Explaining the Origin of TeV Gamma Rays from M87 during High and Low States

Abstract The detection of very-high-energy gamma rays from M87 can provide crucial insights into particle acceleration and radiation mechanisms in jets. The recent observations by the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory detector extend the energy range of TeV gamma-ray astronomy, and also the variability study to the TeV energy domain. We have modeled the low state and flare state multiwavelength spectral energy distributions of M87 within a time-dependent framework. In our model, the low state gamma-ray flux results from the emissions from the subparsec and the kiloparsec scale jets of M87, whereas the flare state gamma-ray flux is mainly produced in the subparsec scale jet. We have shown that the spectral and temporal features of the TeV gamma-ray spectrum of M87 are consistent with this two-zone model, where the contribution from the subparsec scale jet significantly increases during the flare state.