Astronomers Detect High-Energy Gamma Rays from Distant Blazar OP 313
Distant blazar OP 313 emits very high-energy gamma rays above 100 GeV
Image: Phys.org
An international team of astronomers has observed the distant blazar OP 313 using the Large-Sized Telescope at the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory. They detected significant very high-energy gamma-ray emissions above 100 GeV, marking OP 313 as the most distant quasar observed in this energy range.
- 01OP 313, also known as B2 1308+326, is classified as a flat-spectrum radio quasar (FSRQ) and has a redshift of approximately 0.997.
- 02The observations revealed a gamma-ray emission level of 0.3 Crab Units during a flare in December 2023, significantly brighter than average emissions detected by NASA's Fermi spacecraft.
- 03The Large-Sized Telescope prototype (LST-1) used for observations features a 23-meter diameter mirror and high sensitivity, enabling detection of gamma rays down to 20 GeV.
- 04The study modeled the spectral energy distribution of OP 313 using a two-zone leptonic model, indicating that the gamma-ray emissions are produced through inverse-Compton scattering.
- 05This detection contributes to understanding the behavior of blazars and their emission mechanisms at extreme distances.
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A team of astronomers has successfully observed the distant blazar OP 313, utilizing the Large-Sized Telescope (LST-1) at the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO). This blazar, identified as a flat-spectrum radio quasar (FSRQ) with a redshift of approximately 0.997, is notable for being the most distant quasar detected emitting very high-energy (VHE) gamma rays. During observations, the team recorded significant gamma-ray emissions above 100 GeV, particularly during a flare in December 2023, with brightness levels reaching 0.3 Crab Units. This emission was found to be 50 times brighter than the average levels recorded by NASA's Fermi spacecraft. The research involved modeling the spectral energy distribution of OP 313 within a two-zone leptonic framework, suggesting that the gamma-ray emissions arise from inverse-Compton scattering processes. The findings enhance the understanding of blazar behavior and the mechanisms behind their emissions at extreme distances.
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