A New Method for Processing the Correlation of Light Variation Time Delays

The method of time delay correlation function (TDCF) is a new method for calculating the sequential time delays. This method is utilized to calculate the time delays in 3 radio wave bands (4.8 GHz, 8 GHz and 14.5 GHz) of the blazar 0316 + 413 (NGC 1275) and to make the multi-band correlation analysis for other 7 blazar sources. The calculated result of the blazar 0316 + 413 shows that its light curve at 4.8 GHz lags by 410 d behind that at 8 GHz, or τ_4.8−8 = 410 d; the light curve at 4.8 GHz lags by 440 d behind that at 14.5 GHz, or τ_4.8−14.5 = 440 d; and the light curve at 8 GHz lags by 30 d behind that at 14.5 GHz, or τ_8−14.5 = 30 d. In comparison with the method of discrete correlation function (DCF), the time delay obtained by taking advantage of the TDCF method is much more rational for the multi-band correlation analysis of the 7 blazars.