Constraining the parameters of the putative supermassive binary black hole in PG 1302-102 from its radio structure

TL;DR

This study uses multi-scale radio observations to analyze the structure and dynamics of PG 1302-102, providing evidence for a supermassive binary black hole system and characterizing its jet orientation and morphology.

Contribution

It offers the first detailed radio kinematic and morphological analysis of PG 1302-102, constraining the black hole binary parameters and jet structure.

Findings

Jet inclination within ~2.2 degrees to the line of sight

Mass ratio of the black holes estimated at at least 0.08

Indications of a helical jet structure on kpc-scale

Abstract

We investigate the pc-scale kinematics and kpc-scale radio morphology of the quasar PG 1302-102, which may harbour a sub-pc separation supermassive binary black hole system at its centre as inferred from optical variability. High-resolution radio interferometric measurements obtained with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) in the Monitoring Of Jets in Active galactic nuclei with VLBA Experiments (MOJAVE) programme at 15 GHz at 20 epochs spanning 17 years were analysed to investigate the pc-scale radio structure. Archival observations with the Very Large Array (VLA) at 1.4 GHz and 5 GHz were obtained to study the kpc-scale morphology. We find that the pc-scale jet is inclined within ~2.2 deg to the line of sight and has a half-opening angle of about 0.2 deg. The parameters derived from the pc-scale radio jet are qualitatively consistent with those obtained from the analysis of the optical light curve of PG 1302-102. We obtain at least 0.08 for the mass ratio of the two black holes in the system. We find some indication for a helical jet structure on kpc-scale, but the directions of the inner and the extended radio jets are significantly different, obstructing a straightforward connection of the pc- and kpc-scale jets within the binary scenario.