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We use X-ray monitoring data obtained over a broad range of time-scales to measure the broad-band power spectral density functions (PSDs) of two Seyfert galaxies: the broad-line Seyfert 1 NGC 3227 and the Seyfert 2 NGC 5506, which has recently been identified as an obscured narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS 1). Using a Monte Carlo fitting technique, we demonstrate that both PSDs are reminiscent of the PSD of black hole X-ray binaries (BHXRBs) in the high/soft state, and specifically rule out a low/hard-state PSD shape in NGC 3227. This result demonstrates that, at least where variability is concerned, broad-line Seyferts with hard X-ray spectra (photon index ) are not simply the analogues of the low/hard state in BHXRBs, and the dichotomy of NLS 1 and broad-line Seyferts cannot be simply interpreted in terms of the two states. We show that the PSD normalization in NGC 3227 is strongly energy-dependent, with larger variability amplitudes at lower energies, unlike NGC 5506 which shows little energy dependence of variability. We demonstrate that this difference is caused by spectral pivoting of the continuum in NGC 3227 at high energies, which is probably also related to the large amplitude of variability seen in the 2–10 keV band in this active galactic nucleus (AGN). Using the new PSD data and new results in the literature, we replot the PSD break time-scale versus mass plot for all AGNs with PSD breaks measured so far, and demonstrate that higher accretion rate AGNs appear to have relatively shorter break time-scales for their black hole mass than lower accretion rate AGNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Standard shot-noise models, which seek to explain the broadband noise variability that characterizes the X-ray light curves of X-ray binaries and active galaxies, predict that the power spectrum of the X-ray light curve is stationary (i.e. constant amplitude and shape) on short time-scales. We show that the broadband noise power spectra of the black hole candidate Cyg X-1 and the accreting millisecond pulsar SAX J 1808.4-3658 are intrinsically non-stationary, in that rms variability scales linearly with flux. Flux-selected power spectra confirm that this effect is due to changes in power-spectral amplitude and not shape. The light curves of three Seyfert galaxies are also consistent with a linear relationship between rms variability and flux, suggesting that it is an intrinsic feature of the broadband noise variability in compact accreting systems over more than six decades of central object mass. The rms variability responds to flux variations on all measured time-scales, raising fundamental difficulties for shot-noise models which seek to explain this result by invoking variations in the shot parameters. We suggest that models should be explored where the longest time-scale variations are fundamental and precede the variations on shorter timescales. Possible models which can explain the linear rms-flux relation include the fractal break-up of large coronal flares, or the propagation of fluctuations in mass accretion rate through the accretion disc. The linear relationship between rms variability and flux in Cyg X-1 and SAX J1808.4-3658 is offset on the flux axis, suggesting the presence of a second, constant-flux component to the light curve which contributes ∼25 per cent of the total flux. The spectrum of this constant component is similar to the total spectrum, suggesting that it may correspond to quiet, non-varying regions in the X-ray emitting corona. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present γ-ray, X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared light curves of 33 γ-ray bright blazars over 4 years that we have been monitoring since 2008 August with multiple optical, ground-based telescopes and the Swift satellite, and augmented by data from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and other publicly available data from Swift. The sample consists of 21 flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) and 12 BL Lac objects (BL Lacs). We identify quiescent and active states of the sources based on their γ-ray behavior. We derive γ-ray, X-ray, and optical spectral indices, αγ, αX, and αo, respectively (Fν∝να), and construct spectral energy distributions during quiescent and active states. We analyze the relationships between different spectral indices, blazar classes, and activity states. We find (1) significantly steeper γ-ray spectra of FSRQs than for BL Lacs during quiescent states, but a flattening of the spectra for FSRQs during active states while the BL Lacs show no significant change; (2) a small difference of αX within each class between states, with BL Lac X-ray spectra significantly steeper than in FSRQs; (3) a highly peaked distribution of X-ray spectral slopes of FSRQs at ∼ –0.60, but a very broad distribution of αX of BL Lacs during active states; (4) flattening of the optical spectra of FSRQs during quiescent states, but no statistically significant change of αo of BL Lacs between states; and (5) a positive correlation between optical and γ-ray spectral slopes of BL Lacs, with similar values of the slopes. We discuss the findings with respect to the relative prominence of different components of high-energy and optical emission as the flux state changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]