2025A&A...704A.143R -
Astronomy and Astrophysics, volume 704A143 (2025/12-1)
Pinpointing the location of the γ-ray emitting region in the FSRQ 4C +01.28.
ROSCH F., KADLER M., ROS E., RICCI L., GURWELL M.A., HOVATTA T., MacDONALD N.R. and READHEAD A.C.S.
Abstract (from CDS):
Aims. The flat-spectrum radio quasar (FSRQ) 4C +01.28 is a bright and highly variable radio and γ-ray emitter. We aim to pinpoint the location of the γ-ray emitting region within its jet in order to derive strong constraints on γ-ray emission models for blazar jets.
Methods. We use radio and γ-ray monitoring data obtained with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO), the Submillimeter Array (SMA), and the Large Area Telescope on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (Fermi/LAT) to study the cross-correlation between γ-ray and multifrequency radio light curves. Moreover, we employ Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations at 43 GHz over a period of around nine years to study the parsec-scale jet kinematics of 4C +01.28. To pinpoint the location of the γ-ray emitting region, we use a model in which outbursts shown in the γ-ray and radio light curves are produced when moving jet components pass through the γ-ray emitting and the radio core regions.
Results. We find two bright and compact newly ejected jet components that are likely associated with a high activity period visible in the Fermi/LAT γ-ray and different radio light curves. The kinematic analysis of the VLBA observations leads to a maximum apparent jet speed of βapp = 19 ± 10 and an upper limit on the viewing angle of ϕ ≲ 4°. Furthermore, we determine the power law indices that are characterizing the jet geometry, brightness temperature distribution, and core shift to be l = 0.974 ± 0.098, s = -3.31 ± 0.31, and kr = 1.09 ± 0.17, respectively, which are all in agreement with a conical jet in equipartition. A cross-correlation analysis shows that the radio light curves follow the γ-ray light curve. We pinpoint the location of the γ-ray emitting region with respect to the jet base to the range of 2.6 pc ≤ dγ ≤ 20 pc.
Conclusions. Our observational limits places the location of γ-ray production in 4C +01.28 beyond the expected extent of the broad-line region (BLR) and therefore challenges blazar-emission models that rely on inverse Compton up-scattering of BLR seed photons.
Abstract Copyright:
© The Authors 2025
Journal keyword(s):
galaxies: active - galaxies: jets - gamma rays: galaxies - quasars: individual: 4C +01.28
VizieR on-line data:
<Available at CDS (J/A+A/704/A143): tablec2.dat list.dat fits/*>
Simbad objects:
1
Full paper
View the references in ADS
To bookmark this query, right click on this link: simbad:2025A&A...704A.143R and select 'bookmark this link' or equivalent in the popup menu