David A. Barnaby

The WEBT campaign to observe AO 0235+16 in the 2003-2004 observing season. Results from radio-to-optical monitoring and XMM-Newton observations

A multiwavelength campaign to observe the BL Lac object AO 0235+16 (z = 0.94) was set up by the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT) collaboration during the observing seasons 2003-2004 and 2004-2005, involving radio, near-IR and optical photometric monitoring, VLBA monitoring, optical spectral monitoring, and three pointings by the XMM-Newton satellite. Here we report on the results of the first season, which involved the participation of 24 optical and near-IR telescopes and 4 radio telescopes, as well as the first XMM-Newton pointing, which occurred on January 18-19, 2004. Unpublished data from previous epochs were also collected (from 5 optical-NIR and 3 radio telescopes), in order to fill the gap between the end of the period presented in Raiteri et al. (2001) and the start of the WEBT campaign. The contribution of the southern AGN, 2 arcsec distant from the source, is taken into account. It is found to especially affect the blue part of the optical spectrum when the source is faint. In the optical and near-IR the source has been very active in the last 3 years, although it has been rather faint most of the time, with noticeable variations of more than a magnitude over a few days. In contrast, in the radio bands it appears to have been quiescent since early 2000. The major radio (and optical) outburst predicted to peak around February-March 2004 (with a six month uncertainty) has not occurred yet. When comparing our results with the historical light curves, two different behaviours seem to characterize the optical outbursts: only the major events present a radio counterpart. The X-ray spectra obtained by the three EPIC detectors are well fitted by a power law with extra-absorption at z = 0.524; the energy index in the 0.2-10 keV range is well constrained: a = 0.645 ± 0.028 and the 1 keV flux density is 0.311 ± 0.008 μJy. The analysis of the X-ray light curves reveals that no significant variations occurred during the pointing. In contrast, simultaneous dense radio monitoring with the 100 m telescope at Effelsberg shows a ∼2-3% flux decrease in 6-7 h, which, if intrinsic, would imply a brightness temperature well above the Compton limit and hence a lower limit to the Doppler factor 6 > 46.

Multifrequency variability of the blazar AO 0235+164.The WEBT campaign in 2004-2005 and long-term SED analysis

Aims. A huge multiwavelength campaign targeting the blazar AO 0235+164 was organized by the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT) in 2003-2005 to study the variability properties of the source. Methods. Monitoring observations were carried out at cm and mm wavelengths, and in the near-IR and optical bands, while three pointings by the XMM-Newton satellite provided information on the X-ray and UV emission. Results. We present the data acquired during the second observing season, 2004-2005, by 27 radio-to-optical telescopes. The ∼2600 data points collected allow us to trace the low-energy behaviour of the source in detail, revealing an increased near-IR and optical activity with respect to the previous season. Increased variability is also found at the higher radio frequencies, down to ∼15 GHz, but not at the lower ones. While the X-ray (and optical) light curves obtained during the XMM-Newton pointings reveal no significant short-term variability, the simultaneous intraday radio observations with the 100 m telescope at Effelsberg show flux-density changes at 10.5 GHz, which are more likely due to a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic processes. Conclusions. The radio (and optical) outburst predicted to peak around February-March 2004 on the basis of the previously observed 5-6 yr quasi-periodicity did not occur. The analysis of the optical light curves reveals now a longer characteristic time scale of variability of ∼8 yr, which is also present in the radio data. The spectral energy distributions corresponding to the XMM-Newton observations performed during the WEBT campaign are compared with those pertaining to previous pointings of X-ray satellites. Bright, soft X-ray spectra can be described in terms of an extra component, which appears also when the source is faint through a hard UV spectrum and a curvature of the X-ray spectrum. Finally, there might be a correlation between the X-ray and optical bright states with a long time delay of about 5 yr, which would require a geometrical interpretation.

MULTIWAVELENGTH OBSERVATIONS OF MARKARIAN 421 IN 2005-2006

Since 2005 September, the Whipple 10 m Gamma-ray Telescope has been operated primarily as a blazar monitor. The five northern hemisphere blazars that have already been detected at the Whipple Observatory, Markarian 421 (Mrk 421), H1426+428, Mrk 501, 1ES 1959+650, and 1ES 2344+514, are monitored routinely each night that they are visible. We report on the Mrk 421 observations taken from 2005 November to 2006 June in the gamma-ray, X-ray, optical, and radio bands. During this time, Mrk 421 was found to be variable at all wavelengths probed. Both the variability and the correlations among different energy regimes are studied in detail here. A tentative correlation, with large spread, was measured between the X-ray and gamma-ray bands, while no clear correlation was evident among the other energy bands. In addition to this, the well-sampled spectral energy distribution of Mrk 421 (1101+384) is presented for three different activity levels. The observations of the other blazar targets will be reported separately.

Coordinated Multiwavelength Observation of 3C 66A during the WEBT Campaign of 2003-2004*

The BL Lac object 3C 66A was the target of an extensive multiwavelength monitoring campaign from 2003 July through 2004 April (with a core campaign from 2003 September to 2003 December) involving observations throughout the electromagnetic spectrum. Radio, infrared, and optical observations were carried out by the WEBT-ENIGMA collaboration. At higher energies, 3C 66A was observed in X-rays (RXTE), and at very high energy (VHE) in γ-rays (STACEE, VERITAS). In addition, the source has been observed with the VLBA at nine epochs throughout the period 2003 September to 2004 December, including three epochs contemporaneous with the core campaign. A gradual brightening of the source over the course of the campaign was observed at all optical frequencies, culminating in a very bright maximum around 2004 February 18. The WEBT campaign revealed microvariability with flux changes of ~5% on timescales as short as ~2 hr. The source was in a relatively bright state, with several bright flares on timescales of several days. The spectral energy distribution (SED) indicates a νFν peak in the optical regime. A weak trend of optical spectral hysteresis with a trend of spectral softening throughout both the rising and decaying phases has been found. On longer timescales, there appears to be a weak indication of a positive hardness-intensity correlation for low optical fluxes, which does not persist at higher flux levels. The 3-10 keV X-ray flux of 3C 66A during the core campaign was historically high and its spectrum very soft, indicating that the low-frequency component of the broadband SED extends beyond ~10 keV. No significant X-ray flux and/or spectral variability was detected. STACEE and Whipple observations provided upper flux limits at >150 and >390 GeV, respectively. The 22 and 43 GHz data from the three VLBA epochs made between 2003 September and 2004 January indicate a rather smooth jet with only very moderate internal structure. Evidence for superluminal motion (8.5 ± 5.6 h-1 c) was found in only one of six components, while the apparent velocities of all other components are consistent with 0. The radial radio brightness profile suggests a magnetic field decay ∝r-1 and, thus, a predominantly perpendicular magnetic field orientation.