Abstract
Blazar CTA 102 underwent exceptional optical and high-energy outbursts in 2012 and 2016–2017. We analyze its behaviour during these events, focusing on polarimetry as a tool that allows us to trace changes in the physical conditions and geometric configuration of the emission source close to the central black hole. We also use Fermi γ -ray data in conjunction with optical photometry in an effort to localize the origin of the outbursts.
Highlights
The importance of monitoring projects in blazar studies was clear from the discovery of these objects due to their violent variability on time scales from minutes to years
The results of our analysis of optical photometry and polarimetry of CTA 102 obtained during its outburst of 2016–2017, in conjunction with the analysis of Fermi γ-ray data, may be briefly summarized as follows:
During both outbursts there are no delays between γ-rays and optical flux variations
Summary
The importance of monitoring projects in blazar studies was clear from the discovery of these objects due to their violent variability on time scales from minutes to years. The massive Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT) campaign was undertaken during a huge CTA 102 outburst [1]. One could expect that flaring activity in this blazar will remain pronounced as long as the jet viewing angle remains small. This prediction proved to be true at the end of 2016, when CTA 102 entered a new phase of high activity that culminated in a huge outburst that far surpassed all previous recorded flares for this blazar. In this paper we report preliminary results of our photometric and polarimetric observations of CTA 102 during this unprecedented event.
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