Primary Black Hole Spin in OJ 287 as Determined by the General Relativity Centenary Flare
Date Issued
2016
Author(s)
Valtonen, M. J.
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Zola, S.
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Ciprini, S.
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Gopakumar, A.
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Matsumoto, K.
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Sadakane, K.
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Kidger, M.
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Gazeas, K.
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Nilsson, K.
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Berdyugin, A.
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Piirola, V.
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Jermak, H.
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Baliyan, K. S.
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Alicavus, F.
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Boyd, D.
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Campas Torrent, M.
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Campos, F.
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Carrillo Gómez, J.
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Caton, D. B.
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Chavushyan, V.
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Dalessio, J.
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Debski, B.
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Dimitrov, D.
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Drozdz, M.
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Er, H.
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Erdem, A.
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Escartin Pérez, A.
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Fallah Ramazani, V.
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Filippenko, A. V.
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Ganesh, S.
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Garcia, F.
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Gómez Pinilla, F.
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Gopinathan, M.
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Haislip, J. B.
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Hudec, R.
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Hurst, G.
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Ivarsen, K. M.
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Jelinek, M.
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Joshi, A.
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Kagitani, M.
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Kaur, N.
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Keel, W. C.
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LaCluyze, A. P.
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Lee, B. C.
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Lindfors, E.
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Lozano de Haro, J.
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Moore, J. P.
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Mugrauer, M.
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Naves Nogues, R.
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Neely, A. W.
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Nelson, R. H.
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Ogloza, W.
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Okano, S.
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Pandey, J. C.
•
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Pihajoki, P.
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Poyner, G.
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Provencal, J.
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Pursimo, T.
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Raj, A.
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Reichart, D. E.
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Reinthal, R.
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Sadegi, S.
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Sakanoi, T.
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Salto González, J. -L.
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Sameer
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Schweyer, T.
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Siwak, M.
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Soldán Alfaro, F. C.
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Sonbas, E.
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Steele, I.
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Stocke, J. T.
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Strobl, J.
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Takalo, L. O.
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Tomov, T.
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Tremosa Espasa, L.
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Valdes, J. R.
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Valero Pérez, J.
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Webb, J. R.
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Yoneda, M.
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Zejmo, M.
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Zheng, W.
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Telting, J.
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Saario, J.
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Reynolds, T.
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Kvammen, A.
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Gafton, E.
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Karjalainen, R.
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Harmanen, J.
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Blay, P.
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.
Volume
819
Issue
2
Start page
L37
Issn Identifier
2041-8205
Ads BibCode
2016ApJ...819L..37V
Rights
open.access
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