Primary Black Hole Spin in OJ 287 as Determined by the General Relativity Centenary Flare
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, χ =0.313+/- 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.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- March 2016
- DOI:
- 10.3847/2041-8205/819/2/L37
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1603.04171
- Bibcode:
- 2016ApJ...819L..37V
- Keywords:
-
- black hole physics;
- quasars: general;
- quasars: individual: OJ 287;
- quasars: supermassive black holes;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
- E-Print:
- ApJ, 819, L37 (2016)