We propose to observe the flaring eponymous blazar, BL Lac, which has reached a 30-year historical maximum at radio frequencies. Our goal is to use sim 28 daily Herschel observations with PACS and SPIRE (8.8 hrs including time constraint) in combination with near-infrared and optical data to pin down the physical cause of flares as either magnetic field line reconnection or turbulence within shocks. We do this by comparing the spectral index of the far-infrared bands to that of the near-infrared-optical bands to determine the location and magnitude of the spectral break as the flare evolves. In addition, we will derive the physical conditions in the jet by modelling the SEDs as the flare decays. We will compare the
Publication
Erratic Flaring of BL Lac in 2012-2013: Multiwavelength Observations . Wehrle Ann E. et al. . The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 816, Issue 2, article id. 53, 26 pp. (2016). . 816 . 10.3847\/0004-637X\/816\/2\/53 . 2016ApJ...816...53W ,
Instrument
PACS_PacsPhoto_largeScan, SPIRE_SpirePhoto_small
Temporal Coverage
2012-10-29T15:33:36Z/2012-11-20T20:54:50Z
Version
SPG v14.2.0
Mission Description
Herschel was launched on 14 May 2009! It is the fourth 'cornerstone' mission in the ESA science programme. With a 3.5 m Cassegrain telescope it is the largest space telescope ever launched. It is performing photometry and spectroscopy in approximately the 55-671 µm range, bridging the gap between earlier infrared space missions and groundbased facilities.
