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The GLAST Telescope Network

The GLAST Telescope Network. Involvement for students and teachers in the science of the GLAST mission. What is the GTN?. GLAST Telescope Network (GTN) Collaboration of observatories and observers to obtain observations of AGNs (especially the blazars)

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The GLAST Telescope Network

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  1. The GLAST Telescope Network Involvement for students and teachers in the science of the GLAST mission

  2. What is the GTN? • GLAST Telescope Network (GTN) • Collaboration of observatories and observers to obtain observations of AGNs (especially the blazars) • Professional astronomers, amateur astronomers, students • Establish base line variability and coordinate multi-wavelength campaigns • Provide fundamental scientific data that will support and complement the GLAST mission

  3. The Blazars • The blazars appear to be AGN for which the jets are pointing directly at us. • We are looking directly down the throat of the dragon! • Spectra (SEDs) have bright compton peak in addition to the typical AGN synchrotron peak. • These are the only prominent point sources in the Gamma-ray sky. (Gamma loud) • Beams of particles moving at relativistic speeds produce intense beams of Gamma-rays. • These are the most variable of the AGNs.

  4. AGN Variability? • All AGNs appear to be variable at some level • The emission lines vary in strength • The continuum levels vary in brightness • Variability has been documented over decades, years, months, weeks, days, and even hours • The blazars are the most variable type of AGN

  5. Characteristics of AGN Variability • Periodicity has NOT been convincingly demonstrated! • Slow, longterm irregular changes • Outbursts (flares) and declines • General increase in variability for shorter wavelengths (higher energy photons) • General increase in variability for longer time scales • Apparent increase in variability with luminosity • Apparent increase in variability with redshift

  6. Available observations Longterm (few per year) Intraday (few per week) Microvariability (many per hour) Lightcurve classification Outbursts Declines Outbursts and declines The blazars Most variable of the AGNs Amplitudes to 4 magnitudes or more Can exhibit detectable variations from night-to-night and within a night AGN Variability Data

  7. A Blazar with a Long History of Observation

  8. B2 1308+326 outbursts B2 1215+303 declines

  9. B2 1215+303 outbursts and declines PG 0804+762 non-blazar AGN

  10. Intraday Variability

  11. BL Lac 0.4 mag in 30 minutes Mrk 501 0.1 mag miniflare

  12. The AAVSO has blazar data!

  13. SSUO data for 3C 66A(2001-2002)

  14. http://glast.sonoma.edu/gtn

  15. http://glast.sonoma.edu/gtn Join us and observe some blazars. Contribute to the science programs of the GLAST mission.

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