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Valtonen, MJ, Zola, S, Ciprini, S, Gopakumar, A, Matsumoto, K, Sadakane, K, Kidger, M, Gazeas, K, Nilsson, K, Berdyugin, A, Piirola, V, Jermak, HE, Baliyan, KS, Alicavus, F, Boyd, D, Campas Torrent, M, Campos, F, Carrillo Gomez, J, Caton, DB, Chavushyan, V et al (2016) PRIMARY BLACK HOLE SPIN IN OJ 287 AS DETERMINED BY THE GENERAL RELATIVITY CENTENARY FLARE. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS, 819 (2). ISSN 2041-8205
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Abstract
OJ 287 is a quasi-periodic quasar with roughly 12 year optical cycles. It displays prominent outbursts that are predictable in a binary black hole model. The model predicted a major optical outburst in 2015 December. We found that the outburst did occur within the expected time range, peaking on 2015 December 5 at magnitude 12.9 in the optical R-band. Based on Swift/XRT satellite measurements and optical polarization data, we find that it included a major thermal component. Its timing provides an accurate estimate for the spin of the primary black hole, $\chi =0.313\pm 0.01$. The present outburst also confirms the established general relativistic properties of the system such as the loss of orbital energy to gravitational radiation at the 2% accuracy level, and it opens up the possibility of testing the black hole no-hair theorem with 10% accuracy during the present decade.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | 0201 Astronomical And Space Sciences |
| Subjects: | Q Science > QB Astronomy |
| Divisions: | Astrophysics Research Institute |
| Publisher: | IOP PUBLISHING LTD |
| Related URLs: | |
| Date of acceptance: | 24 February 2016 |
| Date of first compliant Open Access: | 5 April 2016 |
| Date Deposited: | 05 Apr 2016 12:49 |
| Last Modified: | 04 Sep 2021 13:04 |
| DOI or ID number: | 10.3847/2041-8205/819/2/L37 |
| URI: | https://ljmu-9.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/3385 |
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