The multi-frequency multi-temporal sky

TL;DR

This paper discusses the advancements in multi-frequency, multi-epoch astronomy enabled by data centers and the Virtual Observatory, highlighting new tools for analyzing variable cosmic sources like blazars across the electromagnetic spectrum.

Contribution

It introduces new methods for combining and analyzing multi-frequency, multi-epoch data, demonstrating their application to blazars and exploring future discovery potential.

Findings

Enhanced visualization of observational data across frequencies

Improved understanding of blazar variability

Potential for new discoveries in cosmic source physics

Abstract

Contemporary astronomy benefits of very large and rapidly growing amounts of data in all bands of the electromagnetic spectrum, from long-wavelength radio waves to high energy gamma-rays. Astronomers normally specialize in data taken in one particular energy window, however the advent of data centers world-wide and of the Virtual Observatory, which provide simple and open access to quality data in all energy bands taken at different epochs, is making multi-frequency and multi-epoch astronomy much more affordable than in the past. New tools designed to combine and analyze these data sets are being developed with the aim of visualizing observational results and extracting information about the physical processes powering cosmic sources in ways that were not possible before. In this contribution blazars, a type of cosmic sources that emit highly variable radiation at all frequencies, are used as an example to describe the possibilities of this type of astronomy today, and the discovery potential for the near future.