Examining the synchrotron self-Compton model for blazars

1 January 1993

proceedings article
Published by AIP Publishing in AIP Conference Proceedings

Vol. 280 (1) , 578
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.44288

Abstract

We examine the synchrotron self‐Compton (SSC) process as the primary γ‐ray emission mechanism in blazars. Contrary to recent published criticisms, we find that the SSC model conforms with γ‐ray observations of blazars. In a follow‐up of a previous paper, we demonstrate through numerical calculations how the shape and level of the high energy spectrum changes with certain crucial parameters of blazars, such as F_νx/F_νs, optically thin synchrotron spectral index, and the maximum and minimum relativistic electron energies. The hard γ‐ray log νF_ν vs. ν spectrum tends to be flat, corresponding to an energy index α_γ∼1, as observed. The TeV γ‐ray flux from Mkn 421 is consistent with first order scattering. We discuss future observations that can test the SSC model.

Keywords

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