TY  - JOUR
A1  - Cerruti, M.
A1  - Benbow, W.
A1  - Chen, Xu
A1  - Dumm, J. P.
A1  - Fortson, L. F.
A1  - Shahinyan, K.
T1  - Luminous and high-frequency peaked blazars: the origin of the gamma-ray emission from PKS 1424+240
JF  - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal
N2  - Context. The current generation of ground-based Cherenkov telescopes, together with the LAT instrument on-board the Fermi satellite, have greatly increased our knowledge of gamma-ray blazars. Among them, the high-frequency-peaked BL Lacertae object (HBL) PKS 1424+240 (z similar or equal to 0.6) is the farthest persistent emitter of very-high-energy (VHE; E >= 100 GeV) gamma-ray photons. Current emission models can satisfactorily reproduce typical blazar emission assuming that the dominant emission process is synchrotron-self-Compton (SSC) in HBLs; and external-inverse-Compton (EIC) in low-frequency-peaked BL Lacertae objects and flat-spectrum-radio-quasars. Alternatively, hadronic models are also able to correctly reproduce the gamma-ray emission from blazars, although they are in general disfavored for bright quasars and rapid flares. Aims. The blazar PKS 1424+240 is a rare example of a luminous HBL, and we aim to determine which is the emission process most likely responsible for its gamma-ray emission. This will impact more generally our comprehension of blazar emission models, and how they are related to the luminosity of the source and the peak frequency of the spectral energy distribution. Methods. We have investigated different blazar emission models applied to the spectral energy distribution of PKS 1424+240. Among leptonic models, we study a one-zone SSC model (including a systematic study of the parameter space), a two-zone SSC model, and an EIC model. We then investigated a blazar hadronic model, and finally a scenario in which the gamma-ray emission is associated with cascades in the line-of-sight produced by cosmic rays from the source. Results. After a systematic study of the parameter space of the one-zone SSC model, we conclude that this scenario is not compatible with gamma-ray observations of PKS 1424+240. A two-zone SSC scenario can alleviate this issue, as well as an EIC solution. For the latter, the external photon field is assumed to be the infra-red radiation from the dusty torus, otherwise the VHE gamma-ray emission would have been significantly absorbed. Alternatively, hadronic models can satisfactorily reproduce the gamma-ray emission from PKS 1424+240, both as in-source emission and as cascade emission.
KW  - relativistic processes
KW  - BL Lacertae objects: general
KW  - BL Lacertae objects: individual: PKS 1424+240
KW  - astroparticle physics
Y1  - 2017
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201730799
SN  - 1432-0746
VL  - 606
SP  - 35411
EP  - 35418
PB  - EDP Sciences
CY  - Les Ulis
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Archambault, S.
A1  - Archer, A.
A1  - Benbow, W.
A1  - Buchovecky, M.
A1  - Bugaev, V.
A1  - Cerruti, M.
A1  - Connolly, M. P.
A1  - Cui, W.
A1  - Falcone, A.
A1  - Alonso, M. Fernandez
A1  - Finley, J. P.
A1  - Fleischhack, H.
A1  - Fortson, L.
A1  - Furniss, A.
A1  - Griffin, S.
A1  - Hutten, M.
A1  - Hervet, O.
A1  - Holder, J.
A1  - Humensky, T. B.
A1  - Johnson, C. A.
A1  - Kaaret, P.
A1  - Kar, P.
A1  - Kieda, D.
A1  - Krause, M.
A1  - Krennrich, F.
A1  - Lang, M. J.
A1  - Lin, T. T. Y.
A1  - Maier, G.
A1  - McArthur, S.
A1  - Moriarty, P.
A1  - Nieto, D.
A1  - Ong, R. A.
A1  - Otte, A. N.
A1  - Pohl, M.
A1  - Popkow, A.
A1  - Pueschel, Elisa
A1  - Quinn, J.
A1  - Ragan, K.
A1  - Reynolds, P. T.
A1  - Richards, G. T.
A1  - Roache, E.
A1  - Rovero, A. C.
A1  - Sadeh, I.
A1  - Shahinyan, K.
A1  - Staszak, D.
A1  - Telezhinsky, Igor O.
A1  - Tyler, J.
A1  - Wakely, S. P.
A1  - Weinstein, A.
A1  - Weisgarber, T.
A1  - Wilcox, P.
A1  - Wilhelm, Alina
A1  - Williams, D. A.
A1  - Zitzer, B.
T1  - Search for Magnetically Broadened Cascade Emission from Blazars with VERITAS
JF  - The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics
N2  - We present a search for magnetically broadened gamma-ray emission around active galactic nuclei (AGNs), using VERITAS observations of seven hard-spectrum blazars. A cascade process occurs when multi-TeV gamma-rays from an AGN interact with extragalactic background light (EBL) photons to produce electron-positron pairs, which then interact with cosmic microwave background photons via inverse-Compton scattering to produce gamma-rays. Due to the deflection of the electron- positron pairs, a non-zero intergalactic magnetic field (IGMF) would potentially produce detectable effects on the angular distribution of the cascade emission. In particular, an angular broadening compared to the unscattered emission could occur. Through non-detection of angularly broadened emission from 1ES 1218 vertical bar 304, the source with the largest predicted cascade fraction, we exclude a range of IGMF strengths around 10(-14) G at the 95% confidence level. The extent of the exclusion range varies with the assumptions made about the intrinsic spectrum of 1ES. 1218+304 and the EBL model used in the simulation of the cascade process. All of the sources are used to set limits on the flux due to extended emission.
KW  - BL Lacertae objects: general
KW  - galaxies: active
KW  - gamma rays: galaxies
KW  - magnetic fields
Y1  - 2017
U6  - https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/835/2/288
SN  - 0004-637X
SN  - 1538-4357
VL  - 835
IS  - 2
PB  - IOP Publ. Ltd.
CY  - Bristol
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Abdalla, Hassan E.
A1  - Abramowski, Attila
A1  - Aharonian, Felix A.
A1  - Benkhali, Faical  Ait
A1  - Akhperjanian, A. G.
A1  - Andersson, T.
A1  - Anguner, Ekrem Oǧuzhan
A1  - Arakawa, M.
A1  - Arrieta, M.
A1  - Aubert, Pierre
A1  - Backes, Michael
A1  - Balzer, Arnim
A1  - Barnard, Michelle
A1  - Becherini, Yvonne
A1  - Tjus, J. Becker
A1  - Berge, David
A1  - Bernhard, Sabrina
A1  - Bernlöhr, K.
A1  - Blackwell, R.
A1  - Böttcher, Markus
A1  - Boisson, Catherine
A1  - Bolmont, J.
A1  - Bonnefoy, S.
A1  - Bordas, Pol
A1  - Bregeon, Johan
A1  - Brun, Francois
A1  - Brun, Pierre
A1  - Bryan, Mark
A1  - Buechele, M.
A1  - Bulik, Tomasz
A1  - Capasso, M.
A1  - Carr, John
A1  - Casanova, Sabrina
A1  - Cerruti, M.
A1  - Chakraborty, N.
A1  - Chaves, Ryan C. G.
A1  - Chen, Andrew
A1  - Chevalier, J.
A1  - Coffaro, M.
A1  - Colafrancesco, Sergio
A1  - Cologna, Gabriele
A1  - Condon, B.
A1  - Conrad, Jan
A1  - Cui, Y.
A1  - Davids, I. D.
A1  - Decock, J.
A1  - Degrange, B.
A1  - Deil, C.
A1  - Devin, J.
A1  - de Wilt, P.
A1  - Dirson, L.
A1  - Djannati-Atai, A.
A1  - Domainko, W.
A1  - Donath, A.
A1  - Dutson, K.
A1  - Dyks, J.
A1  - Edwards, T.
A1  - Egberts, Kathrin
A1  - Eger, P.
A1  - Ernenwein, J. -P.
A1  - Eschbach, S.
A1  - Farnier, C.
A1  - Fegan, S.
A1  - Fernandes, M. V.
A1  - Fiasson, A.
A1  - Fontaine, G.
A1  - Foerster, A.
A1  - Funk, S.
A1  - Fuessling, M.
A1  - Gabici, S.
A1  - Gallant, Y. A.
A1  - Garrigoux, T.
A1  - Giavitto, G.
A1  - Giebels, B.
A1  - Glicenstein, J. F.
A1  - Gottschall, D.
A1  - Goyal, A.
A1  - Grondin, M. -H.
A1  - Hahn, J.
A1  - Haupt, M.
A1  - Hawkes, J.
A1  - Heinzelmann, G.
A1  - Henri, G.
A1  - Hermann, G.
A1  - Hinton, James Anthony
A1  - Hofmann, W.
A1  - Hoischen, Clemens
A1  - Holch, Tim Lukas
A1  - Holler, M.
A1  - Horns, D.
A1  - Ivascenko, A.
A1  - Iwasaki, H.
A1  - Jacholkowska, A.
A1  - Jamrozy, M.
A1  - Janiak, M.
A1  - Jankowsky, D.
A1  - Jankowsky, F.
A1  - Jingo, M.
A1  - Jogler, T.
A1  - Jouvin, L.
A1  - Jung-Richardt, I.
A1  - Kastendieck, M. A.
A1  - Katarzynski, K.
A1  - Katsuragawa, M.
A1  - Katz, U.
A1  - Kerszberg, D.
A1  - Khangulyan, D.
A1  - Khelifi, B.
A1  - King, J.
A1  - Klepser, S.
A1  - Klochkov, D.
A1  - Kluzniak, W.
A1  - Kolitzus, D.
A1  - Komin, Nu.
A1  - Kosack, K.
A1  - Krakau, S.
A1  - Kraus, M.
A1  - Kruger, P. P.
A1  - Laffon, H.
A1  - Lamanna, G.
A1  - Lau, J.
A1  - Lees, J. -P.
A1  - Lefaucheur, J.
A1  - Lefranc, V.
A1  - Lemiere, A.
A1  - Lemoine-Goumard, M.
A1  - Lenain, J. -P.
A1  - Leser, Eva
A1  - Lohse, T.
A1  - Lorentz, M.
A1  - Liu, R.
A1  - Lopez-Coto, R.
A1  - Lypova, I.
A1  - Marandon, V.
A1  - Marcowith, Alexandre
A1  - Mariaud, C.
A1  - Marx, R.
A1  - Maurin, G.
A1  - Maxted, N.
A1  - Mayer, M.
A1  - Meintjes, P. J.
A1  - Meyer, M.
A1  - Mitchell, A. M. W.
A1  - Moderski, R.
A1  - Mohamed, M.
A1  - Mohrmann, L.
A1  - Mora, K.
A1  - Moulin, Emmanuel
A1  - Murach, T.
A1  - Nakashima, S.
A1  - de Naurois, M.
A1  - Niederwanger, F.
A1  - Niemiec, J.
A1  - Oakes, L.
A1  - Odaka, H.
A1  - Ohm, S.
A1  - Ostrowski, M.
A1  - Oya, I.
A1  - Padovani, M.
A1  - Panter, M.
A1  - Parsons, R. D.
A1  - Pekeur, N. W.
A1  - Pelletier, G.
A1  - Perennes, C.
A1  - Petrucci, P. -O.
A1  - Peyaud, B.
A1  - Piel, Q.
A1  - Pita, S.
A1  - Poon, H.
A1  - Prokhorov, D.
A1  - Prokoph, H.
A1  - Puehlhofer, G.
A1  - Punch, M.
A1  - Quirrenbach, A.
A1  - Raab, S.
A1  - Rauth, R.
A1  - Reimer, A.
A1  - Reimer, O.
A1  - Renaud, M.
A1  - de los Reyes, R.
A1  - Richter, S.
A1  - Rieger, F.
A1  - Romoli, C.
A1  - Rowell, G.
A1  - Rudak, B.
A1  - Rulten, C. B.
A1  - Sahakian, V.
A1  - Saito, S.
A1  - Salek, D.
A1  - Sanchez, David M.
A1  - Santangelo, A.
A1  - Sasaki, M.
A1  - Schlickeiser, R.
A1  - Schussler, F.
A1  - Schulz, A.
A1  - Schwanke, U.
A1  - Schwemmer, S.
A1  - Seglar-Arroyo, M.
A1  - Settimo, M.
A1  - Seyffert, A. S.
A1  - Shafi, N.
A1  - Shilon, I.
A1  - Simoni, R.
A1  - Sol, H.
A1  - Spanier, F.
A1  - Spengler, G.
A1  - Spies, F.
A1  - Stawarz, L.
A1  - Steenkamp, R.
A1  - Stegmann, Christian
A1  - Stycz, K.
A1  - Sushch, Iurii
A1  - Takahashi, T.
A1  - Tavernet, J. -P.
A1  - Tavernier, T.
A1  - Taylor, A. M.
A1  - Terrier, R.
A1  - Tibaldo, L.
A1  - Tiziani, D.
A1  - Tluczykont, M.
A1  - Trichard, C.
A1  - Tsuji, N.
A1  - Tuffs, R.
A1  - Uchiyama, Y.
A1  - van der Walt, D. J.
A1  - van Eldik, C.
A1  - van Rensburg, C.
A1  - van Soelen, B.
A1  - Vasileiadis, G.
A1  - Veh, J.
A1  - Venter, C.
A1  - Viana, A.
A1  - Vincent, P.
A1  - Vink, J.
A1  - Voisin, F.
A1  - Voelk, H. J.
A1  - Vuillaume, T.
A1  - Wadiasingh, Z.
A1  - Wagner, S. J.
A1  - Wagner, P.
A1  - Wagner, R. M.
A1  - White, R.
A1  - Wierzcholska, A.
A1  - Willmann, P.
A1  - Woernlein, A.
A1  - Wouters, D.
A1  - Yang, R.
A1  - Zaborov, D.
A1  - Zacharias, M.
A1  - Zanin, R.
A1  - Zdziarski, A. A.
A1  - Zech, Alraune
A1  - Zefi, F.
A1  - Ziegler, A.
A1  - Zywucka, N.
T1  - Measurement of the EBL spectral energy distribution using the VHE gamma-ray spectra of HESS blazars
JF  - Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal
N2  - Very high-energy gamma rays (VHE, E greater than or similar to 100 GeV) propagating over cosmological distances can interact with the low-energy photons of the extragalactic background light (EBL) and produce electron-positron pairs. The transparency of the Universe to VHE gamma rays is then directly related to the spectral energy distribution (SED) of the EBL. The observation of features in the VHE energy spectra of extragalactic sources allows the EBL to be measured, which otherwise is very difficult. An EBL model-independent measurement of the EBL SED with the H.E.S.S. array of Cherenkov telescopes is presented. It was obtained by extracting the EBL absorption signal from the reanalysis of high-quality spectra of blazars. From H.E.S.S. data alone the EBL signature is detected at a significance of 9.5 sigma, and the intensity of the EBL obtained in different spectral bands is presented together with the associated gamma-ray horizon.
KW  - gamma rays: galaxies
KW  - BL Lacertae objects: general
KW  - cosmic background radiation
KW  - infrared: diffuse background
Y1  - 2017
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201731200
SN  - 1432-0746
VL  - 606
PB  - EDP Sciences
CY  - Les Ulis
ER  -