Multi-wavelength observations of the BL Lac object Fermi J1544-0649: One year after its awakening

Abstract

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. We report observations of a transient source Fermi J1544-0649 from radio to γ-rays. Fermi J1544-0649 was discovered by the Fermi-LAT in May 2017. Follow-up Swift-XRT observations revealed three flaring episodes through March 2018, and the peak X-ray flux is about 103 higher than the ROSAT all-sky survey (RASS) flux upper limit. Optical spectral measurements taken by the Magellan 6.5-m telescope and the Lick-Shane telescope both show a largely featureless spectrum, strengthening the BL Lac interpretation first proposed by Bruni et al. (2018). The optical and mid-infrared (MIR) emission goes to a higher state in 2018, when the flux in high energies goes down to a lower level. Our RATAN-600 m measurements at 4.8 GHz and 8.2 GHz do not indicate any significant radio flux variation over the monitoring seasons in 2017 and 2018, nor deviate from the archival NVSS flux level. During GeV flaring times, the spectrum is very hard (Γγ∼1.7) in the GeV band and at times also very hard ((ΓX≲2) in the X-rays, similar to a high-synchrotron-peak (or even an extreme) BL Lac object, making Fermi J1544-0649 a good target for ground-based Cherenkov telescopes.