Preprint

PUBDB-2026-01396

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png A Comprehensive Hadronic Code Comparison for Active Galactic Nuclei

Cerruti, M. (Corresponding author) ; Rudolph, A. (Corresponding author)Extern*DESY* ; Petropoulou, M. (Corresponding author)Extern* ; Böttcher, M. (Corresponding author) ; Stathopoulos, S. I. (Corresponding author) ; Oikonomou, F.Extern* ; Dimitrakoudis, S. ; Dmytriiev, A. ; Gao, S.DESY* ; Inoue, S. ; Mastichiadis, A. ; Murase, K. ; Reimer, A. ; Robinson, J. ; Rodrigues, X.Extern*DESY* ; Winter, W.DESY* ; Zech, A.

2026

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.3204/PUBDB-2026-01396

Report No.: arXiv:2411.14218

Abstract: We perform the first dedicated comparison of five hadronic codes (AM$^{3}$, ATHEνA, B13, LeHa-Paris, and LeHaMoC) that have been extensively used in modeling the spectral energy distribution (SED) of jetted active galactic nuclei. The purpose of this comparison is to identify the sources of systematic errors (e.g., implementation method of proton–photon interactions) and to quantify the expected dispersion in numerical SED models computed with the five codes. The outputs from the codes are first tested in synchrotron self-Compton scenarios that are the simplest blazar emission models used in the literature. We then compare the injection rates and spectra of secondary particles produced in pure hadronic cases with monoenergetic and power-law protons interacting on blackbody and power-law photon fields. We finally compare the photon SEDs and the neutrino spectra for realistic proton-synchrotron and leptohadronic blazar models. We find that the codes are in excellent agreement with respect to the spectral shape of the photons and neutrinos. There is a remaining spread in the overall normalization that we quantify, at its maximum, at the level of ±40%. This value should be used as an additional, conservative, systematic uncertainty term when comparing numerical simulations and observations.

Note: 34 pages; in press in ApJS. Online material available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17177642

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Theoretische Astroteilchenphysik (Z_THAT)

Research Program(s):

1. 613 - Matter and Radiation from the Universe (POF4-613) (POF4-613)
2. DFG project G:(GEPRIS)283604770 - SFB 1258: Neutrinos und Dunkle Materie in der Astro- und Teilchenphysik (NDM) (283604770) (283604770)
3. DFG project G:(GEPRIS)390783311 - EXC 2094: ORIGINS: Vom Ursprung des Universums bis zu den ersten Bausteinen des Lebens (390783311) (390783311)

Experiment(s):

1. No specific instrument

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Linked articles:

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Journal Article Cerruti, M. (Corresponding author) ; Rudolph, A. (Corresponding author)Extern*DESY* ; Petropoulou, M. (Corresponding author)Extern* ; Böttcher, M. (Corresponding author) ; Stathopoulos, S. I. (Corresponding author) ; Oikonomou, F.Extern* ; Dimitrakoudis, S. ; Dmytriiev, A. ; Gao, S.DESY* ; Inoue, S. ; Mastichiadis, A. ; Murase, K. ; Reimer, A. ; Robinson, J. ; Rodrigues, X.Extern*DESY* ; Winter, W.DESY* ; Zech, A.
A Comprehensive Hadronic Code Comparison for Active Galactic Nuclei
The astrophysical journal / Supplement series 282(1), 22 (2026) [10.3847/1538-4365/ae1d5f]2026     Files  Fulltext by arXiv.org BibTeX | EndNote: XML, Text | RIS

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