Detection of Quasi-periodic Oscillations in the $\gamma$-Ray Light Curve of 4FGL J0309.9-6058

TL;DR

This paper reports the first detection of a quasi-periodic oscillation in the gamma-ray light curve of 4FGL J0309.9-6058, using multiple analytical methods, and suggests it is caused by a precessing jet.

Contribution

First detection of gamma-ray QPO in 4FGL J0309.9-6058 using diverse analysis techniques and validation with Gaussian Process.

Findings

QPO period of approximately 550 days.

QPO significance exceeds 3σ locally.

Time lag indicates separate emission regions.

Abstract

In this work, we report, for the first time, a quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) in the $\gamma$-ray band of 4FGL J0309.9-6058, also known as PKS 0308-611. We employed three analytical methods (the Lomb-Scargle periodogram, REDFIT, and the weighted wavelet Z-transform) to analyze the QPO signal using \textit{Fermi} $\gamma$-ray light curve data. The analysis reveals a potential QPO during MJD 57983$-$60503, with a period of approximately 550 days and a maximum local significance of 3.72$\sigma$ and global significance of 2.72$\sigma$ derived from the WWZ analysis. To validate this result, we applied Gaussian Process (GP) to the same light curve, which independently confirms the presence of QPO signal consistent with our Fourier-based results. We further extended the analysis to the full duration of the \textit{Fermi} observations, and the results consistently support and strengthen the presence of this QPO signal. Additionally, a time lag between the optical and $\gamma$-ray bands indicates separate emission regions for these two bands. Given the year-like timescale of the QPO signal and the fact that a QPO signal with local significance over 3$\sigma$ for full \textit{Fermi}-LAT observed time, we suggest that the QPO is most likely caused by a precessing jet.