The Close AGN Reference Survey (CARS): Mrk 1018 halts dimming and experiences strong short-term variability

Abstract

After changing optical AGN type from 1.9 to 1 in 1984, the AGN Mrk 1018 recently reverted back to its type 1.9 state. Our ongoing monitoring now reveals that the AGN has halted its dramatic dimming, reaching a minimum around October 2016. The minimum was followed by an outburst rising with $\sim$0.25 U-band mag/month. The rebrightening lasted at least until February 2017, as confirmed by joint Chandra and Hubble observations. Monitoring was resumed in July 2017 after the source emerged from sunblock, at which point the AGN was found only $\sim$0.4 mag brighter than its minimum. The intermittent outburst was accompanied by the appearance of a red wing asymmetry in broad-line shape, indicative of an inhomogeneous broad-line region. The current flickering brightness of Mrk 1018 following its rapid fading either suggests that the source has reignited, remains variable at a low level, or may continue dimming over the next few years. Distinguishing between these possibilities requires continuous multiwavelength monitoring.

5 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, accepted as letter for publication in A&A

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Cited by in corpus (11)

• The Time Domain Spectroscopic Survey: Changing-Look Quasar Candidates from Multi-Epoch Spectroscopy in SDSS-IV
• The 450 days X-ray monitoring of the changing-look AGN 1ES 1927+654
• The dust-gas AGN torus as constrained from X-ray and mid-infrared observations
• The Close AGN Reference Survey (CARS): IFU survey data and the BH mass dependence of long-term AGN variability
• The SOUX AGN sample: Optical/UV/X-ray SEDs and the nature of the disc
• Long-term and multi-wavelength evolution of a changing-look AGN Mrk 1018
• Gemini Imaging of the Host Galaxies of Changing-Look Quasars
• Local Active Galactic Nuclei with Large Broad-Hα Variability Reside in Red Galaxies
• Spectropolarimetry of the changing-look active galactic nucleus Mrk 1018
• Still alive and kicking: A significant outburst in changing-look AGN Mrk 1018
• SkyMapper colours of Seyfert galaxies and Changing-Look AGN