Search

We present a long-term and intraday variability study on optical multiwaveband ($U\!BV\!RI$) data from the blazar AO 0235+164 collected by various telescopes for $\sim$44 years (1975--2019). The blazar was found to be significantly variable over the years in all wavebands with a variation of about six magnitudes between its low and active states. The variations in the different wavebands are highly correlated without any time lag. We did not observe any significant trend in color variation with time, but we observed a bluer-when-brighter trend between the $B-I$ color index and the $R$-magnitude. Optical $BV\!R$-band spectral energy distributions always show a convex shape. Significant intraday variability was frequently seen in the quasi-simultaneous observations of AO\,0235+164 made on 22 nights in $R$ and $V$-bands by the CASLEO and CAHA telescopes during 1999--2019. We also estimated the central supermassive black-hole mass of $7.9\times10^7 M_{\odot}$ by analyzing the broad Mg II emission line in AO 0235+164's spectrum. We briefly explore the probable physical scenarios responsible for the observed variability., Comment: 27 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series (ApJS)

We present a long term optical $R$ band light curve analysis of the gravitationally lensed blazar AO 0235+164 in the time span 1982 - 2019. Several methods of analysis lead to the result that there is a periodicity of ~8.13 years present in these data. In addition, each of these five major flares are apparently double-peaked, with the secondary peak following the primary one by ~2 years. Along with the well known system, OJ 287, our finding constitutes one of the most secure cases of long term quasi-periodic optical behaviour in a blazar ever found. A binary supermassive black hole system appears to provide a good explanation for these results., Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, Accepted for publication in MNRAS

We present periodicity search analyses on the $\gamma$-ray lightcurve of the TeV blazar PKS 1510-089 observed by the \textit{Fermi} Large Area Telescope. We report the detection of two transient quasi-periodic oscillations: a 3.6-day QPO during the outburst in 2009 that lasted five cycles (MJD 54906--54923); and a periodicity of 92 days spanning over 650 days from 2018 to 2020 (MJD 58200--58850), which lasted for seven cycles. We employed the Lomb-Scargle periodogram, Weighted Wavelet Z-transform, REDFIT, and the Monte Carlo lightcurve simulation techniques to find any periodicity and the corresponding significance. The 3.6-day QPO was detected at a moderate significance of $\sim$3.5$\sigma$, while the detection significance of the 92-day QPO was $\sim$7.0$\sigma$. We explore a few physical models for such transient QPOs including a binary black hole system, precession of the jet, a non-axisymmetric instability rotating around the central black hole near the innermost stable circular orbit, the presence of quasi-equidistant magnetic islands inside the jet, and a geometric model involving a plasma blob moving helically inside a curved jet., Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, submitted to MNRAS

We report on temporal and spectral study of a flat spectrum radio quasar, PKS B1222+216, in flare state to get insight into acceleration and emission mechanisms inside the jet. This is one of the brightest and highly active blazar in the MeV-GeV regime. Long term multi-waveband light curves of this object showed a flaring activity in 2014 with two distinct flares. Work presented here includes the study of flux-index variation, flare fitting, hardness ratio and spectral modelling of both X-ray and $\gamma-$ray data. The flux-index correlation we have found in MeV-GeV regime indicates a 'softer when brighter' feature. Modelling of $\gamma-$ray light curves suggests that low energy particles initiate both the flares followed by the injection of high energy particles. The short rise time indicates the presence of Fermi first order acceleration. Multi-waveband spectral energy distributions (SEDs) generated for flares are fitted with a single-zone leptonic model. This SED modelling shows the inverse Compton scattering of photon field reprocessed from Broad Line Region (BLR) primarily accounts for GeV emission. We have also report a shift in break-energy in the soft X-ray regime during the flaring activity which is the consequence of a rapid change in injection spectra., Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, Accepted in MNRAS

The regular monitoring of flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs) in $\gamma$-rays by Fermi-LAT since past 12 years indicated six sources who exhibited extreme $\gamma$-ray outbursts crossing daily flux of $10^{-5}$ photons/cm$^{2}$/s. We obtained nearly-simultaneous multi-wavelength data of these sources in radio to $\gamma$-ray waveband from OVRO, Steward Observatory, SMARTS, Swift-UVOT, Swift-XRT, and Fermi-LAT. The time-averaged broadband Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs) of these sources in quiescent states were studied to get an idea about the underlying baseline radiation processes. We modeled the SEDs using one-zone leptonic synchrotron and inverse-Compton emission scenario from broken power-law electron energy distribution inside a spherical plasma blob, relativistically moving down a conical jet. The model takes into account inverse-Compton scattering of externally and locally originated seed photons in the jet. The big blue bumps visible in quiescent state SEDs helped to estimate the accretion disk luminosities and central black hole masses. We found a correlation between the magnetic field inside the emission region and the ratio of emission region distance to disk luminosity, which implies that the magnetic field decreases with an increase in emission region distance and decrease in disk luminosity, suggesting a disk-jet connection. The high-energy index of the electron distribution was also found to be correlated with observed $\gamma$-ray luminosity as $\gamma$-rays are produced by high-energy particles. In most cases, kinetic power carried by electrons can account for jet radiation power as jets become radiatively inefficient during quiescent states., Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures. Accepted in MNRAS

Quasi-periodic fluctuations in the light curves of blazars can provide insight into the underlying emission process. This type of flux modulation hints at periodic physical processes that result in emission. CTA 102, a flat spectrum radio quasar at $z=1.032$, has displayed significant activity since 2016. The multi-waveband light curve of CTA 102 shows signs of quasi-periodic oscillations during the 2016-2017 flare. Our goal is to quantify the presence of any periodicity in the emitted flux during the mentioned period and to explore the causes that can give rise to it. Techniques such as the Lomb-Scargle periodogram and weighted wavelet z-transform were employed to observe the power emitted at different frequencies. To quantify the significance of the dominant period, Monte-Carlo techniques were employed considering an underlying smooth bending power-law model for the power spectrum. In addition, the light curve was modeled using an autoregressive process to analytically obtain the significance of the dominant period. Lastly, the light curve was modeled using a generalized autoregressive integrated moving average process to check whether introducing a periodic component results in a statistically preferable model. Significant, simultaneous quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) were observed in the $\gamma$-ray and optical fluxes of blazar CTA 102 during its 2016-2017 flare. The periodic flux modulation had a dominant period of $\sim$ 7.6 days and lasted for $\sim$ 8 cycles (MJD 57710-57770). All of the methods used point toward significant ($>4\sigma$) quasi-periodic modulation in both $\gamma$-ray and optical fluxes. Several possible models were explored while probing the origin of the periodicity, and by extension, the 2016--2017 optical flare. The best explanation for the detected QPO appears to be a region of enhanced emission, moving helically inside the jet., Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A

We report the detection ($>4\sigma$) of a Quasi-Periodic Oscillation (QPO) in the $\gamma$-ray light curve of 3C 454.3 along with a simultaneous marginal QPO detection ($>2.4\sigma$) in the optical light curves. Periodic flux modulations were detected in both of these wavebands with a dominant period of $\sim 47$ days. The $\gamma$-ray QPO lasted for over 450 days (from MJD 56800 to 57250) resulting in over nine observed cycles which is among the highest number of periods ever detected in a blazar light curve. The optical light curve was not well sampled for almost half of the $\gamma$-ray QPO span due to the daytime transit of the source, which could explain the lower significance of the optical QPO. Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) modelling of the light curve revealed a significant, exponentially decaying, trend in the light curve during the QPO, along with the $47$ days periodicity. We explore several physical models to explain the origin of this transient quasi-periodic modulation and the overall trend in the observed flux with a month-like period. These scenarios include a binary black hole system, a hotspot orbiting close to the innermost stable circular orbit of the supermassive black hole, and precessing jets. We conclude that the most likely scenario involves a region of enhanced emission moving helically inside a curved jet. The helical motion gives rise to the QPO and the curvature ($\sim 0.05^{\circ}$ pc$^{-1}$) of the jet is responsible for the observed trend in the light curve., Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, 1 table

Context: In April 2013, the nearby (z=0.031) TeV blazar, Mkn 421, showed one of the largest flares in X-rays since the past decade. Aim: To study all multiwavelength data available during MJD 56392 to 56403, with special emphasis on X-ray data, and understand the underlying particle energy distribution. Methods: We study the correlations between the UV and gamma bands with the X-ray band using the z-transformed discrete correlation function. We model the underlying particle spectrum with a single population of electrons emitting synchrotron radiation, and do a statistical fitting of the simultaneous, time-resolved data from the Swift-XRT and the NuSTAR. Results: There was rapid flux variability in the X-ray band, with a minimum doubling timescale of $1.69 \pm 0.13$ hrs. There were no corresponding flares in UV and gamma bands. The variability in UV and gamma rays are relatively modest with $ \sim 8 \% $ and $\sim 16 \% $ respectively, and no significant correlation was found with the X-ray light curve. The observed X-ray spectrum shows clear curvature which can be fit by a log parabolic spectral form. This is best explained to originate from a log parabolic electron spectrum. However, a broken power law or a power law with an exponentially falling electron distribution cannot be ruled out either. Moreover, the excellent broadband spectrum from $0.3-79$ keV allows us to make predictions of the UV flux. We find that this prediction is compatible with the observed flux during the low state in X-rays. However, during the X-ray flares, the predicted flux is a factor of $2-50$ smaller than the observed one. This suggests that the X-ray flares are plausibly caused by a separate population which does not contribute significantly to the radiation at lower energies. Alternatively, the underlying particle spectrum can be much more complex than the ones explored in this work., Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, Accepted in A&A