On the origin of gamma-rays in Fermi blazars: beyond the broad-line region

被引:99
作者
Costamante, L. [1 ,2 ,3 ]
Cutini, S. [4 ,5 ]
Tosti, G. [3 ]
Antolini, E. [3 ]
Tramacere, A. [6 ]
机构
[1] ASI Unit Ric Sci, Via Politecn Snc, I-00133 Rome, Italy
[2] INAF Osservatorio Astronom Brera, Via E Bianchi 46, I-23807 Merate, Italy
[3] Univ Perugia, Dipartimento Fis & Geol, Via Pascoli snc, I-06123 Perugia, Italy
[4] ASI Sci Data Ctr, Via Politecn Snc, I-00133 Rome, Italy
[5] INFN Sez Perugia, Via Pascoli Snc, I-06123 Perugia, Italy
[6] Univ Geneva, ISDC Dept Astron, CH-1290 Versoix, Switzerland
关键词
Galaxies: active; galaxies: jets; quasars: general; gamma-rays: general; ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI; EXTRAGALACTIC BACKGROUND LIGHT; LARGE-AREA TELESCOPE; HIGH-ENERGY EMISSION; QUASAR PKS 1510-089; BLACK-HOLE MASS; 3C; 454.3; MULTIWAVELENGTH OBSERVATIONS; RADIATION-FIELDS; RADIO;
D O I
10.1093/mnras/sty887
中图分类号
P1 [天文学];
学科分类号
0704 ;
摘要
The gamma-ray emission in broad-line blazars is generally explained as inverse Compton (IC) radiation of relativistic electrons in the jet scattering optical-UV photons from the broad-line region (BLR), the so-called BLR external Compton (EC) scenario. We test this scenario on the Fermi gamma-ray spectra of 106 broad-line blazars detected with the highest significance or largest BLR, by looking for cut-off signatures at high energies compatible with gamma-gamma interactions with BLR photons. We do not find evidence for the expected BLR absorption. For 2/3 of the sources, we can exclude any significant absorption (tau(max) < 1), while for the remaining 1/3 the possible absorption is constrained to be 1.5-2 orders of magnitude lower than expected. This result holds also dividing the spectra in high-and low-flux states, and for powerful blazars with large BLR. Only 1 object out of 10 seems compatible with substantial attenuation (tau(max) > 5). We conclude that for 9 out of 10 objects, the jet does not interact with BLR photons. Gamma-rays seem either produced outside the BLR most of the time, or the BLR is similar to 100 x larger than given by reverberation mapping. This means that (i) EC on BLR photons is disfavoured as the main gamma-ray mechanism, versus IC on IR photons from the torus or synchrotron self-Compton; (ii) the Fermi gamma-ray spectrum is mostly intrinsic, determined by the interaction of the particle distribution with the seed-photon spectrum; and (iii) without suppression by the BLR, broad-line blazars can become copious emitters above 100 GeV, as demonstrated by 3C 454.3. We expect the CTA sky to bemuch richer of broad-line blazars than previously thought.
引用
收藏
页码:4749 / 4767
页数:19
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