• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.193-202
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• 2021

We present analysis results of Korean VLBI Network (KVN) four-band data for the highly variable blazar 3C 279. We measured the 22, 43, 86, and 129 GHz flux densities and spectral indices of the source using contemporaneous data taken over 5.6 years. We used the discrete correlation function to investigate correlations between the radio emission properties and those measured in the optical (2 × 10¹⁴ - 1.5 × 10¹⁵ Hz), X-ray (0.3-10 keV), and gamma-ray (0.1-300 GeV) bands. We found a significant correlation between the radio spectral index and gamma-ray flux without a time delay and interpreted the correlation using an extended jet scenario for blazar emission.

• 천문학회보
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• 제44권1호
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• pp.35.3-35.3
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• 2019

Blazars are a subclass of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with relativistic jets aligned with our line of sight. The jet physics is yet to be understood, but can be studied with blazar variability (e.g., flares). The highly variable blazar 3C 279 has shown a general decline of its radio flux density since 2013, but the flux density has been increasing since 2017. To better understand physical properties of 3C 279 related with the flux variations, we analyze multi-frequency new radio data obtained with Korean VLBI Network (KVN), as well as archival data from Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) and Submillimeter Array (SMA). We measure the radio spectral variability and infer the relativistic jet properties of 3C 279. The high-cadence OVRO and SMA observations are used to construct detailed light curves of the source, and KVN data supplement the spectral coverage and allow us to locate the spectral break frequencies precisely. In this talk, we present our analysis results and interpret them using a blazar jet model.

• 천문학회보
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.36.4-36.4
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• 2021

블레이자는 제트가 관측자 시선방향과 나란하게 놓여있는 활동은하핵(AGN)으로 모든 파장대역에서 변광을 보이는 것이 주요 특징이다. 우리는 블레이자의 변광특성을 이해하기 위해 강한 변광을 보이는 천체인 3C 279를 연구대상으로 선정했고, 9년간의 X선 및 광학 데이터를 이용하여 이 천체의 광도와 스펙트럼 기울기 사이의 상관관계분석을 수행하였다. 이를 통하여, 시간에 따라 상관계수가 변한다는 것과 X선 변광이 광학변광보다 65일 앞선다는 것을 발견하였다. 이 발표에서는 one-zone SED 모형을 이용해 위의 현상들을 해석한 결과를 제시한다.

• 천문학회지
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• 제48권5호
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• pp.257-265
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• 2015

We present results of long-term multi-wavelength polarization observations of the powerful blazar 3C 279 after its γ-ray flare on 2013 December 20. We followed up this flare with single-dish polarization observations using two 21-m telescopes of the Korean VLBI Network. Observations carried out weekly from 2013 December 25 to 2015 January 11, at 22 GHz, 43 GHz, 86 GHz simultaneously, as part of the Monitoring Of GAmma-ray Bright AGN (MOGABA) program. We measured 3C 279 total flux densities of 22–34 Jy at 22 GHz, 15–28 Jy (43 GHz), and 10–21 Jy (86 GHz), showing mild variability of ≤ 50 % over the period of our observations. The spectral index between 22 GHz and 86 GHz ranged from −0.13 to −0.36. Linear polarization angles were 27°–38°, 30°–42°, and 33°–50° at 22 GHz, 43 GHz, and 86 GHz, respectively. The degree of linear polarization was in the range of 6–12 %, and slightly decreased with time at all frequencies. We investigated Faraday rotation and depolarization of the polarized emission at 22–86 GHz, and found Faraday rotation measures (RM) of −300 to −1200 rad m⁻² between 22 GHz and 43 GHz, and −800 to −5100 rad m⁻² between 43 GHz and 86 GHz. The RM values follow a power law with a mean power law index a of 2.2, implying that the polarized emission at these frequencies travels through a Faraday screen in or near the jet. We conclude that the regions emitting polarized radio emission may be different from the region responsible for the 2013 December γ-ray flare and are maintained by the dominant magnetic field perpendicular to the direction of the radio jet at milliarcsecond scales.

• 천문학회보
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• 제41권1호
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• pp.65.1-65.1
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• 2016

We present results of long-term multi-wavelength polarization observations of the powerful blazar 3C 279 after its ${\gamma}$-ray flare on 2013 December 20. We followed up this flare by means of single-dish polarization observations with two 21-m telescopes of the Korean VLBI Network, carried out weekly from 2013 December 25 to January 11, and at 22, 43, and 86 GHz, simultaneously. These observations were part of the Monitoring Of GAmma-ray Bright AGNs (MOGABA) program. We Measured 3C 279 total flux densities at 22, 43, and 86 GHz, showing a mild variability of a factor of ${\leq}50%$ over the period of our observations. The spectral index ranged from -0.13 to -0.36 at between 22 and 86 GHz. The degree of linear polarization was in the range of 6 ~ 12 %, and slightly decreased with time at all frequencies. We found Faraday rotation measures (RM) of -300 to $-1200rad\;m^{-2}$ between 22 and 43 GHz, and -800 to $-5100rad\;m^{-2}$ between 43 and 86 GHz. The RM values follow a power law ${\mid}RM{\mid}{\propto}{\nu}^{\alpha}$, with a mean ${\alpha}$ of 2.2, implying that the polarized emission at these frequencies travels through a Faraday screen in or near the jet. We conclude that the regions emitting polarized radio emission may be different from the region responsible for the 2013 December ${\gamma}$-ray flare, and that these regions are maintained by the dominant magnetic field perpendicular to the direction of the radio jet at milliarcsecond scales.

• 천문학회보
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• 제39권2호
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• pp.60.1-60.1
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• 2014

In the center of an Active Galactic Nuclei(AGN) is a supermassive black hole which accretes matter from its surroundings. The radio-loud AGN launch two relativistic jets perpendicular to the accretion disk which terminates into radio lobes located up to megaparsec away. Blazars form a small subset of radio-loud AGNs with one of two relativistic jets pointing toward the observer's line of sight. Many blazars often show flares at different frequencies. And these flares at different frequencies are known that they often correlate with each other. In 2013 December, there was a gamma-ray flare in 3C 279, one of the brightest blazars, Dec 2013. So we want to reveal that whether this flare correlates with radio flare or not, and where the flare originate. With polarization observation at radio frequencies, we can study the physical properties of the magnetic field in the innermost regions of the relativistic jets. Therefore, we have conducted polarization monitoring of this source from Dec. 2013 to Jun. 2014 with KVN(Korea VLBI Network) radio telescopes at 22, 43 and 86GHz. Here we present the initial results of the monitoring of 3C 279. We prospect that we can reveal the origin of this gamma-ray flare by comparing with our radio data.

• 천문학논총
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.433-437
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• 2015

We show the results of a time series analysis of the long-term light curves of four blazars. 3C 279, 3C 345, 3C 446, and BL Lacertae. We used densely sampled light curves spanning 32 years at three frequency bands (4.8, 8, 14.5 GHz), provided by the University of Michigan Radio Astronomy Observatory monitoring program. The spectral indices of our sources are mostly flat or inverted (-0.5 < ${\alpha}$ < 0), which is consistent with optically thick emission. Strong variability was seen in all light curves on various time scales. From the analyses of time lags between the light curves from different frequency bands and the evolution of the spectral indices with time, we find that we can distinguish high-peaking flares and low-peaking flares according to the Valtaoja et al. classification. The periodograms (temporal power spectra) of the light curves are in good agreement with random-walk power-law noise without any indication of (quasi-)periodic variability. We note that random-walk noise light curves can originate from multiple shocks in jets. The fact that all our sources are in agreement with being random-walk noise emitters at radio wavelengths suggests that such behavior is a general property of blazars. We are going to generalize our approach by applying our methodology to a much larger blazar sample in the near future.