J/A+A/545/A68    Optical spectrum of the blazar PKS 0447-439  (Fumagalli+, 2012)

On the redshift of the blazar PKS 0447-439. Fumagalli M., Furniss A., O'Meara J., Prochaska J.X., Williams D., Farina E. <Astron. Astrophys. 545, A68 (2012)> =2012A&A...545A..68F 2012A&A...545A..68F
ADC_Keywords: BL Lac objects ; Spectroscopy Keywords: galaxies: active - BL Lacertae objects: individual: PKS 0447-439 - galaxies: distances and redshifts Abstract: PKS 0447-439 is one of the BL Lacertae objects that have been detected at very high energy. There has been a recent report of a lower limit of z≥1.246 for the redshift of this blazar, challenging the current paradigm in which very high-energy γ-rays cannot freely propagate in the z≳1 universe. In this research note, we present a new MagE/Magellan spectrum of PKS 0447-439 with exquisite signal-to-noise (S/N>150 at 6500Å). Our analysis confirms the presence of the previously-reported absorption line at 6280Å, which we identify, however, with a known telluric absorption, invalidating the claim that this blazar lies at z>1. Since no other extragalactic spectral features are detected, we cannot establish a redshift based on our spectrum. Description: MagE/Magellan optical spectrum of the blazar PKS 0447-439 (see Fig. 1 of the paper). Objects: ----------------------------------------------------------------- RA (2000) DE Designation(s) ----------------------------------------------------------------- 04 49 24.88 -43 50 09.7 PKS 0447-439 = CRATES J044924-435004 ----------------------------------------------------------------- File Summary: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FileName Lrecl Records Explanations -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ReadMe 80 . This file spectrum.dat 35 11435 Optical spectrum of the blazar PKS 0447-439 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Byte-by-byte Description of file: spectrum.dat -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bytes Format Units Label Explanations -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1- 9 F9.4 0.1nm lambda [3500.1/8101] Observed wavelength 15- 22 F8.4 aW/m2/nm Flux Flux (10-16erg/cm2/s/Å) 29- 35 F7.5 aW/m2/nm e_Flux 1 sigma error on Flux (10-16erg/cm2/s/Å) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Acknowledgements: Michele Fumagalli, miki(at)ucolick.org
(End) Michele Fumagalli [UCSC], Patricia Vannier [CDS] 11-Aug-2012
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