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A possible close supermassive black-hole binary in a quasar with optical periodicity

Author

Listed:
  • Matthew J. Graham

    (California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard)

  • S. G. Djorgovski

    (California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard)

  • Daniel Stern

    (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, California 91109, USA)

  • Eilat Glikman

    (Middlebury College)

  • Andrew J. Drake

    (California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard)

  • Ashish A. Mahabal

    (California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard)

  • Ciro Donalek

    (California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard)

  • Steve Larson

    (Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, 1629 East University Boulevard)

  • Eric Christensen

    (Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, 1629 East University Boulevard)

Abstract

A search of a data set of light curves for 247,000 known, spectroscopically confirmed quasars with a temporal baseline of about 9 years reveals a strong, smooth periodic signal in the optical variability of quasar PG 1302−102 with a mean observed period of 1,884 ± 88 days, indicating a possible supermassive black-hole binary.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthew J. Graham & S. G. Djorgovski & Daniel Stern & Eilat Glikman & Andrew J. Drake & Ashish A. Mahabal & Ciro Donalek & Steve Larson & Eric Christensen, 2015. "A possible close supermassive black-hole binary in a quasar with optical periodicity," Nature, Nature, vol. 518(7537), pages 74-76, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:518:y:2015:i:7537:d:10.1038_nature14143
    DOI: 10.1038/nature14143
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