The Swift knife: the unique Swift long-term monitoring program on 3C 454.3 .
Abstract
The blazar 3C 454.3 is a well-known, extremely variable flat-spectrum radio quasar which exhibited the most intense gamma-ray flares detected up to now. Thanks to the Swift innovative and unique pointing strategy, it has been possible to monitor this source in the UV and X-ray energy bands on time-scales comparable to the ground-based optical and radio ones. The long-term multi-wavelength light-curves allowed us to obtain detailed information on time-lags between the flux emission in different energy bands, to investigate the properties of the jet during the most intense gamma-ray flares, and to study the radiation mechanisms responsible for the emission at different frequencies. We will review the results obtained so far on the above topics, highlighting the crucial role of Swift and its breakthrough in the X-ray studies of blazars.
- Publication:
-
Memorie della Societa Astronomica Italiana
- Pub Date:
- 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013MmSAI..84..729V
- Keywords:
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- galaxies: active;
- galaxies: quasars: general;
- galaxies: quasars: individual: 3C 454.3;
- galaxies: jets;
- radiation mechanism: non thermal.