Blazar OJ287 and its nano-Hertz GW emitting massive BH binary central engine

Blazars are active galactic nuclei with strong jets. They

tend to exhibit dramatic and unpredictable flux variations, namely outbursts.

Certain observed outbursts from an exceptional Blazar OJ287

can be explained by invoking a massive black hole binary as its central engine.

Detailed General Relativistic modeling allowed us to predict a major

optical outburst during November 2015. 

The outburst did occur within the expected time range, peaking on 5/12/2015.

A multi-wavelength observational campaign confirmed the  occurrence of certain 

impact flare and the presence of a major thermal component in the flare, as predicted.

These observations and subsequent analysis allowed us to establish 

the possible presence of

a spinning supermassive black hole binary that spirals in due to the emission of

nano-Hertz gravitational waves in the central engine of OJ287.

I will  briefly list our on-going efforts that should be interesting to

the Event Horizon Telescope Consortium and the International Pulsar Timing Array.

Speaker: 
A. Gopakumar (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, India)
Place: 
1st meeting room, KIAA
Time: 
Thursday, August 22, 2019 - 12:00PM to Thursday, August 22, 2019 - 1:00PM