Test of models of the cosmic infrared background with multiwavelength observations of the blazar 1ES 1218+30.4 in 2009

S Archambault; T Arlen; T Aune; M Beilicke; J. H Buckley; V Bugaev; R Dickherber; W Benbow; R Bird; E Collins-Hughes; M Böttcher; A Bouvier; L Ciupik; M. P Connolly; W Cui; Q Feng; J Dumm; M Errando; A Falcone; S Federici; VERITAS Collaboration

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/788/2/158

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Test of models of the cosmic infrared background with multiwavelength observations of the blazar 1ES 1218+30.4 in 2009

S Archambault, T Arlen, T Aune, M Beilicke, J. H Buckley, V Bugaev, R Dickherber, W Benbow, R Bird, E Collins-Hughes, …

The Astrophysical journal, Vol.788(2), 158

06/20/2014

DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/788/2/158

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Abstract

We present the results of a multi-wavelength campaign targeting the blazar 1ES 1218+30.4 with observations with the 1.3 m McGraw-Hill optical telescope, the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE), the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope, and the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS). The RXTE and VERITAS observations were spread over a 13 day period and revealed clear evidence for flux variability, and a strong X-ray and γ-ray flare on 2009 February 26 (MJD 54888). The campaign delivered a well-sampled broadband energy spectrum with simultaneous RXTE and VERITAS very high energy (VHE, >100 GeV) observations, as well as contemporaneous optical and Fermi observations. The 1ES 1218+30.4 broadband energy spectrum—the first with simultaneous X-ray and VHE γ-ray energy spectra—is of particular interest as the source is located at a high cosmological redshift for a VHE source (z = 0.182), leading to strong absorption of VHE gamma rays by photons from the optical/infrared extragalactic background light (EBL) via γ{sub VHE} + γ{sub EBL} → e {sup +} e {sup –} pair-creation processes. We model the data with a one-zone synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission model and with the extragalactic absorption predicted by several recent EBL models. We find that the observations are consistent with the SSC scenario and all the EBL models considered in this work. We discuss observational and theoretical avenues to improve on the EBL constraints.

Absorption

Background Radiation

Telescopes

ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY

BL LACERTAE OBJECTS

EMISSION

ENERGY SPECTRA

GALAXIES

GAMMA RADIATION

GEV RANGE

INFRARED RADIATION

PAIR PRODUCTION

PHOTONS

RED SHIFT

SPACE

VISIBLE RADIATION

WAVELENGTHS

X RADIATION

Details

Title: Subtitle: Test of models of the cosmic infrared background with multiwavelength observations of the blazar 1ES 1218+30.4 in 2009
Creators: S Archambault - McGill University
T Arlen - University of California, Los Angeles
T Aune - University of California, Los Angeles
M Beilicke - Washington University in St. Louis
J. H Buckley - Washington University in St. Louis
V Bugaev - Washington University in St. Louis
R Dickherber - Washington University in St. Louis
W Benbow - Harvard University
R Bird - University College Dublin
E Collins-Hughes - University College Dublin
M Böttcher - North-West University
A Bouvier - University of California, Santa Cruz
L Ciupik - Adler Planetarium
M. P Connolly - Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway
W Cui - Purdue University West Lafayette
Q Feng - Purdue University West Lafayette
J Dumm - University of Minnesota
M Errando - Columbia University
A Falcone - Pennsylvania State University
S Federici - University of Potsdam
VERITAS Collaboration
Contributors: P Kaaret (Contributor) - University of Iowa, Physics and Astronomy
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: The Astrophysical journal, Vol.788(2), 158
DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/788/2/158
ISSN: 0004-637X
eISSN: 1538-4357
Publisher: Institute of Physics (IOP)
Language: English
Date published: 06/20/2014
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984199854402771

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