Speaker
Description
The recent observations of powerful, minute-timescale TeV flares from
several blazars pose serious challenges to theoretical models for the
blazar emission. In this talk, I will discuss the magnetic
reconnection model for the blazar flaring. I argue that radiation
emitted from the reconnection layers can account for the observed
“envelope” of ~day-long blazar activity as well as the fastest
observed flares. Moreover, I will show that the reconnection model
predicts that the emission regions are characterized by rough
equipartition between radiating particles and magnetic fields;
in agreement with observations. Finally, I will show examples of lightcurves and spectra
calculated directly with first-principle Particle in cell simulations of the magnetic reconnection layer.
