Multiwavelength observations of Mrk 501 in 1997.

We present the results of a long-term monitoring campaign of the TeV gamma-ray emitting blazar Mrk 501 during its active high-state in 1997. Observations at radio and optical frequencies, and in X-rays and TeV gamma-rays are included. We study the source’s intermediate-term variability at all wavelengths and discuss implications for synchrotron and synchrotron-self-Compton dominated jet models. We find that the variability on weekly time scales is consistent with an SSC model where flux variations are primarily caused by a hardening of the electron spectra (change in spectral index) and an increasing density of ultrarelativistic electrons. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]