Blazar Compton efficiencies: Fermi, external photons and the Sequence

Details Blazar Compton efficiencies: Fermi, external photons and the Sequence Blazar Compton efficiencies: Fermi, external photons and the Sequence

2011-06-25

arxiv.org/abs/1106.5172v1

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics

6 pages, 5 figures. Submitted to MNRAS

Scientific paper

The Fermi-LAT survey provides a large sample of blazars selected on the strength of their inverse Compton emission. We cross-correlate the first Fermi-LAT catalogue with the CRATES radio catalogue and use this sample to investigate whether blazar gamma-ray luminosities are influenced by the availability of external photons to be up-scattered. Using the 8.4 GHz flux densities of their compact radio cores as a proxy for their jet power, we calculate their Compton Efficiency parameters, which measure the ability of jets to convert power in the form of ultra-relativistic electrons into Compton gamma-rays. We find no clear differences in Compton efficiencies between BL Lac objects and FSRQs and no anti-correlation between Compton efficiency and synchrotron peak frequency. This suggests that the scattering of external photons is energetically unimportant compared to the synchrotron self-Compton process. These results contradict the predictions of the blazar sequence.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Blazar Compton efficiencies: Fermi, external photons and the Sequence does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Blazar Compton efficiencies: Fermi, external photons and the Sequence, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Blazar Compton efficiencies: Fermi, external photons and the Sequence will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-585199