2011/12/06 by Ivan Agudo, IVÁN AGUDO, A. P. MARSCHER +27 · 4 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #BL Lac object #Coincidence #Collimated light #Flare #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Linear polarization #Particle acceleration #Polarization (electrochemistry) #Superluminal motion #astro-ph.CO #astro-ph.HE
paper · pdf · doi:10.1142/s2010194512004709
published in International Journal of Modern Physics Conference Series 08, 271-276 (World Scientific) · To be published in the proceedings of High Energy Phenomena in Relativistic Outflows III (HEPRO III, IJMPCS). 6 pages
arxiv created 2011/12/06 · openalex publication_date 2012/01/01 · arxiv updated 2015/06/03 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We locate the γ-ray and lower frequency emission in flares of the BL Lac object AO 0235+164 at ≳12 pc in the jet of the source from the central engine. We employ time-dependent multi-spectral-range flux and linear polarization monitoring observations, as well as ultra-high resolution (~0.15 milliarcsecond) imaging of the jet structure at λ = 7 mm . The time coincidence in the end of 2008 of the propagation of the brightest superluminal feature detected in AO 0235+164 (Qs) with an extreme multi-spectral-range (γ-ray to radio) outburst, and an extremely high optical and 7 mm (for Qs) polarization degree provides strong evidence supporting that all these events are related. This is confirmed at high significance by probability arguments and Monte-Carlo simulations. These simulations show the unambiguous correlation of the γ-ray flaring state in the end of 2008 with those in the optical, millimeter, and radio regime, as well as the connection of a prominent X-ray flare in October 2008, and of a series of optical linear polarization peaks, with the set of events in the end of 2008. The observations are interpreted as the propagation of an extended moving perturbation through a re-collimation structure at the end of the jet's acceleration and collimation zone.