耀变体光学波段的微光变及能谱变化

耀变体在多个波段的微光变和能谱变化多年来是中外天文观测研究的热点课题.耀变体的微光变于20世纪60年代被发现,20世纪80年代以来发现很多源的微光变具有不同的特性,目前对其物理机制的认识和理论、模型的研究还处于发展阶段.该文总结了7个目前观测最多的耀变体(3C 66A,3C 279,3C 454.3,AO 0235+164,BL Lac,OJ 287,S5 0716+714)在光学波段的微光变和能谱变化的观测历史和最新进展,并对其理论模型作了简单介绍.     

Analyses of the Light Variations of OJ 287, 0716+714 and BL Lacertae

OJ 287 is a BL Lac object which exhibits intense activities of low peak-frequencies. Its energy spectrum in low frequency band is quite similar with those of two other TeV BL Lac objects (i.e., 0716+714 and BL Lacertae). However, the Cerenkov telescope did not detect its TeV rays. By using the observational data of these three heavenly bodies and comparing the discrepan- cies of their minimal periods of light variations and delays at 22 GHz, 37 GHz and B-waveband, we have further investigated the possible reason why the TeV gamma-rays of OJ 287 have not been observed. The results of analyses are as fol- lows. (1) For the minimal periods of light variations, the periods of OJ 287 at 37 GHZ and B-waveband are short. At 22 GHz the results of OJ 287 and 0716+714 are comparable, but the period of OJ 287 is much shorter in comparison with that of BL Lacertae, and this shows that its activity is more intense. However, the TeV gamma-rays of OJ 287 have not been detected, which implies that the radiation of OJ 287 in TeV waveband may have no connection with the minimal periods of light variations in these three low-energy wavebands. (2) In respect of delays, the delay of OJ 287 in the B waveband with respect to 37 GHz is longer than that of 0716+714, but shorter than that of BL Lacertae. Its delay at 37 GHz in respect to 22 GHz is shorter than that of 0716+714. Meanwhile, the delay of BL Lacertae at 37 GHz in respect to 22 GHz is negative, which implies that 22 GHz precedes 37 GHz. Via the comparison and analysis of delays, no obvious differences between OJ 287 and 0716+714 as well as BL Lacertae have been found. On the side of energy spectra, it is quite possible that due to the steep energy spectrum of OJ 287 in TeV waveband, the Cerenkov telescope has not detected the gamma radiation of OJ 287. However, nowadays it is still not clear whether the steep energy spectrum in TeV energy range has some influence on the light variations in low energy realm.     

Calculating the Light Period of BL Lac Object S5 0716+714 by Wavelet Analysis Method

A kind of wavelet analysis method for identifying the light period of the BL Lac object S5 0716+714 is introduced. The rather complete observed data in the four optical wavebands B, V, R, I are collected, and the long-term light curves based on 10-day averaging are obtained. On these light curves, the periodicity analysis is performed by using a wavelet analysis method. The result demonstrates that the wavelet analysis method is preferable for searching and identifying the light periods of BL Lac objects. From the contour map of the real part of the wavelet transform coefficient, the periodical light variations of the BL Lac object S5 0716+714 can be precisely identified. By analyzing the wavelet variance curves at the 4 wavebands, it is found that the BL Lac Object S5 0716+174 has a stable light period of 1160 days. This result is consistent with the 3.3-year period given by Raiteri et al. It is predicted that the next outburst in this object will happen around the August of 2011.     

Optical intra-day variability timescales and black hole mass of the blazars

In this paper, we have used optical intra-day variability archive data to calculate the central black hole masses and Eddington luminosities for nine blazars: 3C 66A, AO 0235+164, S5 0716+714, PKS 0735+178, OJ 287, 1215+303, 1216−010, 1308+326, PKS 1510−089, Mrk 501 and BL Lac using intra-day variability timescales and periodicity (if present). The calculated central black hole mass of these nine blazars using intra-day variability timescales are found to be in the range of 1.22-25.30 × 10⁷ M_⊙ and corresponding Eddington luminosity in the range of 1.58-32.88 × 10⁴⁵ erg s⁻¹. The black hole mass and Eddington luminosity are in the range of 0.32-31.23 × 10⁸ M_⊙ and 1.23-31.20 × 10⁴⁶ erg s⁻¹, respectively when optical Doppler factor is taken into account. The comparison show, our estimated values of black hole mass are consistent with earlier reported values. Periodicity were present in two blazars OJ 287 and 1216−010 which give the central black hole mass of these blazars in the range of 1.32-14.6 × 10⁷ M_⊙ and corresponding Eddington luminosity in the range of 1.60-19.0 × 10⁴⁵ erg s⁻¹, respectively.     

Correlations between the peak flux density and the position angle of inner-jet in three blazars

We aim to investigate the relation between the long-term flux density and the position angle (PA) evolution of inner-jet in blazars. We have carried out the elliptic Gaussian model-fit to the ‘core’ of 50 blazars from 15 GHz VLBA data, and analyzed the variability properties of three blazars from the model-fit results. Diverse correlations between the long-term peak flux density and the PA evolution of the major axis of the ‘core’ have been found in ～20 % of the 50 sources. Of them, three typical blazars have been analyzed, which also show quasi-periodic flux variations of a few years (T). The correlation between the peak flux density and the PA of inner-jet is positive for S5 0716+714, and negative for S4 1807+698. The two sources cannot be explained with the ballistic jet models, the non-ballistic models have been analyzed to explain the two sub-luminal blazars. A correlation between the peak flux density and the PA (with a T/4 time lag) of inner-jet is found in [HB89] 1823+568, this correlation can be explained with a ballistic precession jet model. All the explanations are based mainly on the geometric beaming effect; physical flux density variations from the jet base would be considered for more complicated situations in future, which could account for the no or less significance of the correlation between the peak flux density and the PA of inner-jet in the majority blazars of our sample.     

An Analysis of Light Periods of BL Lac Object S5 0716+714 with the MUSIC Algorithm

The multiple signal classi?cation (MUSIC) algorithm is introduced to the estimation of light periods of BL Lac objects. The principle of the MUSIC algorithm is given, together with a testing on its spectral resolution by using a simulative signal. From a lot of literature, we have collected a large number of effective observational data of the BL Lac object S5 0716+714 in the three optical wavebands V, R, and I from 1994 to 2008. The light periods of S5 0716+714 are obtained by means of the MUSIC algorithm and average periodogram algorithm, respectively. It is found that there exist two major periodic components, one is the period of (3.33±0.08) yr, another is the period of (1.24±0.01) yr. The comparison of the performances of periodicity analysis of two algorithms indicates that the MUSIC algorithm has a smaller requirement on the sample length, as well as a good spectral resolution and anti-noise ability, to improve the accuracy of periodicity analysis in the case of short sample length.     

Optical Photometric Observations of 7-Ray Loud Blazars

We report results of our optical photometric observations of ten gamma-ray loud blazers, namely: 0219+428 (3C66A), PKS 0420-014 (OA 129), S5 0716+714, 0754+100 (OI 090.4), 0827+243 (OJ248), 1652+398 (Mrk 501), 2200+420 (BL Lacertae), 2230+114 (CTA 102), 2251+158 (3C 454.3) and 2344+514. The observations were carried out in September-October, 2000 using the 70 cm optical telescope at Abstumani Observatory, Georgia. We found intra-day variations in 0420-014, S5 0716+714, BL Lacertae and CTA 102. A variation of 0.3 magnitude over a time scale of about 3 hours was observed in the R passband in BL Lacertae on JD 2451827. We did not detect any variation in 3C 66A, Mrk 501, or 3C 454.3 during our observations. Nor did we detect any clear evidence of variation in 1ES 2344+514 during our two weeks' observing run of the TeV gamma-ray source.     

Estimating Black Hole Masses of Blazars

Estimating black hole masses of blazars is still a big challenge. Because of the contamination of jets, using the previously suggested size–continuum luminosity relation can overestimate the broad line region (BLR) size and black hole mass for radio-loud AGNs, including blazars. We propose a new relation between the BLR size and H _β emission line luminosity and present evidences for using it to get more accurate black hole masses of radio-loud AGNs. For extremely radio-loud AGNs such as blazars with weak/absent emission lines, we suggest the use of fundamental plane relation of their elliptical host galaxies to estimate the central velocity dispersions and black hole masses, if their velocity dispersions are not known but the host galaxies can be mapped. The black hole masses of some well-known blazars, such as OJ 287, AO 0235+164 and 3C 66B are obtained using these two methods and the M–σ relation. The implications of their black hole masses on other related studies are also discussed.     

Optical variability of gamma-ray loud blazars

Blazars display flux variability on diverse timescales ranging from minutes to months. In our blazar monitoring project carried out on the 1.2meter telescope at Gurushikhar, Mount Abu, India, we selected someγ-ray loud blazars to study the variability over both the short and the long time scales. In this paper we have reported results based on photometric monitoring on 8 nights during the observing run in the first half of the year 2000 for 5 blazars: S5 0716+714, OJ 287, S4 0954+658, Mrk421 and PKS 2155–304 in B and R passbands. Microvariability and rapid variability has been observed in these sources suggesting that variability is a common property in these objects. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Infrared polarization and variability of blazarst

Correlation between the polarizations in the near-infrared and optical wavebands is studied with simultaneous observational data of blazars. It is found that the degree and angle of polarization in the near-infrared are correlated strongly with those in the optical. And so are the radiation fluxes at the two wavebands. It follows that the near-infrared radiation and polarization of blazars are mainly from synchrotron radiation of relativistic electrons, and come from the same region as the optical waveband. Correlations between the three near-infrared color indices J-H, H-K and J-K are also studied using the 2MASS data. It is found that both J-H and H-K are strongly correlated with J-K, while there is no correlation between J-H and H-K. Lastly, we studied the color index magnitude relationship and found that the near-infrared spectrum gets flatter as the source gets brighter.     

IDV Observations of BL 0716+714 at 5 GHz

A selected sample of intra-day variable AGN had been observed for 3–4 days per month at the Urumqi Observatory. The sample includes 7 target sources and 7 calibrators. The BL Lac object B0716+ 714 shows prominent intraday and long term variations.     

Chaotic Behaviour of Intra-Day Variability of BL Lac Object S5 0716+714

An optical monitoring shows Blazar object S5 0716+714 has complex Intra-Day Variability (IDV) behaviour. In this paper, we introduce a method of non-linear time series analysis, and calculate the correlation dimension of the IDV light curves of S5 0716+714 over seven nights in the December of 2006. According to our calculations, the correlation dimension D ≈ 1.993 ? 5.178 for all of the observed data, it is implied that the IDV behaviour may be a chaotic system with some additional noise.     

Spectral Evolution of Synchrotron and Inverse Compton Emission in BL Lac Objects

With XMM–Newton observations, the X-ray spectral variations and the derived physical implications for two very high energy gamma-ray BL Lac objects PKS 2155–304 and S5 0716+714 are presented.     

OJ 287,0716+714与BL Lacertae的光变分析

OJ 287是存在着剧烈活动的低峰频BL Lac天体,其低频段的能谱与另两个TeV BL Lac天体(0716+714和BL Lacertae)在低频段的能谱很相似,但是切仑科夫望远镜却没能探测到它的TeV射线.利用这3个天体的观测数据,比较它们在22 GHz、37 GHz和B波段的最小光变周期及延迟的异同,进一步寻找没有观测到OJ 287的TeV伽马射线的可能原因.分析结果显示:(1)最小光变周期方面,OJ 287在37 GHz和B波段的周期偏小,在22 GHz,OJ 287与0716+714的结果相当,但与BL Lacertae相比要小很多,OJ 287的周期更短表明其活动性更强,却没有探测到来自OJ 287的TeV伽马射线,这表明OJ 287在TeV波段的辐射与这3个低能波段最小光变周期之间可能没有联系;(2)延迟方面,OJ 287在B波段相对于37 GHz的延迟要长于0716+714,短于BL Lacertae;在37 GHz相对于22 GHz的延迟要短于0716+714,而BL Lacertae在37 GHz相对于22 GHz的时延为负值,表明22 GHz要超前于37 GHz.通过对延迟的比较分析,并没有发现OJ 287与0716+714和BL Lacertae之间存在明显的差异;从能谱来看,很可能是由于OJ 287在TeV波段的能谱较陡造成切仑科夫望远镜没有探测到来自OJ 287的伽马辐射,但TeV能段较陡的能谱对低能段光变的影响目前还不是很清楚.     

Is the jet of AO 0235+164 rotating?

We present the VLBI map of a superluminal radio source AO 0235+164 at 5 GHz. This shows that the object's radio structure is dominated by a strong, nearly unresolved core with two extended asymmetric weak jet components. Based on the variation of its flux density with time at 5 GHz, we suggest that the flux density of AO 0235+164 exhibits two periodic variations: a shorter-period variation of 1.81±0.06 yr and a longer-period one of 3.64±0.08 yr. These two periodic variations could be the result of the joint action of jet outbursts and jet rotation.     

Correlated Radio-Optical Variations on Intraday Timescales

Correlated radio-optical variations on intraday timescales have been observed (e.g. In BLO 0716 714) and such radio intraday variability is suggested to have an intrinsic ori- gin. Recently, multi-wavelength observations, simultaneous at radio, mm-submm, optical and hard X-rays, of 0716 714, show that during a period of intraday/interday variations at ra- dio and mm wavelengths, the apparent brightness temperature of the source exceeded the Compton-limit (～1012 K) by 2--4 orders of magnitude, but no Compton catastrophe (or no high luminosity of inverse-Compton radiation) was detected. It is also found that the intra- day/interday variations at mm-submm wavelengths are consistent with the evolutionary be- havior of a standard synchrotron source and for the intraday/interday variations at centimeter wavelengths opacity effects can play a significant role, which is consistent with the interpreta- tion suggested previously by Qian et al. Thus the apparent high brightness temperatures may probably be explained in terms of Doppler boosting effects due to bulk relativistic motion of the source. We will argue a scenario to simulate the correlations between the radio and optical variations on intraday timescales observed in BLO 0716 714 in terms of a relativistic shock propagating through a jet with a dual structure.     

Analysis of Optical Variations of BL Lac Object AO 0235+164

Historical optical BVRI band data are combined on the BL Lac object AO 0235 + 164. In order to examine the possible existence of lags and correlations between variations in different optical bands from this source, a statistical analysis is performed through the Discrete Correlation Function (DCF) method. Monte Carlo simulations called Flux Redistribution/Random Subset Selection (FR/RSS) are performed to obtain statistically meaningful values for the cross-correlation time lags and their related uncertainties. The analysis confirms that the variations in different optical light curves are strongly correlated, with no or very weak lag within the errors. Long term variability of color indices are also analysed. No color variabilities are found.     

Variability of Spectral Energy Distribution of Blazar S5 0716+714

The emission from blazars is known to be variable at all wavelengths. The flux variability is often accompanied by spectral changes. Spectral energy distribution (SED) changes must be associated with changes in the spectra of emitting electrons and/or the physical parameters of the jet. Meaningful modeling of blazar broadband spectra is required to understand the extreme conditions within the emission region. Not only is the broadband SED crucial, but also information about its variability is needed to understand how the highest states of emission occur and how they differ from the low states. This may help in discriminating between models. Here we present the results of our SED modeling of the blazar S5 0716+714 during various phases of its activity. The SEDs are classified into different bins depending on the optical brightness state of the source.     

利用MUSIC算法分析BL Lac天体S5 0716+714光变周期

将基于多重信号分类的MUSIC谱估计算法引入BL Lac天体光变周期分析中.给出了MUSIC算法的基本原理,利用模拟信号检测了算法的频谱分辨率.从大量文献中收集了BL Lac天体S5 0716+714光学V、R、I 3个波段从1994年到2008年的有效观测数据,用MUSIC算法和平均周期图算法分别计算了它们的光变周期,发现存在两个主要光变周期:一个是(3.33±0.08)yr的周期,另一个是(1.24±0.01)yr的周期.对这两种算法的周期估计性能进行了比较,结果表明,MUSIC谱估计算法对样本长度要求较低,具有良好的分辨特性和抗噪声能力,能提高在样本长度较短情况下光变周期分析的准确性.     

High-dispersion Spectroscopic Observations of the T Tauri-type Stars with Weak Emission Lines

By using the 2.16 m telescope of Xinglong Observing Station of National Astronomical Observatories and its high-dispersion spectrograph, the high-dispersion spectroscopic observations of six T Tauri-type stars with weak emission lines (i.e., weak-line T Tauri-type stars, abbreviated as WTTS) were carried out. The lithium abundances of these weak-line T Tauri-type stars are calculated and the relationships of the lithium abundances with the rotation periods as well as the amplitudes of light variations of these stars are discussed. It is found by this study that the lithium abundance for the weak-line T Tauri-type stars with fast rotations tends to be less than that of those with slow rotations. However, for all these weak-line T Tauri-type stars, the lithium abundances have no conspicuous correlation with the amplitudes of light variations of these stars in the V waveband.