Disentangling two spectral components in the X-ray emission of the blazar 1ES 0229+200

X-ray observations are essential to achieve a deeper understanding of the broadband emission mechanism in blazars. Here, we present a long-term spectral and temporal analysis of X-ray and optical observations of 1ES 0229+200 collected with the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory from 2008 to 2024, complemented by hard X-ray observations from the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array ( NuSTAR ). The blazar 1ES 0229+200 is a high-frequency, peaked BL Lac object, known for its exceptionally hard very high-energy (VHE) γ -ray spectrum extending up to 10 TeV. In August 2021, NuSTAR observed the source in a low X-ray state, revealing a concave spectral shape with a distinct upturn around 25 keV. This feature contrasts with previous observations performed with NuSTAR and Swift -BAT, which showed no such spectral upturn. Previous observations of 1ES 0229+200 and broadband SED (spectral energy distribution) modelling suggest that its X-ray emission extends beyond 100 keV without a significant cutoff. The newly detected spectral upturn may indicate a transition between the synchrotron and inverse Compton components or could be linked to photohadronic processes involving high-energy neutrinos. We discuss the implications of this finding in the context of blazar spectral energy distributions, particularly the potential existence of a third SED bump in the kiloelectronvolt to megaelectronvolt range. The observed spectral features support the hypothesis that 1ES 0229+200 could be a source of high-energy neutrino emission.

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Publication Details

Journal
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Published
2025-10-12
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202555323
Primary Topic
Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Disentangling two spectral components in the X-ray emission of the blazar 1ES 0229+200

A. Wierzcholska, Hubert Siejkowski
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
article

Disentangling two spectral components in the X-ray emission of the blazar 1ES 0229+200

A. Wierzcholska, Hubert Siejkowski
article en

Abstract

X-ray observations are essential to achieve a deeper understanding of the broadband emission mechanism in blazars. Here, we present a long-term spectral and temporal analysis of X-ray and optical observations of 1ES 0229+200 collected with the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory from 2008 to 2024, complemented by hard X-ray observations from the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array ( NuSTAR ). The blazar 1ES 0229+200 is a high-frequency, peaked BL Lac object, known for its exceptionally hard very high-energy (VHE) γ -ray spectrum extending up to 10 TeV. In August 2021, NuSTAR observed the source in a low X-ray state, revealing a concave spectral shape with a distinct upturn around 25 keV. This feature contrasts with previous observations performed with NuSTAR and Swift -BAT, which showed no such spectral upturn. Previous observations of 1ES 0229+200 and broadband SED (spectral energy distribution) modelling suggest that its X-ray emission extends beyond 100 keV without a significant cutoff. The newly detected spectral upturn may indicate a transition between the synchrotron and inverse Compton components or could be linked to photohadronic processes involving high-energy neutrinos. We discuss the implications of this finding in the context of blazar spectral energy distributions, particularly the potential existence of a third SED bump in the kiloelectronvolt to megaelectronvolt range. The observed spectral features support the hypothesis that 1ES 0229+200 could be a source of high-energy neutrino emission.

Astronomy and AstrophysicsVol. 703
Heidelberg University (DE), Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences (PL), Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg (DE), AGH University of Krakow (PL)
Openalex Percentile: Top 85%
Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
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