Long-term monitoring of PKS 2155-304 with ATOM and H.E.S.S.: Investigation of optical/γ-ray correlations in different spectral states

H.E.S.S. Collaboration

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201424142

Long-term monitoring of PKS 2155-304 with ATOM and H.E.S.S. Investigation of optical/γ-ray correlations in different spectral states

H.E.S.S. Collaboration

Physics and Astronomy (Twin Cities)

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

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this paper we report on the analysis of all the available optical and very high-energy γ-ray (>200 GeV) data for the BL Lac object PKS 2155-304, collected simultaneously with the ATOM and H.E.S.S. telescopes from 2007 until 2009. This study also includes X-ray (RXTE, Swift) and high-energy γ-ray (Fermi-LAT) data. During the period analysed, the source was transitioning from its flaring to quiescent optical states, and was characterized by only moderate flux changes at different wavelengths on the timescales of days and months. A flattening of the optical continuum with an increasing optical flux can be noted in the collected dataset, but only occasionally and only at higher flux levels. We did not find any universal relation between the very high-energy γ-ray and optical flux changes on the timescales from days and weeks up to several years. On the other hand, we noted that at higher flux levels the source can follow two distinct tracks in the optical flux-colour diagrams, which seem to be related to distinct γ-ray states of the blazar. The obtained results therefore indicate a complex scaling between the optical and γ-ray emission of PKS 2155-304, with different correlation patterns holding at different epochs, and a γ-ray flux depending on the combination of an optical flux and colour rather than a flux alone.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	A39
Journal	Astronomy and Astrophysics
Volume	571
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201424142
State	Published - Nov 1 2014

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The support of the Namibian authorities and of the University of Namibia in facilitating the construction and operation of H.E.S.S. is gratefully acknowledged, as is the support by the German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF), the Max Planck Society, the French Ministry for Research, the CNRS-IN2P3 and the Astroparticle Interdisciplinary Programme of the CNRS, the U.K. Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), the IPNP of the Charles University, the Czech Science Foundation, the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the South African Department of Science and Technology and National Research Foundation, and by the University of Namibia. We appreciate the excellent work of the technical support staff in Berlin, Durham, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Palaiseau, Paris, Saclay, and in Namibia in the construction and operation of the equipment. A.W. acknowledge support from the National Science Center (grant No. 2011/03/N/ST9/01867).

Funding Information:
Funded by contract ERC-StG-259381 from the European Community.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 ESO.

Keywords

BL Lacertae objects: individual: PKS 2155-304
Black hole physics
Galaxies: active
Galaxies: jets
Gamma rays: galaxies
Radiation mechanisms: non-thermal

Publisher link

10.1051/0004-6361/201424142

Find It

Find It at U of M Libraries

Cite this

@article{409047aa331544808d0e5e2b3c54af69,

title = "Long-term monitoring of PKS 2155-304 with ATOM and H.E.S.S.: Investigation of optical/γ-ray correlations in different spectral states",

abstract = "In this paper we report on the analysis of all the available optical and very high-energy γ-ray (>200 GeV) data for the BL Lac object PKS 2155-304, collected simultaneously with the ATOM and H.E.S.S. telescopes from 2007 until 2009. This study also includes X-ray (RXTE, Swift) and high-energy γ-ray (Fermi-LAT) data. During the period analysed, the source was transitioning from its flaring to quiescent optical states, and was characterized by only moderate flux changes at different wavelengths on the timescales of days and months. A flattening of the optical continuum with an increasing optical flux can be noted in the collected dataset, but only occasionally and only at higher flux levels. We did not find any universal relation between the very high-energy γ-ray and optical flux changes on the timescales from days and weeks up to several years. On the other hand, we noted that at higher flux levels the source can follow two distinct tracks in the optical flux-colour diagrams, which seem to be related to distinct γ-ray states of the blazar. The obtained results therefore indicate a complex scaling between the optical and γ-ray emission of PKS 2155-304, with different correlation patterns holding at different epochs, and a γ-ray flux depending on the combination of an optical flux and colour rather than a flux alone.",

keywords = "BL Lacertae objects: individual: PKS 2155-304, Black hole physics, Galaxies: active, Galaxies: jets, Gamma rays: galaxies, Radiation mechanisms: non-thermal",

author = "Collaboration, {H. E S S} and A. Abramowski and F. Aharonian and {Ait Benkhali}, F. and Akhperjanian, {A. G.} and Ang{\"u}ner, {E. O.} and M. Backes and S. Balenderan and A. Balzer and A. Barnacka and Y. Becherini and {Becker Tjus}, J. and D. Berge and S. Bernhard and K. Bernl{\"o}hr and E. Birsin and J. Biteau and M. B{\"o}ttcher and C. Boisson and J. Bolmont and P. Bordas and J. Bregeon and F. Brun and P. Brun and M. Bryan and T. Bulik and S. Carrigan and S. Casanova and Chadwick, {P. M.} and N. Chakraborty and R. Chalme-Calvet and Chaves, {R. C G} and M. Chr{\'e}tien and S. Colafrancesco and G. Cologna and J. Conrad and C. Couturier and Y. Cui and M. Dalton and Davids, {I. D.} and B. Degrange and C. Deil and P. Dewilt and A. Djannati-Ata{\"i} and W. Domainko and A. Donath and Drury, {L. O.} and G. Dubus and K. Dutson and J. Dyks and Rulten, {C. B.}",

note = "Funding Information: The support of the Namibian authorities and of the University of Namibia in facilitating the construction and operation of H.E.S.S. is gratefully acknowledged, as is the support by the German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF), the Max Planck Society, the French Ministry for Research, the CNRS-IN2P3 and the Astroparticle Interdisciplinary Programme of the CNRS, the U.K. Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), the IPNP of the Charles University, the Czech Science Foundation, the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the South African Department of Science and Technology and National Research Foundation, and by the University of Namibia. We appreciate the excellent work of the technical support staff in Berlin, Durham, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Palaiseau, Paris, Saclay, and in Namibia in the construction and operation of the equipment. A.W. acknowledge support from the National Science Center (grant No. 2011/03/N/ST9/01867). Funding Information: Funded by contract ERC-StG-259381 from the European Community. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2014 ESO.",

year = "2014",

month = nov,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1051/0004-6361/201424142",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "571",

journal = "Astronomy and Astrophysics",

issn = "0004-6361",

publisher = "EDP Sciences",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Long-term monitoring of PKS 2155-304 with ATOM and H.E.S.S.

T2 - Investigation of optical/γ-ray correlations in different spectral states

AU - H.E.S.S. Collaboration

AU - Abramowski, A.

AU - Aharonian, F.

AU - Ait Benkhali, F.

AU - Akhperjanian, A. G.

AU - Angüner, E. O.

AU - Backes, M.

AU - Balenderan, S.

AU - Balzer, A.

AU - Barnacka, A.

AU - Becherini, Y.

AU - Becker Tjus, J.

AU - Berge, D.

AU - Bernhard, S.

AU - Bernlöhr, K.

AU - Birsin, E.

AU - Biteau, J.

AU - Böttcher, M.

AU - Boisson, C.

AU - Bolmont, J.

AU - Bordas, P.

AU - Bregeon, J.

AU - Brun, F.

AU - Brun, P.

AU - Bryan, M.

AU - Bulik, T.

AU - Carrigan, S.

AU - Casanova, S.

AU - Chadwick, P. M.

AU - Chakraborty, N.

AU - Chalme-Calvet, R.

AU - Chaves, R. C G

AU - Chrétien, M.

AU - Colafrancesco, S.

AU - Cologna, G.

AU - Conrad, J.

AU - Couturier, C.

AU - Cui, Y.

AU - Dalton, M.

AU - Davids, I. D.

AU - Degrange, B.

AU - Deil, C.

AU - Dewilt, P.

AU - Djannati-Ataï, A.

AU - Domainko, W.

AU - Donath, A.

AU - Drury, L. O.

AU - Dubus, G.

AU - Dutson, K.

AU - Dyks, J.

AU - Rulten, C. B.

N1 - Funding Information: The support of the Namibian authorities and of the University of Namibia in facilitating the construction and operation of H.E.S.S. is gratefully acknowledged, as is the support by the German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF), the Max Planck Society, the French Ministry for Research, the CNRS-IN2P3 and the Astroparticle Interdisciplinary Programme of the CNRS, the U.K. Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), the IPNP of the Charles University, the Czech Science Foundation, the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the South African Department of Science and Technology and National Research Foundation, and by the University of Namibia. We appreciate the excellent work of the technical support staff in Berlin, Durham, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Palaiseau, Paris, Saclay, and in Namibia in the construction and operation of the equipment. A.W. acknowledge support from the National Science Center (grant No. 2011/03/N/ST9/01867). Funding Information: Funded by contract ERC-StG-259381 from the European Community. Publisher Copyright: © 2014 ESO.

PY - 2014/11/1

Y1 - 2014/11/1

N2 - In this paper we report on the analysis of all the available optical and very high-energy γ-ray (>200 GeV) data for the BL Lac object PKS 2155-304, collected simultaneously with the ATOM and H.E.S.S. telescopes from 2007 until 2009. This study also includes X-ray (RXTE, Swift) and high-energy γ-ray (Fermi-LAT) data. During the period analysed, the source was transitioning from its flaring to quiescent optical states, and was characterized by only moderate flux changes at different wavelengths on the timescales of days and months. A flattening of the optical continuum with an increasing optical flux can be noted in the collected dataset, but only occasionally and only at higher flux levels. We did not find any universal relation between the very high-energy γ-ray and optical flux changes on the timescales from days and weeks up to several years. On the other hand, we noted that at higher flux levels the source can follow two distinct tracks in the optical flux-colour diagrams, which seem to be related to distinct γ-ray states of the blazar. The obtained results therefore indicate a complex scaling between the optical and γ-ray emission of PKS 2155-304, with different correlation patterns holding at different epochs, and a γ-ray flux depending on the combination of an optical flux and colour rather than a flux alone.

AB - In this paper we report on the analysis of all the available optical and very high-energy γ-ray (>200 GeV) data for the BL Lac object PKS 2155-304, collected simultaneously with the ATOM and H.E.S.S. telescopes from 2007 until 2009. This study also includes X-ray (RXTE, Swift) and high-energy γ-ray (Fermi-LAT) data. During the period analysed, the source was transitioning from its flaring to quiescent optical states, and was characterized by only moderate flux changes at different wavelengths on the timescales of days and months. A flattening of the optical continuum with an increasing optical flux can be noted in the collected dataset, but only occasionally and only at higher flux levels. We did not find any universal relation between the very high-energy γ-ray and optical flux changes on the timescales from days and weeks up to several years. On the other hand, we noted that at higher flux levels the source can follow two distinct tracks in the optical flux-colour diagrams, which seem to be related to distinct γ-ray states of the blazar. The obtained results therefore indicate a complex scaling between the optical and γ-ray emission of PKS 2155-304, with different correlation patterns holding at different epochs, and a γ-ray flux depending on the combination of an optical flux and colour rather than a flux alone.

KW - BL Lacertae objects: individual: PKS 2155-304

KW - Black hole physics

KW - Galaxies: active

KW - Galaxies: jets

KW - Gamma rays: galaxies

KW - Radiation mechanisms: non-thermal

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84908693299&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84908693299&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1051/0004-6361/201424142

DO - 10.1051/0004-6361/201424142

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84908693299

SN - 0004-6361

VL - 571

JO - Astronomy and Astrophysics

JF - Astronomy and Astrophysics

M1 - A39

ER -