Multi-frequency, multi-messenger astrophysics with Swift. The case of blazars

TL;DR

This paper reviews Swift's extensive blazar observations over a decade, highlighting its contributions to multi-frequency and multi-messenger astrophysics, and presents preliminary results from systematic X-ray spectral analysis with publicly available data products.

Contribution

It introduces a large-scale systematic analysis of Swift blazar data, providing publicly accessible spectral data and innovative visualization tools to advance multi-messenger astrophysics.

Findings

Over 12,000 observations of ~1,600 blazars conducted

Development of publicly available spectral data products

Implementation of new visualization methods for data analysis

Abstract

During its first 10 years of orbital operations Swift dedicated approximately 11% of its observing time to blazars, carrying out more than 12,000 observations of ~1,600 different objects, for a total exposure time of over 25 million seconds. In this paper I briefly discuss the impact that Swift is having on blazar multi-frequency and time-domain astrophysics, as well as how it is contributing to the opening of the era of multi-messenger astronomy. Finally, I present some preliminary results from a systematic analysis of a very large number of Swift XRT observations of blazars. All the "science ready" data products that are being generated by this project will be publicly released. Specifically, deconvolved X-ray spectra and best fit spectral parameters will be available through the ASDC "SED builder" tool (https://tools.asdc.asi.it/SED) and by means of interactive tables (http://www.asdc.asi.it/xrtspectra). Innovative data visualisation methods (see e.g. http://youtu.be/nAZYcXcUGW8) are also being developed at ASDC to better exploit this remarkable and rapidly growing data set.