Gamma-ray luminosity function of gamma-ray bright AGNs

Debbijoy Bhattacharya, P. Sreekumar, R. Mukherjee

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Detection of γ-ray emissions from a class of active galactic nuclei (viz blazars), has been one of the important findings from the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (CGRO). However, their γ-ray luminosity function has not been well determined. Few attempts have been made in earlier works, where BL Lacs and Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars (FSRQs) have been considered as a single source class. In this paper, we investigated the evolution and γ-ray luminosity function of FSRQs and BL Lacs separately. Our investigation indicates no evolution for BL Lacs, however FSRQs show significant evolution. Pure luminosity evolution is assumed for FSRQs and exponential and power law evolution models are examined. Due to the small number of sources, the low luminosity end index of the luminosity function for FSRQs is constrained with an upper limit. BL Lac luminosity function shows no signature of break. As a consistency check, the model source distributions derived from these luminosity functions show no significant departure from the observed source distributions.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)85-94
Number of pages10
JournalResearch in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Volume9
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2009

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Space and Planetary Science
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics

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