2016/10/15 by M. Pandey-Pommier, Pandey-Pommier, M., S. K. Sirothia +19
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO) #FOS: Physical sciences #Gyrotron and Vacuum Electronics Research #High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE) #Radio Astronomy Observations and Technology
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1610.05650
openalex publication_date 2016/10/15 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We report radio imaging and monitoring observations in the frequency range 0.235 - 2.7 GHz during the flaring mode of PKS 2155-304, one of the brightest BL Lac objects. The high sensitivity GMRT observations not only reveal extended kpc-scale jet and FRI type lobe morphology in this erstwhile `extended-core' blazar but also delineate the morphological details, thanks to its arcsec scale resolution. The radio light curve during the end phase of the outburst measured in 2008 shows high variability (8.5%) in the jet emission in the GHz range, compared to the lower core variability (3.2%) seen at the lowest frequencies. The excess of flux density with a very steep spectral index in the MHz range supports the presence of extra diffuse emission at low frequencies. The analysis of multi wavelength (radio/ optical/ gamma-ray) light curves at different radio frequencies confirms the variability of the core region and agrees with the scenario of high energy emission in gamma-rays due to inverse Compton emission from a collimated relativistic plasma jet followed by synchrotron emission in radio. Clearly, these results give an interesting insight of the jet emission mechanisms in blazars and highlight the importance of studying such objects with low frequency radio interferometers like LOFAR and the SKA and its precursor instruments.