Helical jets in blazars

2004/02/24 by L. Ostorero, M. Villata, C. M. Raiteri · 10 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #Neutrino Physics Research #Radio Astronomy Observations and Technology #astro-ph

paper · pdf · doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20035813

published as Astron.Astrophys. 419 (2004) 913-925 · 14 pages, 7 eps figures, 1 jpg figure, A&A, in press

arxiv created 2004/02/24 · openalex publication_date 2004/05/07 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2022/10/03 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31

Abstract

The long-term variability of the multiwavelength blazar emission can be interpreted in terms of orientation variations of a helical, inhomogeneous, non-thermally emitting jet, possibly caused by the orbital motion of the parent black hole in a binary system (Villata & Raiteri [CITE]). The helical-jet model is here applied to explain the quasi-periodic radio-optical light curves and the broad-band spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of the BL Lac object AO 0235+16. Through a suitable choice of the model parameters, the helix rotation can well account for the periodicity of the main radio and optical outbursts and for the corresponding SED variability, while the interspersed minor radio events could be interpreted as due either to some local distortions of the helical structure or to other phenomena contributing to the source emission. In particular, the probable existence of flow instabilities provides a viable interpretation for the non-periodic features.

Citations

• UBVRI photometry. II - The Cousins VRI system, its temperature and absolute flux calibration, and relevance for two-dimensional photometry

Cited by

• The nature of optical and near-infrared variability of BL Lacertae
• Harmonic QPOs and Thick Accretion Disk Oscillations in the BL Lacertae Object AO 0235+164
• Supermassive binary black holes among cosmic gamma-ray sources
• Multifrequency variability of the blazar AO 0235+164
• The correlated optical and radio variability of BL Lacertae
• Quasi-periodic oscillations in the long-term radio light curves of the blazar AO 0235+164
• Tidal Disruption of Stellar Objects by Hard Supermassive Black Hole Binaries
• A precessing jet from a supermassive black hole: multi-wavelength observations of S5 1044+71
• VSOP Monitoring of the Compact BL Lac Object AO 0235+164
• The complex variability of blazars: time-scales and periodicity analysis in S4 0954+65