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Title:
Implications of the VHE γ-Ray Detection of 3C279
Authors:
Böttcher, M.
Affiliation:
Astrophysical Institute, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA
Publication:
HIGH ENERGY GAMMA-RAY ASTRONOMY: Proceedings of the 4th International Meeting on High Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy. AIP Conference Proceedings, Volume 1085, pp. 427-430 (2008). (AIPC Homepage)
Publication Date:
12/2008
Origin:
AIP
PACS Keywords:
X- and gamma-ray sources, mirrors, gratings, and detectors, Radiation belts, Quasars
DOI:
10.1063/1.3076699
Bibliographic Code:
2008AIPC.1085..427B

Abstract

We present simultaneous optical (BVRI) and X-ray (RXTE PCA) data on the quasar 3C279 from the day of the recent VHE detection by MAGIC and discuss the implications of the snap-shot spectral energy distribution (SED) for leptonic jet models of blazars. A one-zone synchrotron-self-Compton origin of the SED up to VHE γ-rays can be ruled out. The VHE emission could, in principle, be interpreted as Compton upscattering of external radiation (e.g., from the broad-line regions) in a one-zone leptonic model. However, such an interpretation would require either an unusually low magnetic field of B~0.03 G, or (in order to achieve approximate equipartition between magnetic field at B~0.25 G and relativistic electrons) an unrealistically high Doppler factor of Γ~140. In addition, such a model fails to reproduce the observed X-ray flux. We therefore conclude that a simple one-zone, homogeneous leptonic jet model is not able to plausibly reproduce the SED of 3C279 including the recently detected VHE γ-ray emission. This as well as the lag of correlated variability in the optical with the VHE γ-ray emission suggests a multi-zone model in which the optical emission is produced in a different region than the VHE γ-ray emission. Alternatively, also a hadronic origin of the VHE γ-rays seems plausible.
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