An emergence of new polarized emission region in blazar Mrk 421 associated with X-ray flare

TL;DR

This study presents multi-wavelength observations of blazar Mrk 421, revealing a new polarized emission region associated with an X-ray flare, and analyzes the different emission mechanisms during 2010 and 2011.

Contribution

It uncovers the emergence of a new polarized emission region linked to X-ray flares and compares spectral evolution, highlighting different variability mechanisms in 2010 and 2011.

Findings

Significant X-ray flare in 2010 with unique polarization variability.

Different spectral behaviors indicating distinct emission mechanisms.

Emergence of a new polarized emission region associated with X-ray activity.

Abstract

We report on long-term multi-wavelength monitoring of blazar Mrk~421 from 2010 to 2011. The source exhibited extreme X-ray flares in 2010. Our research group performed optical photopolarimetric follow-up observations using the Kanata telescope. In 2010, the variability in the X-ray band was significant, while the optical and ultraviolet (UV) flux decreased gradually. Polarization properties also exhibited unique variability in 2010, suggesting the presence of systematic component of polarization and magnetic field alignment for the emergence of a new polarized emission region. In contrast, in 2011 the variability in the X-ray band was smaller, and the variability in the optical and UV bands was larger, than in 2010. To explore the reasons for these differences, spectral fitting analysis was performed via simple synchrotron-self Compton modelling; the results revealed different behaviors in terms of spectral evolution between these periods, suggesting different variability mechanisms between 2010 and 2011. In 2010, the radiation was likely the result of energy injection into the emitting regions with an aligned magnetic field. In contrast, in 2011 the superposition of different emission regions may have contributed to the low degree of observed polarization. It also implies that high-energy electron which were not accelerated to ultra-relativistic velocities were injected in 2011.