Multimessenger Picture of J1048+7143*

Abstract

We draw a multimessenger picture of J1048+7143, a flat-spectrum radio quasar known to show quasiperiodic oscillations in the γ-ray regime. We generate the adaptively binned Fermi Large Area Telescope light curve of this source above 168 MeV to find three major γ-ray flares of the source, such that each of the three flares consists of two sharp subflares. Based on radio interferometric imaging data taken with the Very Large Array, we find that the kiloparsec-scale jet is directed west, while our analysis of 8.6 GHz very long baseline interferometry data, mostly taken with the Very Long Baseline Array, revealed signatures of two parsec-scale jets, one pointing east, one pointing south. We suggest that the misalignment of the kiloparsec- and parsec-scale jets is a revealing signature of jet precession. We also analyze the 5 GHz total flux density curve of J1048+7143 taken with the Nanshan (Ur) and RATAN-600 single-dish radio telescopes and find two complete radio flares, lagging slightly behind the γ-ray flares. We model the timing of γ-ray flares as a signature of the spin–orbit precession in a supermassive black hole binary, and find that the binary could merge in the next ∼60–80 yr. We show that both pulsar timing arrays and the planned Laser Interferometer Space Antenna lack sensitivity and frequency coverage to detect the hypothetical supermassive black hole binary in J1048+7143. We argue that the identification of sources similar to J1048+7143 plays a key role in revealing periodic high-energy sources in the distant universe.

Follow-up on the Supermassive Black Hole Binary Candidate J1048+7143: Successful Prediction of the Next Gamma-Ray Flare and Refined Binary Parameters in the Framework of the Jet Precession Model

“…The region of interest with a 15°radius was centered at the J2000 sky coordinates of 4FGL J1048.4+7143. We extended our previous analysis published in Kun et al (2022b) by adding Fermi-LAT data in the time range from 2022 March 14 to 2023 June 4 (MJD 59635-60099) in the energy range 100 MeV-800 GeV. Now our analysis covers almost 15 yr between 2008 August 4 and 2023 June 4.…”

“…We repeated the same binned likelihood analysis of Fermi-LAT data for the time range MJD 59635-60099 as we did earlier (Kun et al 2022b). Technical details of the analysis chain can be found in that work.…”

“…In Kun et al (2022b), we analyzed and modeled the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) light curve of the blazar J1048 +7143, and concluded that the multiwavelength behavior of this source is compatible with the spin-orbit precession of an SMBBH (Gergely & Biermann 2009) in the heart of the galaxy. This active galactic nucleus (AGN) indeed belongs to a group of blazars that reveal precession-induced variability (see Britzen et al 2023, and references therein).…”

Neutrino Cadence of TXS 0506+056 Consistent with Supermassive Binary Origin

“…We apply this model of a precessing jet to the case of TXS 0506+056 and shortly summarize the model here. We base our calculations in the model presented in Kun et al (2022), which is an extension of the model presented in de Bruijn et al (2020). Here, it is assumed that there is a jet that is oriented along the dominant spin of the SMBBH, which is given by an angle f as a function of the remaining time until the binary coalescence, ΔT GW .…”

“…The angle f covers the range 0°-360°in one spin-orbit precession period and is defined to be in the plane perpendicular to the total angular momentum. We slightly modified the model of de Bruijn et al (2020; which in turn was based on earlier work by Gergely & Biermann 2009) as described in Kun et al (2022). The resulting description of the angle f as a function of ΔT GW and the mass ratio of the two black holes with the heavier mass m 1 and the lighter mass m 2 , q = m 2 /m 1 , is given as…”