Evidence for Two Lognormal States in Multi-wavelength Flux Variation of FSRQ PKS 1510-089
Abstract
We present a systematic characterization of multi-wavelength emission from blazar PKS 1510-089 using well-sampled data at near-infrared (NIR), optical, X-ray, and γ-ray energies. The resulting flux distributions, except at X-rays, show two distinct lognormal profiles corresponding to a high and a low flux level. The dispersions exhibit energy-dependent behavior except in the LAT γ-ray and optical B-band. During the low level flux states, it is higher toward the peak of the spectral energy distribution, with γ-ray being intrinsically more variable followed by IR and then optical, consistent with mainly being a result of varying bulk Lorentz factor. On the other hand, the dispersions during the high state are similar in all bands except the optical B-band, where thermal emission still dominates. The centers of distributions are a factor of ∼4 apart, consistent with anticipation from studies of extragalactic γ-ray background with the high state showing a relatively harder mean spectral index compared to the low state.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- May 2016
- DOI:
- 10.3847/2041-8205/822/1/L13
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1604.04335
- Bibcode:
- 2016ApJ...822L..13K
- Keywords:
-
- acceleration of particles;
- galaxies: active;
- galaxies: jets;
- gamma rays: galaxies;
- quasars: individual: PKS 1510-089;
- radiation mechanisms: non-thermal;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena;
- Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
- E-Print:
- accepted for publication in the ApJL (13 pages, 2 Figures and 3 Tables)