Gamma-Ray Spectral Variation During the February 1996 3C 279 Flare
R.C.Hartman, D.J.Thompson, D.L.Bertsch
P.Sreekumar
R.Mukherjee
Y.-C.Lin
Abstract
Although several instances have been described of apparent
hardening of blazar gamma-ray spectra with increasing flux
(Mukherjee et al. 1996; Sreekumar et al. 1996),
none of these has been statistically compelling. Furthermore, the
blazar which has been most extensively observed, 3C 279, has shown no
such tendency, despite having been well-observed over a wide range of
flux levels.
An examination of one-day spectra of 3C 279 during its large
flare in February 1996 shows the first indication of spectral
hardening in that object.
As with the earlier instances, the significance of the hardening
during the 3C 279 flare is not overwhelming because
of the statistical limitations of the one-day spectra. However,
it does remove a puzzling non-conformance, and thus supports the
general trend which is demonstrated in Sreekumar et al. (in preparation).
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On 16 Jul 1999, 09:19.