2/Hz

Preliminary data

Preliminary data

Filter Center waveln (Angstrom)

B (wiyn)V (wiyn)

43275448

Mrk 501

Above: WIYN optical data for 18 Apr – 10 May

& 15 June – 19 June 2006

Below: Whipple data for the same period

Above: Whipple gamma-ray data Mar 06 – Jun 06.

Our period again is in the red box.

Preliminary data

Preliminary data

1ES 1959 +650

Above: WIYN optical data for 18 Apr – 10 May

& 15 June – 19 June 2006Below: Whipple data for the same period

Above: Whipple gamma-ray data Nov 05 – Jun 06.

Our period is, still, in the red box.

Preliminary data

Preliminary data

Maximum Likelihood Blocks

●Separates photon count data into regions of likely constant flux●References:J. D. Scargle, “Bayesian Blocks, a New Method to Analyze Structure in Photon Counting Data”, 1998E. Flaccomio, “Maximum Likelihood Blocks for the Analysis of Time Series” (presentation)

Long Term Long Term Whipple Whipple

DataDataFor Mrk For Mrk

421421

2000 200

1

2002

Flux above 1.5 Crabs 23.5% of the time

Likelihood Factor: 20

Daily Averages

Used the Used the Maximum Maximum likelihood likelihood

method and method and the Flux in the Flux in

Gamma/Run.Gamma/Run.

Spectral Energy Spectral Energy DistributionDistribution

One zone SSC( Synchrotron Self-Compton) model

Synchrotron

Inverse Compton with Extragalactic extinction

BV

Mrk 421

SED from Blazejowski et al.SED from Blazejowski et al.

Future PlansFuture Plans Analyze AMANDA data in this Analyze AMANDA data in this

period, looking for neutrinos period, looking for neutrinos coincident with flaring.coincident with flaring.

Whipple and VERITAS will Whipple and VERITAS will continue to take gamma ray data continue to take gamma ray data on the blazars, and a new series of on the blazars, and a new series of WIYN observations is planned for WIYN observations is planned for fall.fall.

Mrk421Mrk421 1104+38131104+3813 Nov 4 – Jan 31Nov 4 – Jan 31

1ES 1959+6501ES 1959+650 1959+65081959+6508 Sept 1 – Jan 31Sept 1 – Jan 31

1ES 2344+6141ES 2344+614 2347+51422347+5142 Sept 1 – Jan 31Sept 1 – Jan 31

1ES 0033+5951ES 0033+595 0035+59500035+5950 Sept 1 – Jan 31Sept 1 – Jan 31

1ES 0806+5241ES 0806+524 0809+52180809+5218 Nov 4 – Jan 31Nov 4 – Jan 31

Analysis TeamAnalysis Team

Teresa Montaruli – University of Madison-Teresa Montaruli – University of Madison-WisconsinWisconsin

Matthew Bayer – University of Madison-Matthew Bayer – University of Madison-WisconsinWisconsin

David Steele – Adler Planetarium / David Steele – Adler Planetarium / VERITAS VERITAS Collaboration Collaboration

ReferencesReferencesMarkarian 421

Schubnell et al., “Very High Energy Gamma-Ray Emission from the Blazar

Markarian 421” 1996.

Gaidos et al. “Extremely rapid bursts of TeV photons from the active galaxy

Markarian 421” 1996.

Frank Krennrich, “TeV Gamma-ray Astronomy in the new Millennium” 2001.

Blazejowski et al., “A Multiwavelength View of the TeV Blazar Markarian 421:

Correlated Variability, Flaring, and Spectral Evolution” 2005.

Markarian 501

J. Quinn et al., “Detection of Gamma Rays with E > 300 GeV from Markarian 501”

1999.

M. Gliozzi et al.,“Long-Term X-ray and TeV Variability of Mrk 501” 2006.

1ES 1959+650

Jamie Holder, “Detection of TeV Gamma Rays from the BL Lacertae Object 1ES

1959+650 with the Whipple 10 Meter Telescope” 2002.

H. Krawczynski et al. “ Multiwavelength Observations of Strong Flares from TeV

Blazar 1ES 1959+650” 2004.