1. Primary Black Hole Spin In Oj 287 As Determined By The General Relativity Centenary Flare
- Author
-
Valtonen, M. J., Zola, S., Ciprini, S., Gopakumar, A., Matsumoto, K., Sadakane, K., Kidger, M., Gazeas, K., Nilsson, K., Berdyugin, A., Piirola, V., Jermak, H., Baliyan, K. S., Alicavus, F., Boyd, D., Campas Torrent, M., Campos, F., Carrillo Gomez, J., Caton, D. B., and Chavushyan, V.
- Subjects
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology ,Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena - 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, chi = 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.
- Published
- 2016