Monitoring 192 of the Brightest Northern Blazars for Variability

POSTER

Abstract

Blazars, a subclass of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), are characterized by a jet of particles which originate from the torus of a supermassive black hole and point along our line of sight. On occasion these objects are known to flare, or greatly increase in intensity. Little is understood about the exact flaring mechanism. Using our Remote Observatory for Variable Object Research (ROVOR), we monitored 192 of these objects using both V and R Johnson broadband spectral filters from July 2015 to August 2016. We present the results of this program. By comparing the data we gathered to previously found data on each object, we can estimate how often these flares happen.

Authors

  • Lauren Hindman

    Brigham Young University

  • William Stockwell

    Logan High School, University of Tsukuba, Department of Physics, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, Division of Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Utah Valley University, University of New Mexico, Brigham Young University, Moxtek, INC, New Mexico State University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge TN 37830, USA, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of Newcastle, University of Sydney, Brigham Young University Provo, Rice University, Perimeter Institute and University of Guelph, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, France, Texas A&M University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Valencia, Spain, None, University of Texas at El Paso, Universidad Simon Bolivar, Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez, Brigham Young University - Provo, Morgan High School - Morgan, UT, Utah State University, University of Tsukaba, Chemistry Research Center, US Air Force Academy, USAFA, JILA, University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Physics, Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, Department of Orthopedics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Colorado State University, National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University \& New Mexico State University,, National Institute of Standards and Technology Center for Neutron Research, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, U of Utah, NMSU, Division of Engineering, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Chemical Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA, INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbrucken, Germany, Department of Physics, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, 7996, UTEP, Arizona State University, The University of Texas at El Paso, none, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Division of Engineering, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Department of Physics, Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, Division of Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Texas A&M University, Commerce,TX-75428, USA., INFN, Sezione di Pisa, Largo Pontecorvo 3, 56127 Pisa, Italy, Texas A&M University Commerce, Commerce, Texas-75429, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Commerce, Texas 75429, USA, Cyclotron Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA, Department of Physics, University of Texas at El Paso, University of Delaware, IIT INDORE, UT AUSTIN, Idaho Accelerator Center, Brigham Young University, Physics and Astronomy, Univesidad de Guanajuato, Fermilab, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, RadiaSoft, LLC, Weber State University, University of Texas at Dallas, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA, Howard University