BARC/PUB/2022/0799

 
 

Model-independent redshift estimation of BL Lac objects through very-high-energy observations

 
     
 
Author(s)

Malik, Z.;Sahayanathan, S.;Shah, Z.;Bhatt, N.;and others
(ApSD)

Source

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2022. Vol. 511: pp. 994-1003

ABSTRACT

The very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray spectral indices of blazars show a strong correlation with the source redshift. The absence of any such correlation in low-energy gamma-rays and X-rays indicates the presence of extragalactic background light (EBL)-induced absorption of VHE gamma-rays. By employing a linear regression analysis, this observational feature of blazars is used to constrain the redshifts of BL Lac objects that were unknown/uncertain earlier. In addition, we compare the observed VHE spectral index–redshift correlation with those predicted from commonly adopted EBL models. Our study highlights the deviation of EBL-model-based predictions from observations, especially at high redshifts.

 
 
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