Blazars are a type of Active Galaxy that emit strong astrophysical jets. The association of a HE gamma-ray flare from the blazar TXS 0506+056 to the IceCube-170922A neutrino event in 2017, opened the possibility to a link between these two events. In this thesis, we will look at the HE gamma-ray behavior of TXS 0506+056 using data obtained from the Fermi-LAT by taking into account the other set of neutrino events associated with this source from 2014-2015. We will investigate whether both neutrino events present with comparable HE gamma-ray behavior by analyzing the lightcurves and the spectra for a quiet state, the 2014-2015 period, and the flare centered around the neutrino event from 2017. The results of the analysis performed in this thesis show no strong indication of a change in the gamma-ray behaviour in these potential neutrino detections.

The origin of Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs) is still an open question in Astrophysics. The scope of this thesis is the study of the termination shocks in the jets of radiogalaxies 3C 105, 3C 227, and 3C 445 as cosmic rays accelerators. We assume the diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) and that the maximum energy is determined by the escape of cosmic rays downstream of the shock due to the magnetization. We find maximum achievable energy of non-thermal electrons and protons, which appeared to be only~TeV. Therefore the reverse shocks of AGNs' jets are not the sources of UHECRs. We also implement the model, where the scattering centers for the DSA emerge from the non- resonant hybrid instabilities in plasma. We take into account the results from the numerical simulations and observations that indicate the amplification of the magnetic field by orders of magnitude, and we obtain results that qualitatively fit the simulation outcome.

No description available.

No description available.

Die bodengebundene Gammaastronomie beschäftigt sich mit der Detektion von Photonen mit Energien >10GeV mittels der abbildenden Cherenkov-Technik. Dabei wird die Atmosphäre als Detektor verwendet: Photonen in diesem Energiebereich produzieren in ihr Teilchenschauer, die Cherenkov-Licht aussenden. Das Licht wird von Teleskopen gesammelt um Abbildungen der Schauer zu erhalten, aus denen Eigenschaften der Gammaquanten abgeleitet werden können. Da die Schauer statistischen Prozessen unterliegen, ist die Rekonstruktion der Richtung des Gammaquants durch Fluktuationen begrenzt. Die Qualität der Rekonstruktion hängt von der Energie des Quants, Beobachtungsbedingungen, Teleskop-Eigenschaften und der Rekonstruktionsmethode ab. Die Präzision der Richtungsrekonstruktion einzelner Gammaquanten wird als Winkelauflösung bezeichnet. Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Winkelauflösung der vier Teleskope von HESS, die für bodengebundene Gammaastronomie im Energiebereich >100GeV verwendet werden. Es werden systematische Fehler der Winkelauflösungsfunktion und ihre Abhängigkeiten von Beobachtungsparametern mit Beobachtungsdaten und Simulationen abgeschätzt. Abweichungen der simulierten Auflösung von der mit HESS an Hand von Punktquellen gemessenen werden in dieser Arbeit identifiziert und quantifiziert, um mit einer korrigierten Funktion zwei Phänomene zu studieren: Erstens wird die Ausdehnung des Krebsnebels im TeV-Bereich untersucht, für die Werte bis ca. 0.03º vorausgesagt werden. Es werden die Beobachtungen des Nebels selektiert, die eine gute Auflösung und Kontrolle des systematischen Fehlers versprechen. Auf einem Konfidenzniveau von 95% wird die Obergrenze der Ausdehnung des Nebels damit zu 0.034º bestimmt. Zweitens wird nach ausgedehnter Emission um Aktive Galaxienkerne (AGN) gesucht. Verschiedene Modell-Vorhersagen werden mit den HESS-Daten dreier AGN verglichen - die so erzielten Obergrenzen auf den Fluss sind die niedrigsten bisher veröffentlichten im TeV-Bereich. / Very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray astronomy deals with the ground-based detection of photons with energies of tens of GeV to few 100 TeV by employing the Imaging Air Cherenkov Technique (IACT). This method uses the atmosphere as a detector for VHE gamma-rays, exploiting that photons in that energy range produce particle showers in it. The showers emit Cherenkov light, which is collected by telescopes to image single showers. Properties of the gamma-rays can be deduced from the shower images. However, the interactions in the atmosphere are statistical processes, imposing a limit on the direction reconstruction. The quality of the reconstruction depends on the energy of the primary particle, telescope properties, observational conditions and reconstruction algorithm. The precision of the direction reconstruction of single photons is called the angular resolution. In this work, the angular resolution function of the IACT experiment HESS is studied in detail. HESS consists of five telescopes, four of which were built for the energy range >100 GeV. For this sub-array, the systematic errors on the angular resolution and their dependence on observation parameters are estimated from known point sources in HESS data and Monte-Carlo simulations. A mismatch between HESS data and simulations is quantified and corrected to assess two phenomena: First, the size of the the Crab Nebula at VHE is investigated. Some models predict a size of the emission region of more than 0.03º. Including a detailed accounting of the systematic errors, an upper limit on the size of emission region of the nebula is given by 0.034º at a 95% confidence level. Second, extended emission around Active Galactiv Nuclei is searched for. Various models are probed with HESS data and the most constraining upper limits on the so-called pair halo scenario are found. Assuming a different model, extra-galactic magnetic field strengths in the range of (0.1 - 10)* 10^{-15} G are excluded at a 99% confidence level.

VERITAS, ein abbildendes atmosphärisches Cherenkov-Teleskopsystem der dritten Generation, erlaubt es Spektren von hochenergetischer (E > 100 GeV) Gammastrahlung mit grosser Präzision zu messen. Anhand dieser Energiespektren können Rückschlüsse über die Beschleunigungsmechanismen in der Gammastrahlungsquelle gezogen werden. Spektrale cut-offs können durch eine maximale, verfügbare Energie in der Quelle zu Stande kommen. In dieser Arbeit wurden 108 Stunden VERITAS-Daten des Blazars Markarian 421 mit Hilfe eines neu implementierten Forward Folding Algorithmus analysiert. Durch Forward Folding kann die komplette instrumentelle Antwortfunktion, einschliesslich Energieauflösung und -bias, in der Energierekonstruktion berücksichtigt werden. Diese Methode erlaubt es insbesondere spektrale Merkmale, wie etwa einen exponentiellen Cut-off, mit hinreichender Signifikanz zu beobachten. Zudem können die spektralen Parameter mit grosser Genauigkeit bestimmt werden. Eine Abhängikgeit des spektralen Index von der Flussstärke von Markarian 421 konnte mit einer Signifikanz von > 3 Sigma nachgewiesen werden. Diese wurde als eine Verschiebung des Maximums der Emission, die auf dem Inversen Comptoneffekt basiert, zu höheren Energien interpretiert. Neben der Anwendung des Forward Folding auf Daten von Markarian 421, wurde das allgemeine Potential dieser Methode zur Detektion exponentieller Cut-offs mit VERITAS und CTA, dem TeV Gammastrahlenobservatorium der nächsten Generation, untersucht. Diese Studien zeigen den Einfluss der Energieauflösung auf und quantifizieren die Sensitivität auf Cut-offs bei verschiedenen Energien. / VERITAS, an array of four imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes, is capable of measuring spectra of very-high-energy (E > 100 GeV) gamma-rays with high precision. On the basis of these spectra, conclusions can be drawn about the acceleration mechanisms in gamma-ray sources. For instance, spectral cut-offs can indicate that there is a maximal energy available in the source. In this work, 108 h of VERITAS data on the blazar Markarian 421 have been analysed by means of an implementation of a Forward Folding algorithm. By Forward Folding the complete instrument response function, factors including energy resolution and bias can be taken into account in the energy reconstruction. In particular, this method facilitates significant detections of spectral features, such as an exponential cut-off, and additionally, the spectral parameters can be determined with great accuracy. A dependence of the spectral index on the flux level of Markarian 421 could be detected with a significance of > 3 Sigma. This dependence was interpreted as a shift of the peak energy of Inverse Compton emission to higher energies. Besides the application of Forward Folding to data of Markarian 421, the potential to detect exponential cut-offs with VERITAS and CTA, the next generation ground based gamma-ray observatory, with this method was investigated. This study shows the influence of the energy resolution on the sensitivity of the instrument to spectral cut-offs. This sensitivity has been quantified for various cut-off energies.

Axionartige Teilchen sind pseudoscalare Teilchen welche in Theorien jenseits des Standardmodells vorhergesagt werden. Falls ein axionartiges Teilchen innerhalb eines kosmischen magnetischen Felds gebildet wird, wird dieses nicht durch das Hintergrundlicht absorbiert. Daher kann es kosmische Distanzen überbrücken bevor es wieder in ein Photon zurück oszilliert. Dieser Effekt erhöht die Reichweite der Gammastrahlung im Universum. Im Rahmen dieser Dissertation werden Daten des Fermi Large Area Telescopes, aufgenommen über eine Zeitraum von sechs Jahren, systematisch analysiert. Hierbei wird nach axionartigen Teilchen mit Hilfe von Transparenzeffekten des Universums gesucht. In diesem Zusammenhang werden verschiedene Modelle des extragalaktischen Hintergrundlichts mit und ohne Berücksichtigung axionartiger Teilchen verglichen. Hierfür werden Likelihood-Funktionen für das höchst energetische Photon verschiedener entfernter Quelle kombiniert. Diese sind aktive galaktische Kerne mit einer Rotverschiebung z ≥0.1 des Second Catalog of Hard Fermi-LAT Sources. Unter den Annahmen einer intergalaktischen magnetischen Feldstärke von B = 1 nG und einer Kohärenzlänge von s = 1 Mpc wurde keine Veränderungen der Transparenz durch axionähnliche Teilchen nachgewiesen. Für eine Masse eines axionartigen Teilchens mit m≅ 3.0 neV wird eine Photonen-Axion Kopplungskonstante über 10(^11) GeV(^−1) ausgeschlossen. / Axion-like particles, pseudo-scalar particles that arise in theories beyond the Standard Model, mix with photons in the presence of magnetic fields. If an axion-like particle is produced within a cosmic magnetic field, it evades extragalactic background light absorption and thus it can survive cosmological distances until oscillating back into a photon. This leads to an increased transparency of the Universe to gamma rays. In the scope of this thesis, we search for transparency effects compatible with the existence of axion-like particles with six years of data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope. We derive and combine the likelihoods of the highest-energy photon events from a sample of hard distant sources, in order to compare models that include axion-like particles and models with only extragalactic background light. The sources are active galactic nuclei from the Second Catalog of Hard Fermi sources at redshift z≥0.1. For values of the intergalactic magnetic field strength B = 1 nG and coherence length s = 1 Mpc, we find no evidence for a modified transparency induced by axion-like particles and therefore we set upper limits. We exclude photon-axion coupling constants above 10(^11) GeV(^−1) for axion masses m≅ 3.0 neV.

Dédié à l'étude du ciel en rayons gamma, le satellite Fermi comporte à son bord le Large Area Telescope (LAT), sensible au rayonnement gamma de 20 MeV à 300 GeV. Les données recueillies par le LAT depuis son lancement en 2008 ont permis de multiplier par 10 le nombre de noyaux actifs de galaxie (NAG) détectés dans le domaine du GeV. Les rayons gamma observés dans les NAGs proviennent de processus énergétiques faisant intervenir des particules chargées de très haute énergie. Ces particules sont confinées dans un jet de plasma magnétisé qui prend sa source dans une région proche du trou noir supermassif habitant la zone centrale de la galaxie hôte. Ce jet s’éloigne à des vitesses aussi élevées que 0.9999c, formant dans de nombreux cas des lobes radio sur des échelles du kiloparsec voire du mégaparsec. Les NAGs dont le jet fait un angle faible avec la ligne de visée sont appelés blazars. La combinaison de cette très faible inclinaison du jet par rapport à la ligne de visée et de vitesses d’éjection relativistes donne lieu à des effets relativistes : mouvements apparents superluminiques, amplification de la luminosité et modification des échelles de temps. Les blazars sont caractérisés par une extrême variabilité à toutes les longueurs d’onde, sur des échelles de temps allant de quelques minutes à plusieurs mois. Une étude temporelle et spectrale du plus brillant d'entre ceux détectés par le LAT, 3C 454.3, a été réalisée afin de contraindre les modèles d'émission. Une nouvelle méthode de génération de courbes de lumière à échantillonnage adaptatif est également proposée dans cette thèse. Celle-ci permet d'extraire le maximum d'information des données du LAT quel que soit l'état de flux de la source. / The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope was launched on 2008 June 11, carrying the Large Area Telescope(LAT), sensitive to gamma-rays in the 20 MeV – 300 GeV energy range. The data collected since then allowed to multiply by a factor of 10 the number of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) detected in the GeV range. Gamma-rays observed in AGNs come from energetic precesses bringing into play very high energy charged particles. These particles are confined in a magnetized plasma jet rising in a region close to the supermassive black hole in the center of the host galaxy. This jet moves away with velocities as high as 0.9999c, forming in many cases radio lobes on kiloparsec or even megaparsec scales. Among the AGNs, those whose jet inclination angle to the line of sight is small are called blazars. The combination of this small inclination angle with relativistic ejection speeds leds to relativistic effects : apparent superluminal motions, amplification of the luminosity and modification of the time scales. Blazars are characterized by extreme variability at all wavelengths, on time scales from a few minutes to several months. A temporal and spectral study of the most luminous of those detected by the LAT, 3C 454.3, was done so as to constrain emission models. A new method for generating adaptive-binning lightcurves is also suggested in this thesis. It allows to extract the maximum of information from the LAT data whatever the flux state of the source.

Este trabalho consiste no estudo de cubos de dados das regiões centrais de quatro galáxias com mesmo tipo morfológico da Via Láctea: NGC 1566, NGC 6744, NGC 613 e NGC 134. As observações foram feitas no período de 2013 a 2015 com o Integral Field Unit do Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph do telescópio Gemini Sul. Foram utilizadas técnicas de análise de dados como Tomografia PCA, síntese espectral e Penalized Pixel Fitting. Além disso, para todos objetos, foram calculadas razões de linhas de emissão dos espectros das regiões centrais, imagens da emissão de [SII] 6716, 6731 das nuvens de alta e baixa densidades foram feitas e, em dois casos (NGC 1566 e NGC 613), analisaram-se imagens do Hubble Space Telescope para melhor entendimento do ambiente circumnuclear. Foram encontrados 6 espectros com emissão compatível com a de AGNs na amostra, sendo que, em duas galáxias, existe a possibilidade de AGNs duplos: NGC 6744 e NGC 613. No geral, todas as galáxias apresentaram populações estelares de idades variadas em suas regiões centrais, porém, predominantemente, com metalicidades altas (0.02 e 0.05). Todas as galáxias apresentaram cinemática estelar compatível com discos de rotação em torno do núcleo e, em duas galáxias (NGC 1566 e NGC 6744), foi observado um decréscimo da dispersão de velocidades estelar em direção ao núcleo, possivelmente devido à presença de estrelas jovens massivas. A emissão do featureless continuum do núcleo da galáxia de Seyfert NGC 1566 foi, pela primeira vez, isolada e estudada, sendo que foi encontrado um índice espectral igual 1.7. Uma amostra de quatro galáxias não é estatisticamente conclusiva e será necessário ampliar a amostra para um melhor entendimento global dos núcleos de galáxias de mesmo tipo morfológico da Via Láctea. / This work involved the analysis of data cubes of four nuclear regions of galaxies that have the same morphological type of the Milky Way: NGC 1566, NGC 6744, NGC 613 and NGC 134. The observations were taken in the period of 2013 to 2015 with the Integral Field Unit of Gemini Multi-object Spectrograph on the Gemini South telescope. The data were analyzed using techniques like PCA Tomography, spectral synthesis and the Penalized Pixel Fitting process. Besides that, for all the objects, emission-line ratios of the central regions were calculated, images of the emission-lines [SII]6716, 6731 of clouds of high and low densities were made and, in two cases (NGC 1566 and NGC 6744), their Hubble Space Telescope images were analyzed for better understanding of their circumnuclear regions. 6 spectra of the sample had emission compatible with that of AGNs, in two galaxies, there is a possibility of double AGN: NGC 613 and NGC 6744. In general, all the galaxies presented stellar populations with varying ages in their central regions, however mainly with high metallicities (0.02 and 0.05). All the galaxies presented stellar kinematics compatible with rotation disks around the central source and, in two galaxies (NGC 1566 and NGC 6744), there was a stellar dispersion velocity decrease toward the nuclei, possibly due to the presence of massive young stars. The featureless continuum emission of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 1566 was, for the rst time, isolated and studied. It was found that its spectral index is equal to 1.7. A sample of four galaxies is not conclusive and it is necessary to enlarge this sample to a better global understanding of the nuclei of galaxies with the same morphological type of the Milky Way.

Este trabalho consiste no estudo de cubos de dados das regiões centrais de quatro galáxias com mesmo tipo morfológico da Via Láctea: NGC 1566, NGC 6744, NGC 613 e NGC 134. As observações foram feitas no período de 2013 a 2015 com o Integral Field Unit do Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph do telescópio Gemini Sul. Foram utilizadas técnicas de análise de dados como Tomografia PCA, síntese espectral e Penalized Pixel Fitting. Além disso, para todos objetos, foram calculadas razões de linhas de emissão dos espectros das regiões centrais, imagens da emissão de [SII] 6716, 6731 das nuvens de alta e baixa densidades foram feitas e, em dois casos (NGC 1566 e NGC 613), analisaram-se imagens do Hubble Space Telescope para melhor entendimento do ambiente circumnuclear. Foram encontrados 6 espectros com emissão compatível com a de AGNs na amostra, sendo que, em duas galáxias, existe a possibilidade de AGNs duplos: NGC 6744 e NGC 613. No geral, todas as galáxias apresentaram populações estelares de idades variadas em suas regiões centrais, porém, predominantemente, com metalicidades altas (0.02 e 0.05). Todas as galáxias apresentaram cinemática estelar compatível com discos de rotação em torno do núcleo e, em duas galáxias (NGC 1566 e NGC 6744), foi observado um decréscimo da dispersão de velocidades estelar em direção ao núcleo, possivelmente devido à presença de estrelas jovens massivas. A emissão do featureless continuum do núcleo da galáxia de Seyfert NGC 1566 foi, pela primeira vez, isolada e estudada, sendo que foi encontrado um índice espectral igual 1.7. Uma amostra de quatro galáxias não é estatisticamente conclusiva e será necessário ampliar a amostra para um melhor entendimento global dos núcleos de galáxias de mesmo tipo morfológico da Via Láctea. / This work involved the analysis of data cubes of four nuclear regions of galaxies that have the same morphological type of the Milky Way: NGC 1566, NGC 6744, NGC 613 and NGC 134. The observations were taken in the period of 2013 to 2015 with the Integral Field Unit of Gemini Multi-object Spectrograph on the Gemini South telescope. The data were analyzed using techniques like PCA Tomography, spectral synthesis and the Penalized Pixel Fitting process. Besides that, for all the objects, emission-line ratios of the central regions were calculated, images of the emission-lines [SII]6716, 6731 of clouds of high and low densities were made and, in two cases (NGC 1566 and NGC 6744), their Hubble Space Telescope images were analyzed for better understanding of their circumnuclear regions. 6 spectra of the sample had emission compatible with that of AGNs, in two galaxies, there is a possibility of double AGN: NGC 613 and NGC 6744. In general, all the galaxies presented stellar populations with varying ages in their central regions, however mainly with high metallicities (0.02 and 0.05). All the galaxies presented stellar kinematics compatible with rotation disks around the central source and, in two galaxies (NGC 1566 and NGC 6744), there was a stellar dispersion velocity decrease toward the nuclei, possibly due to the presence of massive young stars. The featureless continuum emission of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 1566 was, for the rst time, isolated and studied. It was found that its spectral index is equal to 1.7. A sample of four galaxies is not conclusive and it is necessary to enlarge this sample to a better global understanding of the nuclei of galaxies with the same morphological type of the Milky Way.