This paper reports the first discovery of possible inverse Compoton (IC) X-ray emission below 10 keV in the typical high-energy peaked BL Lac object (HBL) PKS 2155--304. Two XMM-Newton observations performed in 2006 reveal that the 0.6--10 keV X-ray spectra of the source harden ($ΔΓ\sim$ 0.1--0.3) at break energies of about 4 keV. The concave X-ray spectra of the source could be easily interpretated by a mixture of a steep component (i.e., the high energy tail of the synchrotron emission) and a flat one (i.e., the low energy side of the IC emission). However, the steep spectra ($Γ\sim$ 2.3) in the hard X-rays indicate that the synchrotron emission still domiantes over the IC one, while the latter is effectively present and perceived as flattening the synchrotron spectrum in this energy range. The quasi-simultaneous optical-UV-X-ray spectral energy distributions (SEDs) obtained with XMM-Newton suggest that the concave X-ray spectra of the source could be the result of down-ward shift of the synchrotron peak frequency to the optical band, incuring the IC emisssion to become more important in the hard ($\sim 4$--10 keV) X-ray band with respective to other cases in which the synchrotron emission peaks in the UV-soft-X-ray range. This discovery provides a new clue for a smooth transition between HBLs and the low-energy peaked BL Lac objects (LBLs).
We present XMM-Newton observations of the bright quasar PKS0558-504. The 0.2-10 keV spectrum is dominated by a large, variable soft X-ray excess. The fastest flux variations imply accretion onto a Kerr black hole. The XMM-Newton data suggest the presence of a `big blue bump' in PKS0558-504 extending from the optical band to ~3 keV. The soft X-ray spectrum shows no evidence for significant absorption or emission-line features. The most likely explanation for the hot big blue bump is Comptonization by the multi-temperature corona of a thermal accretion disc running at a high accretion rate.
We present the high resolution X-ray spectrum of the BL Lac object PKS 2155-304 taken with the RGS units onboard XMM-Newton in November 2000. We detect a OVII Kalpha resonant absorption line from warm/hot local gas at 21.59A (~4.5 sigma detection). The line profile is possibly double peaked. We do not confirm the strong 20.02 A absorption line seen with Chandra and interpreted as z~0.05 OVIII Kalpha. A 3sigma upper limit of 14 mA on the equivalent width is set. We also detect the ~23.5 A interstellar OI 1s-->2p line and derive a factor <=1.5 subsolar O/H ratio in the ISM along PKS 2155-304 lin…
We describe an XMM-Newton observation of the PKS0312-770 field, which facilitates the spectral analysis of serendipitous sources previously detected by CHANDRA. The combination of larger effective area and longer exposure duration allows a significant increase in detected photons, and a lower limit in source detection sensitivity. In particular the hard X-ray normal galaxy unveiled by Fiore et al (2000) is most likely explained as a moderately absorbed (N_H ~ 1e22 cm^-2) AGN. We detect 52 sources (45 previously unreported) at a limiting flux of ~2e-15 cgs in the 0.5-2keV band. The LogN-LogS cu…
XMM observed the BL Lac PKS 2155-304 for a full orbit (about 150 ksec) on 2000 November 19-21. Preliminary results on the temporal and spectral analysis of data from the EPIC PN camera and Optical Monitor are presented. The variability amplitude depends systematically on energy, however the slopes of the structure functions of the light-curves in different bands do not appear to be significantly different. No evidence of time lags is found by cross correlating the light-curves in different bands.
We present the temporal analysis of X-ray observations of the radio-loud Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy (NLS1) PKS 0558-504 obtained during the XMM-Newton Calibration and Performance Verification (Cal/PV) phase. The long term light curve is characterized by persistent variability with a clear tendency for the X-ray continuum to harden when the count rate increases. Another strong correlation on long time scales has been found between the variability in the hard band and the total flux. On shorter time scales the most relevant result is the presence of smooth modulations, with characteristic time…
We present XMM-Newton observations of the high redshift z=3.104, radio-loud quasar PKS 0537-286. The EPIC CCD cameras provide the highest signal-to-noise spectrum of a high-z quasar to date. The EPIC observations show that PKS 0537-286 is extremely X-ray luminous (Lx=2x10^47 erg/s), with an unusually hard X-ray spectrum (Gamma=1.27+/-0.02). The flat power-law emission extends over the whole observed energy range; there is no evidence of intrinsic absorption, which has been claimed in PKS 0537-286 and other high z quasars. However, there is evidence for weak Compton reflection. A redshifted iro…
The optical-UV and X-ray instruments on-board XMM-Ndewton provide an excellent opportunity to perform simultaneous observations of violently variable objects over a broad wavelength range. The UV and X-ray bright BL Lac object PKS 2155-304 has been repeatedly observed with XMM-Ndewton about twice per year. In this paper, we present a detailed analysis of the simultaneous multiwavelength variability of the source from optical to X-rays, based on the currently available XMM-Ndewton observations. These observations probed the intra-day multiwavelength variability at optical-UV and X-ray wavelengt…
The bright, strongly variable BL Lac object PKS 2155-304 was observed by XMM for two essentially uninterrupted periods of ~11 and 16 hr on 30-31 May 2000. The strongest variations occurred in the highest energy bands. After scaling for this effect, the three softest bands (0.1-1.7 keV) showed strong correlation with no measurable lag to reliable limits of $τ\ls 0.3$ hr. However, the hardest band (~3 keV) was less well-correlated with the other three, especially on short time scales, showing deviations of ~10-20% in ~1 hr although, again, no significant interband lag was detected. This result a…
We present the results of a long (~93 ksec) XMM-Newton observation of the bright BL-Lac object PKS 0548-322 (z=0.069). Our Reflection Grating Spectrometer (RGS) spectrum shows a single absorption feature at an observed wavelength lambda=23.33 A, which we interpret as OVI Ka absorption at z=0.058, i.e., ~3000 km/s from the background object. The observed equivalent width of the absorption line ~30 mA, coupled with the lack of the corresponding absorption edge in the EPIC pn data, implies an OVI column density ~ 2 10^{16} cm-2 and turbulence with a Doppler velocity parameter b>100 km/s. Within t…
With currently available XMM-Newton EPIC pn observations spanned over about 3 years, we present a detailed spectral and temporal variability of the 0.2--10 keV X-ray emission from the X-ray bright BL Lac object PKS 2155-304. The spectral variability is examined with a model independent hardness ratio method. We find that the spectral evolution of the source follows the light curves well, indicating that the spectra harden when the fluxes increase. The plots of hardness ratios versus count rates show that the spectral changes are particularly significant during flares. The cross-correlation fun…
Starting from XMM-Newton EPIC-PN data, we present the X-ray variability characteristics of PKS 2155-304 using a simple analysis of the excess variance, \xs, and of the fractional rms variability amplitude, fvar. The scatter in \xs\ and \fvar, calculated using 500 s long segments of the light curves, is smaller than the scatter expected for red noise variability. This alone does not imply that the underlying process responsible for the variability of the source is stationary, since the real changes of the individual variance estimates are possibly smaller than the large scatters expected for a …
Aims: We investigate the origin of X-rays and the nature of accretion flow in 4 LINERs hosted by radio galaxies, namely NGC1692, PKS0625-35, 3C88, 3C444, recently observed with XMM. Methods: We combine the results from the time-averaged spectral analysis with model-independent information from X-ray temporal and spectral variability analyses, and with additional broadband information (UV and radio). Results: The values of the Eddington ratios of our sample span 2 orders of magnitude. The 4 AGN are adequately fitted by the same continuum model that comprises at least one thermal component and a…
We present the results of XMM-Newton observations of four high-z quasars, two radio-loud and two radio-quiet. One of the radio-loud objects, PKS 2126-158, clearly shows absorption in excess of the galactic value as claimed before from ASCA and ROSAT observations. For PKS 2149-306 the evidence for excess absorption is only marginal in contrast to previous results. The location of the absorber in PKS 2126-158 is compatible with the redshift of the source. Both, a warm and a cold absorber are allowed by the X-ray data. Both quasars have very flat photon spectra (Γ\la 1.5) and the high photon stat…
The BL Lacertae object PKS 1413+135 is associated with a disk dominated galaxy which heavily absorbs the BL Lac nucleus at optical and X-ray wavelengths. It has been argued whether this galaxy is actually the host galaxy of PKS 1413+135 or whether the BL Lac is a background QSO, gravitationally lensed by the apparent host galaxy. We have obtained deep high resolution H-band images of this unusual BL Lac object using the UKIRT IRCAM3. Our observations show that the BL Lac nucleus is centered within < 0.05 arcsec of the galaxy. Based on this result we assess the probability for the lensing scena…
We present new observations on PKS 2155-304 with the Chandra Low Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer (LETG), using the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS). We confirm the detection of an absorption line plausibly identified as OVIII Ly-alpha from the warm-hot intergalactic medium associated with a small group of galaxies along the line of sight, as originally reported by Fang et al. 2002 (here after FANG02). Combining the previous observations in FANG02 and five new, long observations on the same target, we increase the total exposure time by a factor of three, and the total counts p…
The BL-Lac family of active galaxies possess almost featureless spectra and exhibit rapid variability over their entire spectral range. A number of models have been developed to explain these extreme properties, several of which have invoked the action of microlensing by sub-stellar mass objects in a foreground galaxy; this not only introduces variability, but also amplifies an otherwise normal quasar source. Here we present recent spectroscopy and photometry of the southern BL Lac PKS 0537-441; with an inferred redshift of z~0.9 it represents one of the most distant and most luminous members …
We present the analysis of archival data from ROSAT and ASCA of a serendipitous BL Lac object PKS 2316-423. Because of its featureless non-thermal radio/optical continuum, PKS 2316-423 has been called as a BL Lac candidate in the literature. PKS 2316-423 was evidently variable over the multiple X-ray observations, in particular, a variable high-energy tail of the synchrotron radiation is revealed. The X-ray spectral analysis provides further evidence of the synchrotron nature of its broad-band spectrum: a steep and downward curving spectrum between 0.1--10 keV, typical of high-energy peaked BL…
Many of the extragalactic sources detected in $γ$ rays at TeV energies are BL Lac objects. In particular, they belong to the subclass of ``high frequency peaked BL Lacs" (HBLs), as their spectral energy distributions exhibit a first peak in the X-ray band. At a closer look, their X-ray spectra appear to be generally curved into a log-parabolic shape. In a previous investigation of Mrk 421, two correlations were found between the spectral parameters. One involves the height $S_p$ increasing with the position $E_p$ of the first peak; this was interpreted as a signature of synchrotron emission fr…
We present VLT long slit optical spectroscopy of the luminous BL Lacertae object PKS 2005-489. The high signal-to-noise ratio and the good spatial resolution of the data allow us to detect the signatures of ongoing star formation in an extended rotating ring, at ~4 kpc from the nucleus. We find that the ring is almost perpendicular to the radio axis and its total star formation rate is ~1 MSol/yr. We briefly discuss the concomitant presence of recent star formation and nuclear activity.
(Abridged) We present a detailed power density spectrum and cross-correlation analysis of the X-ray light curves of the BL Lac object PKS 2155-304, observed with BeppoSAX in 1997 and 1996, aimed at exploring the rapid variability properties and the inter-band cross correlations in the X-rays. We also perform the same analysis on the (archival) X-ray light curve obtained with ASCA in 1994.
We present the analysis of archival data from ROSAT and ASCA of a serendipitous source PKS 2316-423. According to its featureless non-thermal radio/optical continuum, the object has been assumed as a BL Lac candidate in the literature. It was evident variable over the multiple X-ray observations. Specially, a variable high-energy tail of the synchrotron radiation is revealed. X-ray spectral analysis provided further evidence of its synchrotron-nature broad-band spectrum with steep and down-curved shape in the range of 0.1-10 keV. Further SED analysis suggest that it is a very low luminosity ``…
(abridged) We performed a homogeneous and systematic analysis of simultaneous X-ray and optical/UV properties of a group of 15 gamma-ray loud AGN, using observations performed with XMM-Newton. The sample is composed of 13 blazars (6 BL Lac and 7 Flat-Spectrum Radio Quasar) and 2 radio galaxies, that are associated with detections at energies >100 MeV. The data for 7 of them are analyzed here for the first time, including the first X-ray observation of PKS 1406-706. Then, the spectral characteristics of the sources in the present sample have been compared with those in previous catalogs of blaz…
PKS 2155-304 is the only BL Lac object for which well-sampled multiwavelength light curves resolve the intraday variability at UV and X-ray wavelengths. In particular we focus on the multifrequency campaign of November 1991, which showed a rather exceptional behaviour of the source exhibiting substantial achromatic variability from optical to X-ray wavelengths. We suggest a scenario for this unique event, where the variability is due to microlensing. The relativistic motion of the source relative to the lens is taken into account. The lenses are proposed to be solar-mass stars in an intervenin…
In this contribution two papers on the BL Lac object PKS 2155-304 are presented. They are based on our program of systematic intensive optical monitoring in search of fast variability events. In the first paper the results of a CCD photometric campaign conducted at ESO (La Silla, Chile) on 6-14 July 1998, for a total time on the source of ~30 hours. Some peculiarities in the light and colour cutves were evidenced. In the second paper we report on linear polarization, as observed in the UBVRI bands in June and August 1998 for a total of ~45 hours. Between the two epochs, the linear polarization…
We present high-resolution imaging and low-resolution spectroscopy of the BL Lac object PKS 0537-441 (z = 0.893) and its environment. The observations were designed to clarify, whether the properties of PKS 0537-441 are affected by gravitational microlensing, or whether PKS 0537-441 and its environment act as a lensing system itself. Our observations show that neither case seems to be likely. We did not find a galaxy along the line-of-sight to the BL Lac as claimed previously, our spectroscopy shows that none of the four closest companion galaxies is at high redshift. Two of the four nearby co…
Models that seek to unify BL Lacs and low-power radio galaxies predict that the two types of object should show similar isotropically emitted X-ray emission. Testing this is usually limited by difficulties in separating strong X-ray emission from a BL Lac nucleus and surrounding low-surface brightness emission. In this paper we report ROSAT HRI observations of the z=0.055 BL Lac object PKS 0521-365. We are able to separate a luminous extended X-ray component from the bright nucleus. Using a new radio map, we show that it is unlikely that the extended emission is due to inverse-Compton scatteri…
The Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) observed the BL Lac object PKS 2155-304 16 times from 1996, May 7 to June 8, with both the ISOCAM camera and the ISOPHOT photometer, as part of a more general multiwavelength campaign. Two additional observations were performed on 1996, November 23 and 1997, May 15. This is the first time that there are simultaneous mid and far infrared data in a multiwavelength monitoring of a BL Lac object. We obtained four light curves at 4.0, 14.3, 60 and 90 microns, and a broad-band filter spectrum from 2.8 to 170 micron. No variability was detected in the infrared, al…
The BL Lacertae object PKS 2155-304 was observed by the Infrared Space Observatory in May and June 1996, during a multiwavelength campaign. These are the first observations in the mid- and far-infrared bands since IRAS. In the observing period, the source showed no detectable time variability at 4.0, 14.3, 60 and 90 micron. The spectrum from 2.8 to 100 micron is well fitted by a single power law with energy spectral index alpha = 0.4, intermediate between the flatter radio spectrum and the steeper simultaneous optical spectrum. The overall infrared to X-ray spectral energy distribution can be …
We report on an analysis of X- and $γ$-ray observations of PKS 1830-211, based on the long-term campaigns carried out by \emph{INTEGRAL} and COMPTEL. The \emph{INTEGRAL} data currently available present a $33σ$ significance detection in the 20-100 keV band, while the COMPTEL 6-years data provide a $5.2σ$ significance detection in the 1-3 MeV energy band. At hard X-rays, \emph{INTEGRAL} and supplementary \emph{SWIFT} observations show flux variability on timescales of months. At $γ$-rays, the source shows persistent emission over years. The hard X-ray spectrum is well represented by a power-law…
Optical polarization of seven selected BL Lac objects in UBVRI bands was studied with the Nordic Optical Telescope from December 10-14, 1999. Two of them, 3C 66A and PKS 0735+178, were monitored for 4 nights for a total integration time of 4.75 and 5.5 hours, respectively. Other objects (1Jy 0138-097, H 0414+009, PKS 0823-223, OJ287 and BL Lac) were observed sparsely during the run. Apart from PKS 0823-223 (more polarized than observed in the past), the sources show levels of flux and polarization consistent with results at previous epochs. 3C 66A and PKS 0735+178 were intensively observed dur…
We present X-ray spectral analysis of five Chandra and XMM-Newton observations of the gravitationally-lensed blazar PKS1830-211 from 2000 to 2004. We show that the X-ray absorption toward PKS1830-211 is variable, and the variable absorption is most likely to be intrinsic with amplitudes of about 2-30e22 cm^-2 depending on whether or not the absorber is partially covering the X-ray source. Our results confirm the variable absorption observed previously, although interpreted differently, in a sequence of ASCA observations. This large variation in the absorption column density can be interpreted …
Despite extensive surveys of extragalactic TeV gamma-ray candidates only 3 sources have so far been detected. All three are northern hemisphere objects and all three are low-redshift X-ray selected BL Lacs (XBLs). In this paper we present the results of observations of the three nearest southern hemisphere XBLs (PKS0548-322, PKS2005-489 and PKS2155-304) with the CANGAROO 3.8m imaging telescope. During the period of observation we estimate that the threshold of the 3.8m telescope was around 1.5TeV. Searches for both steady and short timescale emission have been performed for each source. Additi…
We present the results of global VLBI observations of the BL Lac object PKS 0003-066 at 2.3 and 8.6 GHz, over a 10 year period using data from new and archived VLBA, geodetic VLBI, and global VLBI (including the use of new disk-based recording and software correlation systems) observations. Inter-continental baselines resolve this source into a compact core and three jet components that move away from the core with proper motions ranging between \~0.1 mas/yr for the outer jet component and ~1.4 mas/yr for the fastest inner jet component, i.e. apparent speeds of ~2.0 c to ~21.6 c respectively. …
We present the results of a spectral analysis of 5 Swift XRT and UVOT observations of the BL Lac object PKS 0548-322 carried out over the period April-June 2005. The X-ray flux of this high energy peaked BL Lac (HBL) source was found to be approximately constant at a level of F(2-10 keV) ~ 4x10^-11 erg cm^-2 s^-1, a factor of 2 brighter than when observed by BeppoSAX in 1999 and close to the maximum intensity reported in the Einstein Slew Survey. The very good statistics obtained in the 0.3-10 keV Swift X-ray spectrum allowed us to detect highly significant deviations from a simple power law s…
We present XMM-Newton observations of four BL Lac objects (1H1219+301, H1426+428, Markarian 501 and PKS 0548-322), which have been found with past X-ray missions to contain evidence of broad soft X-ray absorption features. Observations with the high resolution Reflection Grating Spectrometers on XMM-Newton provide the best chance yet of investigating these features. No broad absorption features are observed in any of the objects. Neither do we find convincing evidence for narrow emission and absorption lines in the RGS spectra. We discuss the history of observations of broad absorption feature…
Daily monitoring of PKS 2155-304 with the IUE satellite throughout November 1991 has revealed dramatic, large-amplitude, rapid variations in the ultraviolet flux of this BL Lac object. Many smaller, rapid flares are superimposed on a general doubling of the intensity. During the five-day period when sampling was roughly continuous, the rapid flaring had an apparent quasi-periodic nature, with peaks repeating every ~0.7 days. The short- and long-wavelength ultraviolet light curves are well correlated with each other, and with the optical light curve deduced from the Fine Error Sensor (FES) on I…
Optical, near-infrared, and radio observations of the BL Lac object PKS2155-304 were obtained simultaneously with a continuous UV/EUV/X-ray monitoring campaign in 1994 May. Further optical observations were gathered throughout most of 1994. The radio, millimeter, and near-infrared data show no strong correlations with the higher energies. The optical light curves exhibit flickering of 0.2-0.3 mag on timescales of 1-2 days, superimposed on longer timescale variations. Rapid variations of ~0.01 mag/min, which, if real, are the fastest seen to date for any BL Lac object. Small (0.2-0.3 mag) incre…
Polarization measurements are presented for 52 radio-loud QSOs and BL Lac objects. For 9 highly polarized (p >3%) AGN, these are the first published polarization measurements. Of these 9, 7 are highly-polarized QSOs (HPQs), one is a BL Lac object and another is a likely BL Lac object. Polarization variability is confirmed for some of these new and previously known highly-polarized AGN. While 6 of the HPQs have flat radio spectra are almost certainly blazars, PKS 1452-217 is probably a new member of the rare class of radio-loud QSOs that show high polarization by scattering, and is therefore im…
The polarized and total flux of the BL Lac object PKS 2155-304 were monitored intensively and simultaneously in the optical UBVRI bands with the Turin photopolarimeter at the CASLEO 2.15 m telescope during 4 campaigns in June, August, November 1998 and August 1999. The effective observation time amounted to ~47 hours. PKS 2155-304 showed a linear polarization percentage (P) usually ranging between 3% and 7% and a polarization position angle (PA) mainly between 70 and 120 deg. The highest temporal resolution of our observations, 15 minutes, is unprecedented for polarimetric monitoring of this s…
We present results of an ongoing program at the ESO VLT for spectroscopy of BL Lac objects lacking a firm redshift estimate and here we report on 15 objects. For 11 sources we confirm the BL Lac classification, and we determine new redshifts for 3 objects, 1 with weak emission lines (PKS 1057-79, z=0.569) and 2 with absorptions from the host galaxy (RBS 1752, z=0.449; RBS 1915, z=0.243); moreover a sub Damped Lyman Alpha (sub-DLA) system is detected in the direction of the BL Lac PKS 0823-223 (z>=0.911). For the remaining 8 BL Lacs, from the very absence of absorption lines of the host galaxy,…
The bright X-ray selected BL Lacertae object PKS 2155-304 has been the target of two intense multiwavelength campaigns, in November 1991 and in May 1994. Although the spectral energy distributions at both epochs were quite similar, the source exhibited two very distinct variability patterns that cannot be easily reconciled with homogeneous, one-zone jet models. During the first epoch the variability was almost achromatic in amplitude, with a time lag between X-rays and UV of $\approx 3$ h, while during the second epoch the variability amplitude increased as a function of wavelength, with the E…
PKS 2155-304, the brightest BL Lac object in the ultraviolet sky, was monitored with the IUE satellite at ~1 hour time-resolution for ten nearly uninterrupted days in May 1994. The campaign, which was coordinated with EUVE, ROSAT, and ASCA monitoring, along with optical and radio observations from the ground, yielded the largest set of spectra and the richest short time scale variability information ever gathered for a blazar at UV wavelengths. The source flared dramatically during the first day, with an increase by a factor ~2.2 in an hour and a half. In subsequent days, the flux maintained a…
We present Chandra observations of the X-ray environment of a sample of 6 BL Lacertae objects. The improved sensitivity of the ACIS experiment allows us to separate the core X-ray emission from the contribution of diffuse emission from the host galaxy/cluster scales. Within the short (2-6 ks) ACIS exposures, we find evidence for diffuse X-ray emission in 3 sources (BL Lac, PKS 0548-322, and PKS 2005-489). The diffuse emission can be modeled with a King profile with beta~0.3-0.6, core radii rc~15-28 kpc, and 0.4-5 keV luminosities in the range 10^{41}-10^{42} erg/s. In the remaining 3 sources, …
We present x-ray observations of the nearby BL Lac PKS 2155-304 taken when it was undergoing a GeV/TeV gamma-ray outburst. During the outburst we measured x-ray fluxes in the 2-10 keV band that are the largest ever observed for PKS 2155-304. Comparison of these November 1997 measurements and other x-ray observations made contemporaneously with GeV or TeV gamma-ray observations indicate that x-ray and gamma-ray emissions are correlated. Measurements with x-ray all-sky monitors such as the ASM/RXTE and MOXE can therefore signal the presence of outbursts at gamma-ray energies from PKS 2155-304.
The southern gamma-ray blazar PKS 2155-304 is one of the brightest and most intensively studied prototypes of BL Lac object. PKS 2155-304 has recently aroused the interest of Cherenkov telescope projects like HESS and MAGIC, the former having already observed the source in 2002 and 2003. This blazar was monitored with the KVA optical telescope (R-band intranight photometry and unfiltered polarization observations), in the frame of a new HESS multiwavelength campaign performed in August-September 2004.
We present results from several XMM-Newton observations of the radio loud Narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy (NLS1) PKS 0558-504. We find evidence for strong and persistent X-ray variability, both on short and long time-scales. On short time scales of ~2 hours the source varies smoothly by 15-20%; long term variations by a factor of >2 could not be resolved in the relatively short exposures: we find the source mostly in a `low' state, in 2 out of the 11 observations in a `high state'. X-ray flares seem to be recurrent with a time scale of ~24 ksec which, if interpreted as the Keplerian time scale in…
We are carrying out a program of high signal to noise optical spectroscopy of BL Lacs with unknown or tentative redshift. Here we report some preliminary results. New redshifts are measured for PKS0754+100 (z=0.266) and 1ES0715-259 (z=0.464) . From lineless spectra of PG1553+113 and PKS1722+119 we set a lower limit of z>0.3 for both sources. In two cases (UM493 and 1620+103) stellar spectra indicate a wrong classification.
The high frequency peaked blazar PKS 2155-304 is one of the brightest and most intensively studied prototype of BL Lac objects. Gamma-rays from PKS 2155-304 have been detected from the MeV to TeV ranges. We computed a synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) model, based on the temporal behavior of the particles distribution, responsible for the high-energy emission. Using the available simultaneous multiwavelength data, we simulated the overall spectral energy distribution (SED) and the spectral variability of this source.
The X-ray selected BL Lac PKS 2155-304 has been observed using the University of Durham Mark 6 very high energy gamma ray telescope during 1998. We find no evidence for TeV emission during these recent observations when the X-ray flux was observed to be low. We have reconsidered our measurements made in 1997 November when PKS 2155-304 was in a bright X-ray state and extended X-ray and GeV gamma ray observations were made as part of a multiwavelength campaign. Comparisons are made of the VHE emission during this time with the available data from other wavelengths.
We present optical light curves for the period 1996-2000, of two of the brightest known EGRET BL Lac objects: PKS 2005-489 and PKS 2155-304, the latter also one of the few known TeV sources. For both objects, quiescent epochs of low level of variability were followed by active periods, without any indication of periodicity. In PKS 2005-489, several variability events with duration of about 20 days were observed. In PKS 2155-304 fast drops and subsequent rises in luminosity occurred in time scales of days. We proposed an explanation in which a region moving along the relativistic jet is eclipse…
BeppoSAX observed the z=3.27 quasar PKS2126-158 on 1999 May 24-28 when its 2-10keV and 0.1-2.5keV fluxes were 1.1E-11 and 4.4E-12 cgs respectively, a factor of 2 higher than in all previous ROSAT and ASCA observations and 40% higher than in two more recent Chandra and XMM-Newton observations. The shortest detected rest frame variability timescale is of a few months, comparable to the causal timescale associated to an emission region of ~10 Schwarzschild radii around a few 1E10 solar masses black hole. The source is detected with a signal to noise ratio S/N>=3 up to ~50 keV, 215 keV rest frame.…
AIMS: Our goal is to understand the nature of blazars and the mechanisms for the generation of high-energy gamma-rays, through the investigation of the prototypical blazar PKS 2155-304, which shows complex behaviour. METHODS: We analyze simultaneous infrared-to-X-ray observations obtained with XMM-Newton and REM on November 7, 2006, when the source was in a low X-ray state. We perform a comparative analysis of these results with those obtained from previous observations in different brightness states. RESULTS: We found that the peak of the synchrotron emission moved from ultraviolet to optical…
In this paper, The central black hole masses and the Doppler factors are derived for PKS 0528+134, PKS 0537-441, 3C279, PKS 1406-074, PKS 1622-297, Q1633+382, Mkn 501, and BL Lacertae. The masses obtained are in the range of (1 -7)$\times 10^{7}M_{\odot}$ and compared with that obtained with the Klein-Nishina cross section considered (Dermer & Gehrels 1995). If we considered only the Thomson cross section, the masses are in the range of 2.6$\times 10^{6}M_{\odot}$ - 2$\times 10^{11}M_{\odot}$. The masses obtained from our method are less sensitive to the flux than those obtained from Dermer & …
Observational and theoretical results indicate that low-redshift BL Lacertae objects are the most likely extragalactic sources to be detectable at TeV energies. In this paper we present the results of observations of 4 BL Lacertae objects (PKS0521-365, EXO0423.4-0840, PKS2005-489 and PKS2316-423) made between 1993 and 1996 with the CANGAROO 3.8m imaging Cherenkov telescope. During the period of these observations the gamma-ray energy threshold of the 3.8m telescope was ~2TeV. Searches for steady long-term emission have been made, and, inspired by the TeV flares detected from Mkn421 and Mkn501,…
Recent Cherenkov observations of BL Lac objects showed that the TeV flux of PKS 2155-304 changed by a factor 2 in just 3-5 minutes. This fast variability can be accounted for if the emitting region is moving with a bulk Lorentz factor Gamma~50 and a similar relativistic Doppler factor. If this Gamma is adopted, several models can fit the data, but, irrespective of the chosen model, the jet is matter dominated. The Doppler factor requires viewing angles of the order of 1 degree or less: if the entire jet is as narrow as this, then we have problems with current unification schemes. This suggests…
In May 1994 the BL Lac object PKS 2155-304 was observed continuously for ~10 d with IUE and EUVE and for 2 d with ASCA, as well as with ROSAT and with ground- based radio, IR, and optical telescopes. The light curves show a well-defined X-ray flare (x2 increase in 1/2 d, with similar decay) followed by a broader, lower amplitude EUV flare ~1 day later, and a broad, low-amplitude UV flare ~2 d later (amplitude ~35%, duration >2 d). In the preceding week there was at least one X-ray flare of comparable amplitude or perhaps ongoing stochastic X-ray variations. An extremely rapid change in UV flux…
We observed three AGN from the Parkes Half-Jansky Flat-spectrum Sample at near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths to search for micro-variability. In one source, the blue quasar PKS 2243-123, good evidence for NIR micro-variability was found. In the other two sources, PKS 2240-260 and PKS 2233-148, both BL Lacertae objects, no such evidence of variability was detected. We discuss the implications of these observations for the various mechanisms that have been proposed for micro-variability.
(abridged) The spectral energy distribution (SED) of the compact steep spectrum (CSS) source and possible radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy (NLS1), PKS2004-447, is presented. Five out of six well studied RL NLS1 share this dual classification (optically defined as a NLS1 with radio definition of a CSS or giga-hertz peaked spectrum (GPS) source). The SED is created from simultaneous observations at radio (ATCA), optical/NIR (Siding Spring) and UV/X-ray (XMM-Newton) wavelengths. The X-ray data show evidence of short-term variability, a possible soft excess, and negligible absorption. Toget…
The TeV blazar PKS 2155-304 was monitored with the X-ray satellite ASCA in 1994 May, as part of a multiwavelength campaign from the radio to X-ray bands. At the beginning of the two-day continuous observation, we detected a large flare, where the 2-10 keV flux changed by a factor of 2 on a time scale of 3 x 10^4 sec. During the flare, the increase in the hard X-ray flux clearly preceded that observed in the soft X-rays, the spectral evolution tracking a `clockwise loop' in the flux versus photon index plane. Ascribing the energy-dependent variability to differential synchrotron cooling of rela…
The close X-ray selected BL Lac PKS 2155-304 has been observed using the University of Durham Mark 6 very high energy (VHE) gamma ray telescope during 1996 September/October/November and 1997 October/November. VHE gamma rays with energy > 300 GeV were detected from this object with a time-averaged integral flux of (4.2 +/- 0.7 (stat) +/- 2.0 (sys)) x 10^(-11) per cm2 per s. There is evidence for VHE gamma ray emission during our observations in 1996 September and 1997 October/November, with the strongest emission being detected in 1997 November, when the object was producing the largest flux e…
