A characteristic optical variability time scale in jetted active galactic nuclei: a large gamma-ray emission sample
Year: 2025
Type: preprint
Abstract: The variability mechanisms from jetted AGNs are still under debate. Here the damped random walk (DRW) model, implemented through Gaussian Processe (GPs), is used to fit the $ZTF$ long-term optical light curves of 1684 $γ$-ray emission jetted AGNs. This analysis yields one of the largest samples with characteristic optical variability timescales for jetted AGNs. A single DRW model from GPs can fit the optical light curve of most jetted AGNs well/potentially well, while there are still some jetted AGNs whose light curve can not be fitted well by a single DRW model. After the jet power, proxied by gamma-ray luminosity, is introduced as a new parameter, new relationships among intrinsic variability time scales, black hole mass and jet power are discovered for efficient accretion AGNs ($τ^{\rm in} \propto M_{\rm BH}^{0.29^{+0.06}_{-0.06}}P_{\rm jet}^{-0.3^{+0.03}_{-0.03}}$ with scatter of approximately 0.09~dex) and for inefficient accretion AGNs ($τ^{\rm in} \propto M_{\rm BH}^{0.06^{+0.07}_{-0.07}}P_{\rm jet}^{0.37^{+0.11}_{-0.11}}$ with scatter of approximately 0.14~dex), respectively. Our results support that the optical variability of jetted AGNs with efficient accretion may originate within the standard accretion disk at UV emitting radii similar to non-jetted AGNs, and is directly related to the acceleration of shock in the jet and then enhanced through the beaming effect in beamed AGNs. For the jetted AGNs with inefficient accretion, the intrinsic timescale is consistent with the escape timescale of electrons.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: Xiong, Dingrong, Sun, Mouyuan, Wang, Jun-Xian, Fan, Junhui, Xue, Yongquan, Gu, Minfeng, Chen, Liang, Chen, Yongyun, Ding, Nan, Guo, Fei, Mao, Jirong, Ren, Guowei, Xue, Rui, Yan, Dahai, Yang, Shenbang, Zhang, Haiyun, Bai, Jinming
Institutions: University of Science and Technology of China, Guangzhou University, Department of Education of Guangdong Province, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Qujing Normal University, Kunming University, Yunnan Normal University, Zhejiang Normal University, Yunnan University, Kunming University of Science and Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: National Science Foundation, California Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, University of Washington, University of Warwick, Trinity College Dublin, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Stockholms Universitet, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules
OpenAlex ID: W6979287243
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