The unusual multiwavelength properties of the gamma-ray source PMN J1603−4904

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dc.contributor.authorMüller, Cornelia
dc.contributor.authorKadler, M.
dc.contributor.authorOjha, R.
dc.contributor.authorBöck, M.
dc.contributor.authorKrauß, F.
dc.contributor.authorTaylor, G. B.
dc.contributor.authorWilms, J.
dc.contributor.authorBlanchard, J.
dc.contributor.authorCarpenter, B.
dc.contributor.authorDauser, T.
dc.contributor.authorDutka, M.
dc.contributor.authorEdwards, P. G.
dc.contributor.authorGehrels, N.
dc.contributor.authorGrossberger, C.
dc.contributor.authorHase, H.
dc.contributor.authorHoriuchi, S.
dc.contributor.authorKreikenbohm, A.
dc.contributor.authorLovell, J. E. J.
dc.contributor.authorMcConville, W.
dc.contributor.authorPhillips, C.
dc.contributor.authorPlötz, C.
dc.contributor.authorPursimo, T.
dc.contributor.authorQuick, J.
dc.contributor.authorRos, E.
dc.contributor.authorSchulz, R.
dc.contributor.authorStevens, J.
dc.contributor.authorTingay, S. J.
dc.contributor.authorTrüstedt, J.
dc.contributor.authorTzioumis, A. K.
dc.contributor.authorZensus, J. A.
dc.date.accessioned2020-05-08T13:55:01Z
dc.date.available2020-05-08T13:55:01Z
dc.date.issued2014-01-30
dc.description.abstractContext. We investigate the nature and classification of PMN J1603−4904, a bright radio source close to the Galactic plane, which is associated with one of the brightest hard-spectrum γ-ray sources detected by Fermi/LAT. It has previously been classified as a low-peaked BL Lac object based on its broadband emission and the absence of optical emission lines. Optical measurements, however, suffer strongly from extinction and the absence of pronounced short-time γ-ray variability over years of monitoring is unusual for a blazar. Aims. In this paper, we are combining new and archival multiwavelength data of PMN J1603−4904 in order to reconsider the classification and nature of this unusual γ-ray source. Methods. For the first time, we study the radio morphology of PMN J1603−4904 at 8.4 GHz and 22.3 GHz, and its spectral properties on milliarcsecond scales, based on VLBI observations from the TANAMI program. We combine the resulting images with multiwavelength data in the radio, IR, optical/UV, X-ray, and γ-ray regimes. Results. PMN J1603−4904 shows a symmetric brightness distribution at 8.4 GHz on milliarcsecond scales, with the brightest, and most compact component in the center of the emission region. The morphology is reminiscent of a compact symmetric object (CSO). Such objects, thought to be young radio galaxies, have been predicted to produce γ-ray emission but have not been detected as a class by the Fermi γ-ray telescope so far. Sparse (u,v)-coverage at 22.3 GHz prevents an unambiguous modeling of the source morphology at this higher frequency. Moreover, infrared measurements reveal an excess in the spectral energy distribution (SED), which can be modeled with a blackbody with a temperature of about 1600 K, and which is usually not present in blazar SEDs. Conclusions. The TANAMI VLBI data and the shape of the broadband SED challenge the current blazar classification of one of the brightest γ-ray sources in the sky. PMN J1603−4904 seems to be either a highly peculiar BL Lac object or a misaligned jet source. In the latter case, the intriguing VLBI structure opens room for a possible classification of PMN J1603−4904 as a γ-ray bright CSO.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipThe Australian Long Baseline Array and the Australia Telescope Compact Array are part of the Australia Telescope National Facility which is funded by the Commonwealth of Australia for operation as a National Facility managed by CSIRO. This research was funded in part by NASA through Fermi Guest Investigator grants NNH09ZDA001N and NNH10ZDA001N. It was supported by an appointment to the NASA Post-doctoral Program at the Goddard Space Flight Center, administered by Oak Ridge Associated Universities through a contract with NASA. It is based on observations obtained at the Gemini Observatory (Program ID: GS-2013A-Q-80), which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the NSF on behalf of the Gemini partnership: the National Science Foundation (United States), the National Research Council (Canada), CONICYT (Chile), the Australian Research Council (Australia), Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brazil) and Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Productiva (Argentina). This research has made use of data from the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED), operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and the SIMBAD database (operated at the CDS, Strasbourg, France). C.M. acknowledges the support of the “Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes”. E.R. was partially supported by Spanish MINECO projects AYA2009-13036-C02-02 and AYA2012-38491-C02-01 and by the Generalitat Valenciana project PROMETEO/2009/104, as well as by the COST MP0905 action “Black Holes in a Violent Universe”. R.S. acknowledges support from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft grant DFG WI1860/10-1. We thank I. Donnarumma for the useful discussion about starburst SEDs, R. D’Abrusco for performing checks on the corrected WISE data, and J. E. Davis for the development of the slxfig module used to prepare all figures in this work. We thank the referee for helpful comments and suggestions.en_US
dc.description.urihttps://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/abs/2014/02/aa22827-13/aa22827-13.htmlen_US
dc.format.extent11 pagesen_US
dc.genrejournal articlesen_US
dc.identifierdoi:10.13016/m2jlde-gift
dc.identifier.citationCornelia Müller wt al., The unusual multiwavelength properties of the gamma-ray source PMN J1603−4904, A&A, 562 (2014) A4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201322827en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201322827
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11603/18509
dc.identifier.urihttp://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-ref?querymethod=bib&simbo=on&submit=submit+bibcode&bibcode=2014A%26A...562A...4M
dc.identifier.urihttps://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/objsearch?search_type=Search&refcode=2014A%26A...562A...4M
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherEDP sciencesen_US
dc.relation.isAvailableAtThe University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Physics Department Collection
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Center for Space Sciences and Technology (CSST) / Center for Research and Exploration in Space Sciences & Technology II (CRSST II)
dc.rightsThis item is likely protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Unless on a Creative Commons license, for uses protected by Copyright Law, contact the copyright holder or the author.
dc.rights© ESO 2014
dc.titleThe unusual multiwavelength properties of the gamma-ray source PMN J1603−4904en_US
dc.typeTexten_US

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