Blazars represent the dominant class of associated γ-ray sources detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT). However, in the more recent release of the Fourth Fermi-LAT Point Source Catalog (4FGL), ∼25% of the sources associated with lower-energy counterparts show a multifrequency behavior similar to that of blazars, but lacks an optical spectroscopic confirmation of their nature and are therefore classified as Blazar Candidates of Uncertain Type (BCUs). A particularly challenging task in blazar studies is to classify these BCUs and, when possible to estimate their redshifts, in particular for BL Lac objects, characterized by almost featureless optical spectra with only weak emission lines. Continuing our study of blazars with Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) optical spectral data, we perform an extensive search for optical spectra available in the LAMOST Data Release 6 archive. Our aim is confirming the blazar nature of BCUs and to test if new data can allow us to get a redshift estimate for BL Lac objects that lack measurement, as well as to search for and discover changing-look blazars. We selected sources out of the 4FGL catalog, the list of targets from our follow-up spectroscopic campaign of unidentified and/or unassociated γ-ray sources, and the Roma-BZCAT multifrequency catalog of blazars, finding a total of 42 sources with available LAMOST DR6 spectra. We confirmed the blazar-like nature of four blazar candidates . For the remaining 37 sources we confirm their previous classification.
An Optical Overview of Blazars with LAMOST. II. Gamma-Ray Blazar Candidates and Updated Classifications
Pena-Herazo H. A.;Massaro F.;Gu M.;Paggi A.;D'Abrusco R.;
2021-01-01
Abstract
Blazars represent the dominant class of associated γ-ray sources detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT). However, in the more recent release of the Fourth Fermi-LAT Point Source Catalog (4FGL), ∼25% of the sources associated with lower-energy counterparts show a multifrequency behavior similar to that of blazars, but lacks an optical spectroscopic confirmation of their nature and are therefore classified as Blazar Candidates of Uncertain Type (BCUs). A particularly challenging task in blazar studies is to classify these BCUs and, when possible to estimate their redshifts, in particular for BL Lac objects, characterized by almost featureless optical spectra with only weak emission lines. Continuing our study of blazars with Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) optical spectral data, we perform an extensive search for optical spectra available in the LAMOST Data Release 6 archive. Our aim is confirming the blazar nature of BCUs and to test if new data can allow us to get a redshift estimate for BL Lac objects that lack measurement, as well as to search for and discover changing-look blazars. We selected sources out of the 4FGL catalog, the list of targets from our follow-up spectroscopic campaign of unidentified and/or unassociated γ-ray sources, and the Roma-BZCAT multifrequency catalog of blazars, finding a total of 42 sources with available LAMOST DR6 spectra. We confirmed the blazar-like nature of four blazar candidates . For the remaining 37 sources we confirm their previous classification.
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