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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
The unprecedented optical outburst of the quasar 3C 454.3 the WEBT campaign of 2004-2005
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 453, No. 3, Year 2006
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Description
Context. The radio quasar 3C 454.3 underwent an exceptional optical outburst lasting more than 1 year and culminating in spring 2005. The maximum brightness detected was R = 12.0, which represents the most luminous quasar state thus far observed (MB ∼ -31.4). Aims. In order to follow the emission behaviour of the source in detail, a large multiwavelength campaign was organized by the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT). Methods. Continuous optical, near-IR and radio monitoring was performed in several bands. ToO pointings by the Chandra and INTEGRAL satellites provided additional information at high energies in May 2005. Results. The historical radio and optical light curves show different behaviours. Until about 2001.0 only moderate variability was present in the optical regime, while prominent and long-lasting radio outbursts were visible at the various radio frequencies, with higher-frequency variations preceding the lower-frequency ones. After that date, the optical activity increased and the radio flux is less variable. This suggests that the optical and radio emissions come from two separate and misaligned jet regions, with the inner optical one acquiring a smaller viewing angle during the 2004-2005 outburst. Moreover, the colour-index behaviour (generally redder-when-brighter) during the outburst suggests the presence of a luminous accretion disc. A huge mm outburst followed the optical one, peaking in June-July 2005. The high-frequency (37-43 GHz) radio flux started to increase in early 2005 and reached a maximum at the end of our observing period (end of September 2005). VLBA observations at 43 GHz during the summer confirm the brightening of the radio core and show an increasing polarization. An exceptionally bright X-ray state was detected in May 2005, corresponding to the rising mm flux and suggesting an inverse-Compton nature of the hard X-ray spectrum. Conclusions. A further multifrequency monitoring effort is needed to follow the next phases of this unprecedented event. © ESO 2006.
Authors & Co-Authors
Villata, Massimo
Italy, Rome
Istituto Nazionale Di Astrofisica, Rome
Raiteri, Claudia M.
Italy, Rome
Istituto Nazionale Di Astrofisica, Rome
Balonek, Thomas J.
United States, Hamilton
Colgate University
Aller, M. F.
United States, Ann Arbor
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Jorstad, Svetlana G.
United States, Boston
Boston University
Kurtanidze, Omar M.
Georgia, Abastumani
Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory
Germany, Potsdam
Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam
Germany, Heidelberg
Landessternwarte Heidelberg
Nilsson, Kari
Finland, Kaarina
Tuorlan Observatorio
Aller, Hugh D.
United States, Ann Arbor
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Arai, Akira
Japan, Kashiwara
Osaka Kyoiku University
Arkharov, Arkady A.H.
Russian Federation, Moscow
Russian Academy of Sciences
Bach, Uwe
Italy, Rome
Istituto Nazionale Di Astrofisica, Rome
Benítez, E.
Mexico, Mexico
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Berdyugin, Andrei V.
Finland, Kaarina
Tuorlan Observatorio
Buemi, Carla S.
Italy, Rome
Istituto Nazionale Di Astrofisica, Rome
Boettcher, M.
United States, Athens
Ohio University
Carosati, Daniele
Italy
Armenzano Astronomical Observatory
Casas, Ricard
Unknown Affiliation
Caulet, Adeline
Mexico, Mexico
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Chen, Wenping
Taiwan, Taoyuan
National Central University
Ciprini, Stefano
Finland, Kaarina
Tuorlan Observatorio
Italy, Perugia
Università Degli Studi Di Perugia
Coloma, Josep M.
Unknown Affiliation
Efimova, Natalia V.
Russian Federation, Moscow
Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg State University
Frasca, Antonio
Italy, Rome
Istituto Nazionale Di Astrofisica, Rome
Fuhrmann, Lars
Italy, Rome
Istituto Nazionale Di Astrofisica, Rome
Italy, Perugia
Università Degli Studi Di Perugia
Heidt, Jochen
Germany, Heidelberg
Landessternwarte Heidelberg
Hernández Toledo, Hector M.
Mexico, Mexico
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Hroch, Filip
Czech Republic, Brno
Masaryk University
Hudec, Renè
Czech Republic, Prague
Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
Imada, Akira
Japan, Kyoto
Kyoto University
Kato, Taichi
Japan, Kyoto
Kyoto University
Grishina, Tatiana S.
Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg State University
Kopatskaya, Evgenia N.
Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg State University
Kovalev, Y. Y.
United States, Charlottesville
National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Russian Federation, Moscow
P.n. Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Kovalev, Yu A.
Russian Federation, Moscow
P.n. Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Krichbaum, Thomas P.
Germany, Bonn
Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy
Kubota, Kaori
Japan, Kyoto
Kyoto University
Lanteri, Luciano
Italy, Rome
Istituto Nazionale Di Astrofisica, Rome
Larionov, Valeri M.
Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg State University
Larionova, Liudmilla V.
Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg State University
Laurikainen, Eija
Finland, Oulu
Oulun Yliopisto
Lee, Chung-uk
South Korea, Daejeon
Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute
Leto, Paolo
Italy, Rome
Istituto Nazionale Di Astrofisica, Rome
L¨ahteenm¨aki, Anne A.
Finland, Espoo
Aalto University
Marscher, Alan P.
United States, Boston
Boston University
Mondal, Soumen
Taiwan, Taoyuan
National Central University
Nikolashvili, M. G.
Georgia, Abastumani
Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory
Ohlert, Johannes M.
Germany
Michael Adrian Observatory
Pursimo, Tapio
Spain, Brena Baja
Nordic Optical Telescope
Ros, J. A.
Unknown Affiliation
Sadakane, Kozo
Japan, Kashiwara
Osaka Kyoiku University
Sadun, Alberto C.
United States, Denver
University of Colorado Denver
Savolainen, Tuomas K.
Finland, Kaarina
Tuorlan Observatorio
Sigua, Lorand A.
Georgia, Abastumani
Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory
Sillanp̈äa, Aimo K.
Finland, Kaarina
Tuorlan Observatorio
Takalo, Leo O.
Finland, Kaarina
Tuorlan Observatorio
Teräsranta, Harri T.
Finland, Espoo
Aalto University
Tornikoski, Merja
Finland, Espoo
Aalto University
Trigilio, Corrado
Italy, Rome
Istituto Nazionale Di Astrofisica, Rome
Umana, Grazia
Italy, Rome
Istituto Nazionale Di Astrofisica, Rome
Volvach, A. E.
Ukraine, Bakhchysarai
Crimean Astrophysical Observatory Ras
Statistics
Citations: 153
Authors: 60
Affiliations: 34
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1051/0004-6361:20064817
ISSN:
14320746
Research Areas
Environmental