Titulo:
THE OUTBURST OF THE BLAZAR S4 0954+658 IN 2011 MARCH-APRIL
Autores:
Morozova, DA; Larionov, VM; Troitsky, IS; Jorstad, SG; Marscher, AP; Gomez, JL; Blinov, DA; Efimova, NV; Hagen-Thorn, VA; Hagen-Thorn, EI; Joshi, M; Konstantinova, TS; Kopatskaya, EN; Larionova, LV; Larionova, EG; Lahteenmaki, A; Tammi, J; Rastorgueva-Foi, E; McHardy, I; Tornikoski, M; Agudo, I; Casadio, C; Molina, SN; Volvach, AE; Volvach, LN
Resumen:
We present the results of optical (R-band) photometric and polarimetric monitoring and Very Long Baseline Array imaging of the blazar S4 0954+658, along with Fermi gamma-ray data during a multi-waveband outburst in 2011 March-April. After a faint state with a brightness level R similar to 17.6 mag registered in the first half of 2011 January, the optical brightness of the source started to rise and reached similar to 14.8 mag during the middle of March, showing flare-like behavior. The most spectacular case of intranight variability was observed during the night of 2011 March 9, when the blazar brightened by similar to 0.7 mag within 7 hr. During the rise of the flux, the position angle of the optical polarization rotated smoothly over more than 300 degrees. At the same time, within la uncertainty, a new superluminal knot appeared with an apparent speed of 19.0 +/- 0.3c. We have very strong evidence that this knot is associated with the multi-waveband outburst in 2011 March-April. We also analyze the multi-frequency behavior of S4 0954+658 during a number of minor outbursts from 2008 August to 2012 April. We find some evidence of connections between at least two additional superluminal ejecta and near-simultaneous optical flares.
Autor/es del IAA:
Gomez, J. L.; Agudo, I.; Casadio, C.; Molina, S. N.
DOI:
10.1088/0004-6256/148/3/42
Palabras clave:
BL Lacertae objects: individual (S4 0954+658); galaxies: active; galaxies: jets; polarization