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A 34.5 day quasi-periodic oscillation in γ-ray emission from the blazar PKS 2247–131

Author

Listed:
  • Jianeng Zhou

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Zhongxiang Wang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Liang Chen

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Paul J. Wiita

    (The College of New Jersey)

  • Jithesh Vadakkumthani

    (Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics)

  • Nidia Morrell

    (Carnegie Observatories)

  • Pengfei Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jujia Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

Since 2016 October, the active galaxy PKS 2247−131 has undergone a γ-ray outburst, which we studied using data obtained with the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. The emission arises from a relativistic jet in PKS 2247−131, as an optical spectrum only shows a few weak absorption lines, typical of the BL Lacertae sub-class of the blazar class of active galactic nuclei. Here we report a ≃34.5 day quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) in the emission after the initial flux peak of the outburst. Compared to one-year time-scale QPOs, previously identified in blazars in Fermi energies, PKS 2247−131 exhibits the first clear case of a relatively short, month-like oscillation. We show that this QPO can be explained in terms of a helical structure in the jet, where the viewing angle to the dominant emission region in the jet undergoes periodic changes. The time scale of the QPO suggests the presence of binary supermassive black holes in PKS 2247−131.

Suggested Citation

  • Jianeng Zhou & Zhongxiang Wang & Liang Chen & Paul J. Wiita & Jithesh Vadakkumthani & Nidia Morrell & Pengfei Zhang & Jujia Zhang, 2018. "A 34.5 day quasi-periodic oscillation in γ-ray emission from the blazar PKS 2247–131," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-6, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-07103-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07103-2
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