Wavelet Analysis of AGN X-Ray Time Series: A QPO in 3C 273?

Quasi-periodic signals have yielded important constraints on the masses of black holes in galactic X-ray binaries, and here we extend this to active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We employ a wavelet technique to analyze 19 observations of 10 AGNs obtained with the XMM-Newton EPIC pn camera. We report the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Astrophysical journal 2008-05, Vol.679 (1), p.182-193
Main Authors: Espaillat, C, Bregman, J, Hughes, P, Lloyd-Davies, E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Astronomy
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
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Summary:Quasi-periodic signals have yielded important constraints on the masses of black holes in galactic X-ray binaries, and here we extend this to active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We employ a wavelet technique to analyze 19 observations of 10 AGNs obtained with the XMM-Newton EPIC pn camera. We report the detection of a candidate 3.3 ks quasi period in 3C 273. If this period represents an orbital timescale originating near a last stable orbit of 3R sub(s), it implies a central black hole mass of [image] M sub([image]). For a maximally rotating black hole with a last stable orbit of 0.6[image], a central black hole mass of [image] M sub([image]) is implied. Both of these estimates are substantially lower than previous reverberation-mapping results, which place the central black hole mass of 3C 273 at about [image] M sub([image]). Assuming that this reverberation mass is correct, the X-ray quasi period would be caused by a higher order oscillatory mode of the accretion disk.
ISSN:0004-637X
1538-4357
DOI:10.1086/587023