B1 Non-refereed article in a scientific journal
No Missing Flare in OJ 287
Authors: Valtonen, Mauri J.
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Publication year: 2024
Journal: Research Notes of the AAS
Journal name in source: Research Notes of the AAS
Article number: 276
Volume: 8
eISSN: 2515-5172
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3847/2515-5172/ad8d5e(external)
Web address : http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/2515-5172/ad8d5e(external)
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/459259221(external)
Preprint address: https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.00908(external)
The quasar OJ 287 has shown large flares since 1888, following a pattern that arises in a supermassive black hole binary when the secondary hits the accretion disk of the primary, and releases a hot bubble of gas at every disk crossing. A complete mathematical solution of the flare sequence produced a list of future flares, the latest happening in the summer of 2022. Here I look into the origin of the idea that the lack of seeing the 2022 flare is a theoretical problem. During the summer OJ 287 cannot be observed by ground-based optical telescopes. In a paper published in 2021, ahead of the 2022 observing campaign, this was clearly stated. The often repeated claim that there is a "missing flare problem," is a misunderstanding, as no detection was possible with the current instrumentation.
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