Quasi-simultaneous observations of the BL Lac object MK 501 in X-ray, UV, visible, IR and radio frequencies

Author:: Matthews, K.
Published:: Jul 1, 1980.
Physical Description:: 1 electronic document
Additional Creators:: Oke, J. B., Mushotzky, R. F., Worrall, D. M., Feldman, P. A., Neugebauer, G., Kondo, D. M., Hackney, K. H., Yee, H., and Hackney, R. L.

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Summary:

Quasi-simultaneous observations of the BL Lacertae (Lac) objects MK 501 were performed for the first time at X-ray, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, and radio frequencies. The observed spectral slope from the X-ray to UV regions is positive and continuous, but that from the mid UV to visible light region becomes gradually flat and possibly turns down toward lower frequencies; the optical radio emission can not be accounted for by a single power law. Several theoretical models were considered for the emission mechanism. A quantitative comparison was performed with the synchrotron-self-Compton model; the total spectrum is found consistent with this model. The spectrum from visible light to X-ray is consistent with synchrotron radiation or with inverse-Compton scattering by a hot thermal cloud of electrons. The continuity of the spectral slope from X-ray to UV implied by the current data suggests that the previous estimates of the total luminosity of this BL Lac object is underestimated by a factor of about three or four.

Other Subject(s):

ASTRONOMY

Collection:

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) Collection.

Note:

Document ID: 19800022780.
Accession ID: 80N31285.
NASA-TM-81985.

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