Naoko Sumitomo

The unprecedented optical outburst of the quasar 3C 454.3 : The WEBT campaign of 2004-2005

Context. The radio quasar 3C 454.3 underwent an exceptional optical outburst lasting more than 1 year and culminating in spring 2005. The maximum brightness detected was

The radio delay of the exceptional 3C 454.3 outburst. Follow-up WEBT observations in 2005-2006

R=12.0

The WEBT Campaign on the Blazar 3C 279 in 2006

, which represents the most luminous quasar state thus far observed (

The hydrogen-burning turnoff of RS Ophiuchi (2006)

M_B \sim -31.4

Observational Appearance of Relativistic, Spherically Symmetric Massive Winds

). Aims. In order to follow the emission behaviour of the source in detail, a large multiwavelength campaign was organized by the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT). Methods. Continuous optical, near-IR and radio monitoring was performed in several bands. ToO pointings by the Chandra and INTEGRAL satellites provided additional information at high energies in May 2005. Results. The historical radio and optical light curves show different behaviours. Until about 2001.0 only moderate variability was present in the optical regime, while prominent and long-lasting radio outbursts were visible at the various radio frequencies, with higher-frequency variations preceding the lower-frequency ones. After that date, the optical activity increased and the radio flux is less variable. This suggests that the optical and radio emissions come from two separate and misaligned jet regions, with the inner optical one acquiring a smaller viewing angle during the 2004-2005 outburst. Moreover, the colour-index behaviour (generally redder-when-brighter) during the outburst suggests the presence of a luminous accretion disc. A huge mm outburst followed the optical one, peaking in June-July 2005. The high-frequency (37-43 GHz) radio flux started to increase in early 2005 and reached a maximum at the end of our observing period (end of September 2005). VLBA observations at 43 GHz during the summer confirm the brightening of the radio core and show an increasing polarization. An exceptionally bright X-ray state was detected in May 2005, corresponding to the rising mm flux and suggesting an inverse-Compton nature of the hard X-ray spectrum. Conclusions. A further multifrequency monitoring effort is needed to follow the next phases of this unprecedented event.

Observational Appearance of Black Hole Winds

Context. In spring 2005 the blazar 3C 454.3 was observed in an unprecedented bright state from the near-IR to the hard X-ray frequencies. A mm outburst peaked in June-July 2005, and it was followed by a flux increase at high radio frequencies. Aims. In this paper we report on multifrequency monitoring by the WEBT aimed at following the further evolution of the outburst in detail. In particular, we investigate the expected correlation and time delays between the optical and radio emissions in order to derive information on the variability mechanisms and jet structure. Methods. A comparison among the light curves at different frequencies is performed by means of visual inspection and discrete correlation function, and the results are interpreted with a simple model taking into account Doppler factor variations of geometric origin. Results. The high-frequency radio light curves show a huge outburst starting during the dimming phase of the optical one and lasting more than 1 year. The first phase is characterized by a slow flux increase, while in early 2006 a major flare is observed. The lower-frequency radio light curves show a progressively delayed and fainter event, which disappears below 8 GHz. We suggest that the radio major peak is not physically connected with the spring 2005 optical one, but it is actually correlated with a minor optical flare observed in October-November 2005. This interpretation | involves both an intrinsic and a geometric mechanism. The former is represented by disturbances travelling down the emitting jet, the latter being due to the curved-jet motion, with the consequent differential changes of viewing angles of the different emitting regions.

Relativistic Spectra of Hot Black-Hole Winds

Thequasar3C279wasthetargetof anextensivemultiwavelengthmonitoringcampaignfrom2006Januarythrough April. An optical-IR-radio monitoring campaign by the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT) collaboration was organized around target-of-opportunity X-ray and soft � -ray observations with Chandra and INTEGRAL in 2006 midJanuary, with additional X-ray coverage by RXTE and Swift XRT. In this paper we focus on the results of the WEBT campaign. Thesource exhibited substantial variability of opticalflux and spectralshape,witha characteristictimescale of a few days. The variability patterns throughout the optical BVRI bands were very closely correlated with each other, while there was no obvious correlation between the optical and radio variability. After the ToO trigger, the optical flux

WEBT and XMM-Newton observations of 3C 454.3 during the post-outburst phase Detection of the little and big blue bumps ⋆

We report a coordinated multiband photometry of the RS Oph 2006 outburst and highlight the emission-line-free y-band photometry that shows a midplateau phase at y ~ 10.2 mag from day 40 to day 75 after the discovery, followed by a sharp drop of the final decline. Such midplateau phases are observed in other two recurrent novae, U Sco and CI Aql, and are interpreted as a bright disk irradiated by the white dwarf. We have calculated theoretical light curves based on the optically thick wind theory and have reproduced the observed light curves, including the midplateau phase and the final sharp decline. This final decline is identified with the end of steady hydrogen shell burning, which turned out at about day 80. This turnoff date is consistent with the end of a supersoft X-ray phase observed with Swift. Our model suggests a white dwarf mass of 1.35 ± 0.01 M☉, which indicates that RS Oph is a progenitor of Type Ia supernovae. We strongly recommend the y-filter observation of novae to detect both the presence of a disk and the hydrogen burning turnoff.

Observational Appearance of Optically Thin, Relativistic Winds

The photon mean free path in a relativistically moving medium becomes long in the down-stream direction while short in the up-stream direction. As a result, the observed optical depth

「手作り☆★宇宙図鑑★☆」の製作と実践

\tau