The man behind the curtain: X-rays drive the UV through NIR variability in the 2013 active galactic nucleus outburst in NGC 2617

B. J. Shappee; J. L. Prieto; D. Grupe; C. S. Kochanek; K. Z. Stanek; G. De Rosa; S. Mathur; Y. Zu; B. M. Peterson; R. W. Pogge; S. Komossa; M. Im; J. Jencson; T. W.S. Holoien; U. Basu; J. F. Beacom; D. M. Szczygieł; J. Brimacombe; S. Adams; A. Campillay; C. Choi; C. Contreras; M. Dietrich; M. Dubberley; M. Elphick; S. Foale; M. Giustini; C. Gonzalez; E. Hawkins; D. A. Howell; E. Y. Hsiao; M. Koss; K. M. Leighly; N. Morrell; D. Mudd; D. Mullins; J. M. Nugent; J. Parrent; M. M. Phillips; G. Pojmanski; W. Rosing; R. Ross; D. Sand; D. M. Terndrup; S. Valenti; Z. Walker; Y. Yoon

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/788/1/48

The man behind the curtain: X-rays drive the UV through NIR variability in the 2013 active galactic nucleus outburst in NGC 2617

B. J. Shappee, J. L. Prieto, D. Grupe, C. S. Kochanek, K. Z. Stanek, G. De Rosa, S. Mathur, Y. Zu, B. M. Peterson, R. W. Pogge, S. Komossa, M. Im, J. Jencson, T. W.S. Holoien, U. Basu, J. F. Beacom, D. M. Szczygieł, J. Brimacombe, S. Adams, A. CampillayC. Choi, C. Contreras, M. Dietrich, M. Dubberley, M. Elphick, S. Foale, M. Giustini, C. Gonzalez, E. Hawkins, D. A. Howell, E. Y. Hsiao, M. Koss, K. M. Leighly, N. Morrell, D. Mudd, D. Mullins, J. M. Nugent, J. Parrent, M. M. Phillips, G. Pojmanski, W. Rosing, R. Ross, D. Sand, D. M. Terndrup, S. Valenti, Z. Walker, Y. Yoon

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Abstract

After the All-Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae discovered a significant brightening of the inner region of NGC 2617, we began a ∼70 day photometric and spectroscopic monitoring campaign from the X-ray through near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. We report that NGC 2617 went through a dramatic outburst, during which its X-ray flux increased by over an order of magnitude followed by an increase of its optical/ultraviolet (UV) continuum flux by almost an order of magnitude. NGC 2617, classified as a Seyfert 1.8 galaxy in 2003, is now a Seyfert 1 due to the appearance of broad optical emission lines and a continuum blue bump. Such "changing look active galactic nuclei (AGNs)" are rare and provide us with important insights about AGN physics. Based on the Hβ line width and the radius-luminosity relation, we estimate the mass of central black hole (BH) to be (4 ± 1) × 10⁷ M . When we cross-correlate the light curves, we find that the disk emission lags the X-rays, with the lag becoming longer as we move from the UV (2-3 days) to the NIR (6-9 days). Also, the NIR is more heavily temporally smoothed than the UV. This can largely be explained by a simple model of a thermally emitting thin disk around a BH of the estimated mass that is illuminated by the observed, variable X-ray fluxes.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	48
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	788
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/788/1/48
State	Published - Jun 10 2014
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

galaxies: Seyfert
galaxies: active
galaxies: nuclei
line: formation
line: profiles

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1088/0004-637X/788/1/48

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Shappee, B. J., Prieto, J. L., Grupe, D., Kochanek, C. S., Stanek, K. Z., De Rosa, G., Mathur, S., Zu, Y., Peterson, B. M., Pogge, R. W., Komossa, S., Im, M., Jencson, J., Holoien, T. W. S., Basu, U., Beacom, J. F., Szczygieł, D. M., Brimacombe, J., Adams, S., ... Yoon, Y. (2014). The man behind the curtain: X-rays drive the UV through NIR variability in the 2013 active galactic nucleus outburst in NGC 2617. Astrophysical Journal, 788(1), Article 48. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/788/1/48

Shappee, BJ, Prieto, JL, Grupe, D, Kochanek, CS, Stanek, KZ, De Rosa, G, Mathur, S, Zu, Y, Peterson, BM, Pogge, RW, Komossa, S, Im, M, Jencson, J, Holoien, TWS, Basu, U, Beacom, JF, Szczygieł, DM, Brimacombe, J, Adams, S, Campillay, A, Choi, C, Contreras, C, Dietrich, M, Dubberley, M, Elphick, M, Foale, S, Giustini, M, Gonzalez, C, Hawkins, E, Howell, DA, Hsiao, EY, Koss, M, Leighly, KM, Morrell, N, Mudd, D, Mullins, D, Nugent, JM, Parrent, J, Phillips, MM, Pojmanski, G, Rosing, W, Ross, R, Sand, D, Terndrup, DM, Valenti, S, Walker, Z & Yoon, Y 2014, 'The man behind the curtain: X-rays drive the UV through NIR variability in the 2013 active galactic nucleus outburst in NGC 2617', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 788, no. 1, 48. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/788/1/48

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title = "The man behind the curtain: X-rays drive the UV through NIR variability in the 2013 active galactic nucleus outburst in NGC 2617",

abstract = "After the All-Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae discovered a significant brightening of the inner region of NGC 2617, we began a ∼70 day photometric and spectroscopic monitoring campaign from the X-ray through near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. We report that NGC 2617 went through a dramatic outburst, during which its X-ray flux increased by over an order of magnitude followed by an increase of its optical/ultraviolet (UV) continuum flux by almost an order of magnitude. NGC 2617, classified as a Seyfert 1.8 galaxy in 2003, is now a Seyfert 1 due to the appearance of broad optical emission lines and a continuum blue bump. Such {"}changing look active galactic nuclei (AGNs){"} are rare and provide us with important insights about AGN physics. Based on the Hβ line width and the radius-luminosity relation, we estimate the mass of central black hole (BH) to be (4 ± 1) × 107 M . When we cross-correlate the light curves, we find that the disk emission lags the X-rays, with the lag becoming longer as we move from the UV (2-3 days) to the NIR (6-9 days). Also, the NIR is more heavily temporally smoothed than the UV. This can largely be explained by a simple model of a thermally emitting thin disk around a BH of the estimated mass that is illuminated by the observed, variable X-ray fluxes.",

keywords = "galaxies: Seyfert, galaxies: active, galaxies: nuclei, line: formation, line: profiles",

author = "Shappee, {B. J.} and Prieto, {J. L.} and D. Grupe and Kochanek, {C. S.} and Stanek, {K. Z.} and {De Rosa}, G. and S. Mathur and Y. Zu and Peterson, {B. M.} and Pogge, {R. W.} and S. Komossa and M. Im and J. Jencson and Holoien, {T. W.S.} and U. Basu and Beacom, {J. F.} and Szczygie{\l}, {D. M.} and J. Brimacombe and S. Adams and A. Campillay and C. Choi and C. Contreras and M. Dietrich and M. Dubberley and M. Elphick and S. Foale and M. Giustini and C. Gonzalez and E. Hawkins and Howell, {D. A.} and Hsiao, {E. Y.} and M. Koss and Leighly, {K. M.} and N. Morrell and D. Mudd and D. Mullins and Nugent, {J. M.} and J. Parrent and Phillips, {M. M.} and G. Pojmanski and W. Rosing and R. Ross and D. Sand and Terndrup, {D. M.} and S. Valenti and Z. Walker and Y. Yoon",

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doi = "10.1088/0004-637X/788/1/48",

language = "English (US)",

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T2 - X-rays drive the UV through NIR variability in the 2013 active galactic nucleus outburst in NGC 2617

AU - Shappee, B. J.

AU - Prieto, J. L.

AU - Grupe, D.

AU - Kochanek, C. S.

AU - Stanek, K. Z.

AU - De Rosa, G.

AU - Mathur, S.

AU - Zu, Y.

AU - Peterson, B. M.

AU - Pogge, R. W.

AU - Komossa, S.

AU - Im, M.

AU - Jencson, J.

AU - Holoien, T. W.S.

AU - Basu, U.

AU - Beacom, J. F.

AU - Szczygieł, D. M.

AU - Brimacombe, J.

AU - Adams, S.

AU - Campillay, A.

AU - Choi, C.

AU - Contreras, C.

AU - Dietrich, M.

AU - Dubberley, M.

AU - Elphick, M.

AU - Foale, S.

AU - Giustini, M.

AU - Gonzalez, C.

AU - Hawkins, E.

AU - Howell, D. A.

AU - Hsiao, E. Y.

AU - Koss, M.

AU - Leighly, K. M.

AU - Morrell, N.

AU - Mudd, D.

AU - Mullins, D.

AU - Nugent, J. M.

AU - Parrent, J.

AU - Phillips, M. M.

AU - Pojmanski, G.

AU - Rosing, W.

AU - Ross, R.

AU - Sand, D.

AU - Terndrup, D. M.

AU - Valenti, S.

AU - Walker, Z.

AU - Yoon, Y.

PY - 2014/6/10

Y1 - 2014/6/10

N2 - After the All-Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae discovered a significant brightening of the inner region of NGC 2617, we began a ∼70 day photometric and spectroscopic monitoring campaign from the X-ray through near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. We report that NGC 2617 went through a dramatic outburst, during which its X-ray flux increased by over an order of magnitude followed by an increase of its optical/ultraviolet (UV) continuum flux by almost an order of magnitude. NGC 2617, classified as a Seyfert 1.8 galaxy in 2003, is now a Seyfert 1 due to the appearance of broad optical emission lines and a continuum blue bump. Such "changing look active galactic nuclei (AGNs)" are rare and provide us with important insights about AGN physics. Based on the Hβ line width and the radius-luminosity relation, we estimate the mass of central black hole (BH) to be (4 ± 1) × 107 M . When we cross-correlate the light curves, we find that the disk emission lags the X-rays, with the lag becoming longer as we move from the UV (2-3 days) to the NIR (6-9 days). Also, the NIR is more heavily temporally smoothed than the UV. This can largely be explained by a simple model of a thermally emitting thin disk around a BH of the estimated mass that is illuminated by the observed, variable X-ray fluxes.

AB - After the All-Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae discovered a significant brightening of the inner region of NGC 2617, we began a ∼70 day photometric and spectroscopic monitoring campaign from the X-ray through near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. We report that NGC 2617 went through a dramatic outburst, during which its X-ray flux increased by over an order of magnitude followed by an increase of its optical/ultraviolet (UV) continuum flux by almost an order of magnitude. NGC 2617, classified as a Seyfert 1.8 galaxy in 2003, is now a Seyfert 1 due to the appearance of broad optical emission lines and a continuum blue bump. Such "changing look active galactic nuclei (AGNs)" are rare and provide us with important insights about AGN physics. Based on the Hβ line width and the radius-luminosity relation, we estimate the mass of central black hole (BH) to be (4 ± 1) × 107 M . When we cross-correlate the light curves, we find that the disk emission lags the X-rays, with the lag becoming longer as we move from the UV (2-3 days) to the NIR (6-9 days). Also, the NIR is more heavily temporally smoothed than the UV. This can largely be explained by a simple model of a thermally emitting thin disk around a BH of the estimated mass that is illuminated by the observed, variable X-ray fluxes.

KW - galaxies: Seyfert

KW - galaxies: active

KW - galaxies: nuclei

KW - line: formation

KW - line: profiles

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ER -

The man behind the curtain: X-rays drive the UV through NIR variability in the 2013 active galactic nucleus outburst in NGC 2617

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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