Multiwavelength analysis and the difference in the behavior of the spectral features during the 2010 and 2014 flaring periods of the blazar 3C 454.3

Abstract

The flat-spectrum radio quasar 3C~454.3 throughout the years has presented very high activity phases (flares) in which the different wavebands increase their flux dramatically. In this work, we perform multiwavelength analysis from radio to gamma-rays and study the Mg~II~$λ2798$Å emission line and the UV~Fe~II band from 2008-2018. We found that an increase in the 43 GHz flux density of the quasi-stationary component C, coincides with the estimated time at which a superluminal blob ejected from the radio core (which caused the brightest flare of 2010) collides with the quasi-stationary component (at a projected distance of $\sim4.6$ pc from the radio core). The spectral index different behavior in the first ($5000 < \text{JD}-2450000 < 5600$) and second ($6600 < \text{JD}-2450000 < 7900$) flaring periods suggest changes in the physical conditions. The complex nature of the second period can be a result of a superposition of multiple events at different locations. The Mg~II has an anti-correlation with the UV-continuum while Fe~II correlates positively. Except by the time of the brightest flare of 2010, when both have a strong response at high continuum luminosities. Our results suggest that the dominant gamma-ray emission mechanism for the first flaring period is External Compton. For the second flaring period the seed photons emission region is co-spatial with the gamma-ray emission region. However, a SED study using a multizone jet emission model is required to confirm the nature of each significant flare during the second period.