English

Fast $\gamma$-ray variability in blazars beyond redsift 3

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena 2018-02-14 v2

Abstract

High-redshift blazars are one of the most powerful monsters in the universe and γ\gamma-ray variability carries crucial information of their relativistic jets. In this work we present results of the first systematical temporal analysis of {\it Fermi}-LAT data of all known seven γ\gamma-ray blazars beyond redshift 3. Significant long-term γ\gamma-ray variability is found from five sources in monthly γ\gamma-ray light curves, in which three of them are reported for the first time. Furthermore, intraday γ\gamma-ray variations are detected from NVSS J053954-283956 and NVSS J080518++614423. Doubling variability timescale of the former source is limited as short as \lesssim 1 hour (at the source frame). Together with variability amplitude over one order of magnitude, NVSS J053954-283956 is the most distant γ\gamma-ray flaring blazar so far. Meanwhile, intraday optical variability of NVSS J163547++362930 is found based on archival PTF/iPTF light curve. Benefited from multiwavelength activity of these sources, constraints of their Doppler factors as well as locations of γ\gamma-ray radiation region and indications for the SDSS high redshift jetted active galactic nuclei deficit are discussed.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1710.02904,
  title  = {Fast $\gamma$-ray variability in blazars beyond redsift 3},
  author = {Shang Li and Zi-Qing Xia and Yun-Feng Liang and Neng-Hui Liao and Yi-Zhong Fan},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1710.02904},
  year   = {2018}
}

Comments

25 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables, ApJ in press

R2 v1 2026-06-22T22:07:07.382Z