Hadronic processes at work in 5BZB J0630-2406

Abstract

Recent observations are shedding light on the important role that active galactic nuclei (AGN) play in the production of high-energy neutrinos. In this study, we focus on one object, 5BZB J0630-2406, which is among the blazars recently proposed as associated with neutrino emission during the first 7-yr IceCube observations. Modelling the quasi-simultaneous, broad-band spectral energy distribution, we explore various scenarios from purely leptonic to lepto-hadronic models, testing the inclusion of external photon fields. This theoretical study provides a complementary testing ground for the proposed neutrino-blazar association. Despite being historically classified as a BL Lac, our study shows that 5BZB J0630-2406 belongs to the relatively rare sub-class of high-power flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs). Our results indicate that interactions between protons and external radiation fields can produce a neutrino flux that is within the reach of the IceCube detector. Furthermore, the spectral shape of the X-ray emission suggests the imprint of hadronic processes related to very energetic protons.