Temporal analysis of an unprecedented data set for the $\gamma$-ray blazar 1ES 1215+303: Fermi-LAT and VERITAS light curves spanning ten years

TL;DR

This study provides the longest gamma-ray temporal analysis of blazar 1ES 1215+303, revealing flux variability, flaring episodes, and spectral characteristics over a decade using Fermi-LAT and VERITAS data.

Contribution

It offers the first detailed 10-year gamma-ray light curve analysis of 1ES 1215+303, highlighting flux trends and spectral connections at high energies.

Findings

Detected multiple flaring episodes.

Observed an overall increasing flux trend.

Spectral analysis shows a log parabola shape.

Abstract

We present here the results of the analysis of the $\gamma$-ray blazar, 1ES 1215+303, over a 10-year period, from 2008 to 2017, measured at high energies (HE; 200 MeV $< E <$ 100 GeV) by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) and at very high energies (VHE; $E >$ 100 GeV) by Fermi-LAT and VERITAS. This is the longest temporal study of this high-frequency-peaked BL Lac object (HBL) at $\gamma$-ray energies to date. The spectrum follows a log parabola over this time period, and its HE and VHE spectra are well-connected. Its flux is sufficiently strong at HE to allow us to bin the Fermi-LAT data in 3-day intervals, enabling us to investigate the temporal evolution of the flux in unprecedented detail. Several flaring episodes were detected and evidence for an overall trend of increasing flux over the span of the 10 years was observed. These light curves, in addition to the spectra, are presented. This unique data set will help us to advance our understanding of the underlying physical processes in blazar jets.