A γ-ray Quasi-periodic Modulation in the Blazar PKS 0301–243?
- Key Laboratory of Dark Matter and Space Astronomy, Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008 (China)
- Yunnan Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650011 (China)
- Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 80 Nandan Road, Shanghai 200030 (China)
- Key Laboratory of Astroparticle Physics of Yunnan Province, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091 (China)
We report a nominally high-confidence γ-ray quasi-periodic modulation in the blazar PKS 0301–243. For this target, we analyze its Fermi-LAT Pass 8 data from 2008 August to 2017 May. Two techniques, i.e., maximum likelihood optimization and exposure-weighted aperture photometry, are used to build the γ-ray light curves. Then, both the Lomb–Scargle periodogram and the weighted wavelet Z-transform are applied to the light curves to search for period signals. A quasi-periodicity with a period of 2.1 ± 0.3 yr appears at the significance level of ∼5σ, although it should be noted that this putative quasi-period variability is seen in a data set that is barely four times longer. We speculate that this γ-ray quasi-periodic modulation may be evidence of a binary supermassive black hole.
- OSTI ID:
- 22875918
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 845, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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