Multi-waveband quasi-periodic oscillations in the light curves of blazar CTA 102 during its 2016-2017 optical outburst

TL;DR

This study detects significant quasi-periodic oscillations with a period of about 7.6 days in the optical and gamma-ray light curves of blazar CTA 102 during its 2016-2017 flare, suggesting a helical emission region inside the jet.

Contribution

The paper provides the first detailed analysis confirming quasi-periodic oscillations in CTA 102's flux during a major flare using multiple statistical methods.

Findings

Significant QPOs with a period of ~7.6 days were detected.

QPOs persisted for approximately 8 cycles during the flare.

The most plausible origin is a helical emission region within the jet.

Abstract

Quasi-periodic fluctuations in the light curves of blazars can provide insight into the underlying emission process. This type of flux modulation hints at periodic physical processes that result in emission. CTA 102, a flat spectrum radio quasar at $z=1.032$, has displayed significant activity since 2016. The multi-waveband light curve of CTA 102 shows signs of quasi-periodic oscillations during the 2016-2017 flare. Our goal is to quantify the presence of any periodicity in the emitted flux during the mentioned period and to explore the causes that can give rise to it. Techniques such as the Lomb-Scargle periodogram and weighted wavelet z-transform were employed to observe the power emitted at different frequencies. To quantify the significance of the dominant period, Monte-Carlo techniques were employed considering an underlying smooth bending power-law model for the power spectrum. In addition, the light curve was modeled using an autoregressive process to analytically obtain the significance of the dominant period. Lastly, the light curve was modeled using a generalized autoregressive integrated moving average process to check whether introducing a periodic component results in a statistically preferable model. Significant, simultaneous quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) were observed in the $\gamma$-ray and optical fluxes of blazar CTA 102 during its 2016-2017 flare. The periodic flux modulation had a dominant period of $\sim$ 7.6 days and lasted for $\sim$ 8 cycles (MJD 57710-57770). All of the methods used point toward significant ($>4\sigma$) quasi-periodic modulation in both $\gamma$-ray and optical fluxes. Several possible models were explored while probing the origin of the periodicity, and by extension, the 2016--2017 optical flare. The best explanation for the detected QPO appears to be a region of enhanced emission, moving helically inside the jet.