Searching for Short Term Variable Active Galactic Nuclei: A Vital Step Towards Using AGN as Standard Candles
Abstract
Current models for accretion disk sizes of active galactic nuclei (AGN) do not match the limited observational data available, so there is an active need from the modeling community for many more accretion disk/dusty torus reverberation mapping campaigns with which to better calibrate models. Since short term variable AGN can be more easily monitored for reverberation mapping than long term variable AGN, they can begin to provide data more quickly. This project looked for short term variable AGN in the Young Stellar Object Variability (YSOVAR) survey conducted using the Spitzer Space Telescope. The YSOVAR survey targeted 12 nearby star forming regions for repeated observations. Potential AGN from the YSOVAR data were first selected by color ([3.6] - [4.5] > 0.4) and then by magnitude (m < 14) based on previous Spitzer surveys of known AGN. Since AGN share some similar color characteristics with young stars, images of each YSOVAR region were viewed to remove potential objects near concentrations of known young stellar objects since these were likely also YSOs. The spectral energy distribution (SED) for each remaining potential AGN was then examined for AGN like characteristics. Several potential short term variable AGN were found.
- Publication:
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American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #229
- Pub Date:
- January 2017
- Bibcode:
- 2017AAS...22925037K