Abstract
OJ287 (0851 + 20) is one of a small group of quasar-like objects, the BL Lac group. It has a featureless optical nonthermal continuum, a relatively flat radio spectrum, a high degree of linear polarization at radio and optical wavelengths, it is extremely compact and displays a strong rapid variability at all wavelengths. Rapid variations in the optical flux of OJ287 with a period of about 40 min were observed by Visvanathan and Elliot1 and by Frohlich et al.2. At 1.25 µm even more rapid but non-periodic variations were reported by Wolstencroft et al.3. We report here observations of rapid and strong variations in the degree of linear polarization of the optical flux of OJ287. We conclude that if the radiation observed from the variable component was of synchrotron nature, then there must be a high degree of relativistic beaming in OJ287. On the other hand, if the variable flux is assumed to be the inverse-Compton scattered flux and relativistic effects are not invoked, OJ287 must have a very compact central source, probably a black-hole accretion-disk system.
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References
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Kulshrestha, A., Joshi, U. & Deshpande, M. Rapid variability in optical polarization of the quasar-like object OJ287. Nature 311, 733–734 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/311733a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/311733a0
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