Violent Intranight Optical Variability of a Radio-Loud Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 Galaxy: SDSS J094857.3+002225

TL;DR

This study reports the first detection of violent intranight optical variability in the radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy SDSS J094857.3+002225, supporting the presence of a relativistic jet with a small viewing angle.

Contribution

First observation of rapid optical variability in a radio-loud NLS1 galaxy, confirming jet activity through intranight monitoring.

Findings

Detected optical variability amplitudes up to 0.5 mag within hours.

Provided evidence for a relativistic jet with a small viewing angle.

Supported previous multi-wavelength indications of jet presence.

Abstract

SDSS J094857.3+002225 is a very radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxy. Here, we report our discovery of the intranight optical variability (INOV) of this galaxy through the optical monitoring in the B and R bands that covered seven nights in 2009. Violent rapid variability in the optical bands was identified in this RL-NLS1 for the first time, and the amplitudes of the INOV reaches 0.5 mag in both the B and R bands on the timescale of several hours. The detection of the INOV provides a piece of strong evidence supporting the fact that the object carries a relativistic jet with a small viewing angle, which confirms the conclusion drawn from the previous multi-wavelength studies.