LOW-STATE GAMMA-RAY EMISSION FROM BLAZARS AND THE GAMMA-RAY BACKGROUND

We examine the contribution of flat spectrum radio sources (FSRSs), or blazars, to the diffuse gamma-ray background (DGRB), prompted by the association of the extragalactic gamma-ray sources detected by the EGR ET instrument aboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) with thi s class of objects by using their well-studied log N-log S distributio n. The basic assumption of our study are that (1) there exists steady state gamma-ray emission at the EGRET energy band from the entire popu lation of FSRSs with gamma-ray luminosity that is proportional to thei r radio luminosity, i.e., (vF(v))(100 MeV) = f(vF(v))(5 GHz); (2) the ensemble of blazars produce the DGRB. Under these assumptions, the est imated average value of the proportionality constant is [f] similar or equal to 70, compared to a mean observed value of [f](obs) similar or equal to 750 seen among the EGRET-detected blazars. We explore the im plications of this result for AGN models and address the results that should be achieved by the next generation of gamma-ray satellites.