Time-dependent leptohadronic modeling of Markarian 421

Abstract Due to its proximity, Markarian 421 is one of the most extensively studied jetted active galactic nuclei. Its spectral energy distribution and light curve are widely studied, serving as primary means for understanding jet radiation mechanisms. Numerous intriguing observational results have...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rui Xue, Ze-Rui Wang, Hai-Bin Hu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-07-01
Series:European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14468-4
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849234562442330112
author Rui Xue
Ze-Rui Wang
Hai-Bin Hu
author_facet Rui Xue
Ze-Rui Wang
Hai-Bin Hu
author_sort Rui Xue
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Due to its proximity, Markarian 421 is one of the most extensively studied jetted active galactic nuclei. Its spectral energy distribution and light curve are widely studied, serving as primary means for understanding jet radiation mechanisms. Numerous intriguing observational results have been discovered, some of which, such as the hard X-ray excess, and the associated variability between X-ray and very-high-energy (VHE) emissions, challenge the commonly adopted one-zone leptonic model. In this work, by establishing a time-dependent leptohadronic model, we explore whether the hard X-ray excess and the associated variability between X-ray and VHE emissions could be interpreted by emission from hadronic interactions. Our modeling finds that for the hard X-ray excess found in 2013, both of the secondary emissions from photohadronic and hadronuclear interactions could be a possible explanation for the hard X-ray excess without introducing a super-Eddington jet power. The emission from the photohadronic interactions contributes only to the hard X-ray band, while the hadronuclear interactions also predict VHE emissions associated with the hard X-rays. While for the hard X-ray excess found in 2016, only the secondary emissions from photohadronic interactions provide an interpretation at the cost of introducing a super-Eddington jet power. For the associated variability between X-ray and VHE emissions in 2017, we find that hadronic interactions fail to provide a possible interpretation.
format Article
id doaj-art-c29d45ab9d1541c0ae9bc4f0e14399d0
institution Kabale University
issn 1434-6052
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher SpringerOpen
record_format Article
series European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields
spelling doaj-art-c29d45ab9d1541c0ae9bc4f0e14399d02025-08-20T04:03:06ZengSpringerOpenEuropean Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields1434-60522025-07-0185712310.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14468-4Time-dependent leptohadronic modeling of Markarian 421Rui Xue0Ze-Rui Wang1Hai-Bin Hu2Department of Physics, Zhejiang Normal UniversityCollege of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Qilu Normal UniversityDepartment of Physics, Zhejiang Normal UniversityAbstract Due to its proximity, Markarian 421 is one of the most extensively studied jetted active galactic nuclei. Its spectral energy distribution and light curve are widely studied, serving as primary means for understanding jet radiation mechanisms. Numerous intriguing observational results have been discovered, some of which, such as the hard X-ray excess, and the associated variability between X-ray and very-high-energy (VHE) emissions, challenge the commonly adopted one-zone leptonic model. In this work, by establishing a time-dependent leptohadronic model, we explore whether the hard X-ray excess and the associated variability between X-ray and VHE emissions could be interpreted by emission from hadronic interactions. Our modeling finds that for the hard X-ray excess found in 2013, both of the secondary emissions from photohadronic and hadronuclear interactions could be a possible explanation for the hard X-ray excess without introducing a super-Eddington jet power. The emission from the photohadronic interactions contributes only to the hard X-ray band, while the hadronuclear interactions also predict VHE emissions associated with the hard X-rays. While for the hard X-ray excess found in 2016, only the secondary emissions from photohadronic interactions provide an interpretation at the cost of introducing a super-Eddington jet power. For the associated variability between X-ray and VHE emissions in 2017, we find that hadronic interactions fail to provide a possible interpretation.https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14468-4
spellingShingle Rui Xue
Ze-Rui Wang
Hai-Bin Hu
Time-dependent leptohadronic modeling of Markarian 421
European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields
title Time-dependent leptohadronic modeling of Markarian 421
title_full Time-dependent leptohadronic modeling of Markarian 421
title_fullStr Time-dependent leptohadronic modeling of Markarian 421
title_full_unstemmed Time-dependent leptohadronic modeling of Markarian 421
title_short Time-dependent leptohadronic modeling of Markarian 421
title_sort time dependent leptohadronic modeling of markarian 421
url https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14468-4
work_keys_str_mv AT ruixue timedependentleptohadronicmodelingofmarkarian421
AT zeruiwang timedependentleptohadronicmodelingofmarkarian421
AT haibinhu timedependentleptohadronicmodelingofmarkarian421