Magnetic Field Strengths of the Synchrotron Self-Absorption Region in the Jet of CTA 102 During Radio Flares

TL;DR

This study investigates the magnetic field strengths in the synchrotron self-absorption region of CTA 102's jet during radio flares, revealing particle acceleration as a key process behind flare origins.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed measurements of SSA magnetic fields in CTA 102's jet during flares and compares them with equipartition fields to understand energy dominance.

Findings

SSA magnetic fields range from 9.20 mG to 50.97 mG during flares.

Equipartition magnetic fields are larger, indicating particle energy dominance.

Flares are linked to particle acceleration mechanisms.

Abstract

CTA 102 is a blazar implying that its relativistic jet points towards Earth and emits synchrotron radiation produced by energetic particles gyrating in the magnetic field. This study aims to figure out the physical origins of radio flares in the jet, including the connection between the magnetic field and the radio flares. The dataset in the range 2.6-343.5 GHz was collected over a period of 5.5 years (2012 November 20-2018 September 23). During the data collection period, seven flares at 15 GHz with a range of the variability time-scale of roughly 26-171 days were detected. The quasi-simultaneous radio data were used to investigate the synchrotron spectrum of the source. We found that the synchrotron radiation is self-absorbed. The turnover frequency and the peak flux density of the synchrotron self-absorption (SSA) spectra are in the ranges of 42-167 GHz and 0.9-10.2 Jy, respectively. From the SSA spectra, we derived the SSA magnetic field strengths to be 9.20 mG, 12.28 mG, and 50.97 mG on 2013 December 24, 2014 February 28, and 2018 January 13, respectively. We also derived the equipartition magnetic field strengths to be in the range 24-109 mG. The equipartition magnetic field strengths are larger than the SSA magnetic field strengths in most cases, which indicates that particle energy mainly dominates in the jet. Our results suggest that the flares in the jet of CTA 102 originated due to particle acceleration. We propose the possible mechanisms of particle acceleration.