A sub-pc BBH system in SDSS J1609+1756 through optical QPOs in ZTF light curves

TL;DR

This paper reports the detection of robust optical quasi-periodic oscillations in the quasar SDSS J1609+1756, providing evidence for a sub-parsec binary black hole system through multi-method analysis of long-term light curves.

Contribution

It introduces a multi-method approach to reliably identify optical QPOs in AGN and links these oscillations to a sub-pc binary black hole system, supported by spectral features.

Findings

Optical QPOs with ~340-day period detected with >5σ confidence.

QPOs are unlikely due to intrinsic AGN activity, confirmed by simulations.

Estimated BBH separation is smaller than 107±60 light-days.

Abstract

Optical quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) are the most preferred signs of sub-pc binary black hole (BBH) systems in AGN. In this manuscript, robust optical QPOs are reported in quasar SDSS J1609+1756 at $z=0.347$. In order to detect reliable optical QPOs, four different methods are applied to analyze the 4.45 years-long ZTF g/r/i-band light curves of SDSS J1609+1756, direct fitting results by sine function, Generalized Lomb-Scargle periodogram, Auto-Cross Correlation Function and Weighted Wavelet Z-transform method. The Four different methods can lead to well determined reliable optical QPOs with periodicities $\sim340$ days with confidence levels higher than 5$\sigma$, to guarantee the robustness of the optical QPOs in SDSS J1609+1756. Meanwhile, based on simulated light curves through CAR process to trace intrinsic AGN activities, confidence level higher than $3\sigma$ can be confirmed that the optical QPOs are not mis-detected in intrinsic AGN activities, re-confirming the robust optical QPOs and strongly indicating a central sub-pc BBH system in SDSS J1609+1756. Furthermore, based on apparent red-shifted shoulders in broad Balmer emission lines in SDSS J1609+1756, space separation of the expected central BBH system can be estimated to be smaller than $107\pm60$ light-days, accepted upper limit of total BH mass $\sim(1.03\pm0.22)\times10^8{\rm M_\odot}$. Therefore, to detect and report BBH system expected optical QPOs with periodicities around 1 year is efficiently practicable through ZTF light curves, and combining with peculiar broad line emission features, further clues should be given on space separations of BBH systems in broad line AGN in the near future.