Properties and Possible Physical Origins of <i>γ</i> -Ray Emission in Extreme Synchrotron Blazars

Abstract Extreme synchrotron blazars, characterized by a first peak in their broadband spectral energy distributions (SEDs) at frequencies exceeding 10 17 Hz, often exhibit a second peak beyond 1 TeV. These sources serve as ideal laboratories for studying particle acceleration and radiation mechanisms in relativistic jets. In this work, we systematically analyze the ∼16 yr Fermi-LAT observational data for 25 extreme high-synchrotron-peaked BL Lacertae (EHBL) objects. The results indicate that the majority of these sources display stable or low flux levels in the GeV band, with only six sources showing significant variability at a confidence level exceeding 5 σ . The time-averaged spectra over the 16 yr period for most EHBLs are well described by a hard power-law model, with photon indices predominantly clustered between 1.7 and 1.8. Using Fermi-LAT data in conjunction with multiwavelength observations compiled from the literature, we construct broadband SEDs for these EHBLs and fit them with a one-zone synchrotron and synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) model. We find that this simplified theoretical framework is sufficient for modeling the observed SEDs of most of these EHBLs, albeit requiring relatively higher electron energies compared to other γ -ray emitting HBLs, and at times under-representing the UV emission. Based on the SED fitting results, we investigate the physical properties of the emission regions in these EHBLs and compare them with those of other γ -ray emitting HBLs. Consistent with other GeV–TeV γ -ray-emitting BL Lacertae objects, the jets in these EHBLs are marked by low radiation efficiency and low magnetization.

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Publication Details

Journal
The Astrophysical Journal
Published
2026-02-24
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ae3d06
Primary Topic
Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Properties and Possible Physical Origins of γ -Ray Emission in Extreme Synchrotron Blazars

Ze-Rui Wang, Jia-Xuan Li, Jin Zhang, Hai-Ming Zhang et al.
The Astrophysical Journal
Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
article

Properties and Possible Physical Origins of γ -Ray Emission in Extreme Synchrotron Blazars

Ze-Rui Wang, Jia-Xuan Li, Jin Zhang, Hai-Ming Zhang, Rui-Qi Huang, Ji-Shun Lian
article en

Abstract

Abstract Extreme synchrotron blazars, characterized by a first peak in their broadband spectral energy distributions (SEDs) at frequencies exceeding 10 17 Hz, often exhibit a second peak beyond 1 TeV. These sources serve as ideal laboratories for studying particle acceleration and radiation mechanisms in relativistic jets. In this work, we systematically analyze the ∼16 yr Fermi-LAT observational data for 25 extreme high-synchrotron-peaked BL Lacertae (EHBL) objects. The results indicate that the majority of these sources display stable or low flux levels in the GeV band, with only six sources showing significant variability at a confidence level exceeding 5 σ . The time-averaged spectra over the 16 yr period for most EHBLs are well described by a hard power-law model, with photon indices predominantly clustered between 1.7 and 1.8. Using Fermi-LAT data in conjunction with multiwavelength observations compiled from the literature, we construct broadband SEDs for these EHBLs and fit them with a one-zone synchrotron and synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) model. We find that this simplified theoretical framework is sufficient for modeling the observed SEDs of most of these EHBLs, albeit requiring relatively higher electron energies compared to other γ -ray emitting HBLs, and at times under-representing the UV emission. Based on the SED fitting results, we investigate the physical properties of the emission regions in these EHBLs and compare them with those of other γ -ray emitting HBLs. Consistent with other GeV–TeV γ -ray-emitting BL Lacertae objects, the jets in these EHBLs are marked by low radiation efficiency and low magnetization.

The Astrophysical JournalVol. 999(1)
Beijing Institute of Technology (CN), Guangxi University (CN), Qilu Normal University (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Affordable and clean energy
Openalex Percentile: Top 43%
Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
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