Broadband Observations of the Gamma-ray Emitting Narrow Line Seyfert 1 Galaxy SBS 0846+513

TL;DR

This study presents multi-wavelength observations of the gamma-ray emitting NLSy1 galaxy SBS 0846+513, revealing blazar-like jet activity, spectral features, and variability, suggesting similarities to FSRQs and blazars.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive broadband analysis of SBS 0846+513, demonstrating its blazar-like properties and jet activity through multi-band variability and spectral modeling.

Findings

Detection of multiple gamma-ray flares and spectral curvature.

Optical variability correlated with gamma-ray activity.

SED modeling indicates a blazar-like emission mechanism.

Abstract

We present the results of our broadband study of the $\gamma$-ray emitting narrow line Seyfert 1 (NLSy1) galaxy SBS 0846+513 ($z=0.585$). This includes multi-band flux variations, $\gamma$-ray spectral analysis, broad band spectral energy distribution (SED) modeling, and intranight optical variability (INOV) observations carried over 6 nights between 2012 November and 2013 March using the 2 m Himalayan Chandra Telescope and the 1.3 m telescope at Devasthal. Multiple episodes of flaring activity are seen in the $\gamma$-ray light curve of the source which are also reflected in the observations at lower frequencies. A statistically significant curvature is noticed in the seven years averaged $\gamma$-ray spectrum, thus indicating its similarity with powerful flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs). Modeling the SEDs with a one zone leptonic emission model hints the optical-UV spectrum to be dominated by synchrotron radiation, whereas, inverse Compton scattering of broad line region photons reproduces the $\gamma$-ray part of the SEDs. The source was found to be variable on all the six nights of optical observations with a variation of $\sim$0.3 magnitude within a single night, coinciding with a high $\gamma$-ray activity state. The observed large amplitude INOV clearly indicates the presence of a closely aligned beamed relativistic jet in SBS 0846+513. Our broadband study supports the recent claims in literature that $\gamma$-ray emitting NLSy1 galaxies are similar to blazars and constitute the low black hole mass counterparts to FSRQs.