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Researchers analyzed multi-wavelength observations of the blazar S5 1044+71 and confirmed a quasi-periodic oscillation in its gamma-ray emissions with a cycle of approximately 3 years. The data from multiple telescopes and observatories spanning gamma-ray, X-ray, optical, ultraviolet, and infrared wavelengths show correlated variations consistent with a precessing jet model, where the relativistic jet from the supermassive black hole wobbles like a spinning top. The successful modeling of this precession provides geometric constraints on the black hole system and confirms S5 1044+71 as a typical blazar with gamma-ray emission originating beyond the broad-line region.
Why it matters
This study provides direct observational evidence for jet precession in supermassive black holes, helping astronomers understand the mechanics and geometry of these extreme cosmic phenomena. The multi-wavelength correlations and lack of significant time lags between different energy bands offer important constraints for theoretical models of blazar emission mechanisms.
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⚠️ Preprint – Noch nicht peer-reviewed
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Abstract: The bright gamma-ray blazar S5 1044+71 has been identified as showing very significant quasi-periodic oscillations in the Fermi-LAT data in recent studies, with a periodicity of about 3 years. With the completion of a new gamma-ray cycle, we aim to revisit the periodicity in Fermi-LAT data, and analyze all available multi-wavelength (MWL) data to search for possible correlations and time-lags. These observations will be used to test for the compatibility of the observed periodicity with a precessing jet from the supermassive black hole. We analyze data from Fermi-LAT, NuSTAR, Swift, AstroSat, ASAS-SN, ZTF, Pan-STARRS, and NEOWISE. In addition we present an analysis from historical observations from Palomar and Pulkovo. Single-band spectral variability, MWL correlations, and cross-correlations are computed. We then model the Fermi-LAT light curve with a precessing jet model, providing constraints on the geometry of the system and the evolution of the Doppler factor. The latter is used as a geometrical constraint in the modeling of the spectral energy distributions. We confirm previous claims on the existence of a periodic gamma-ray signal. We detect significant spectral variability in gamma-ray, X-rays, and optical/UV data. We detect significant correlation between low-energy (infrared/optical/ultraviolet) data and gamma-rays, with a correlation index of about 1; the correlation between X-rays and gamma-ray is milder, with a correlation index of about 0.3. We do not detect any significant time-lag between bands. The Fermi-LAT light curve is successfully fit by a precessing jet model. The fit to the spectral energy distributions indicate that S5 1044+71 is a typical blazar, in which the gamma-ray emission is located beyond the broad-line region. All MWL observations we present in this work are consistent with the existence of a precessing relativistic jet from the supermassive black hole.
Source: A precessing jet from a supermassive black hole: multi-wavelength observations of S5 1044+71