Detection of a quasi-periodic oscillation in gamma-ray light curve of the high redshift blazar B2 1520+31

Abstract

We detected a possible quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) of ~ 71 days in the 0.1 -- 300 GeV gamma-ray Fermi-LAT light curve of the high redshift flat spectrum radio quasar B2 1520+31. We identify and confirm that quasi-period by Lomb Scargle periodogram (LSP), and weighted wavelet z-transform (WWZ) analyses. Using this QPO period, and assuming it originates from accretion-disc fluctuations at the innermost stable circular orbit, we estimate the central supermassive black hole mass to range between ~ 5.4 * 10${}^9$ M${}_{\odot }$ for a non-rotating black hole and ~ 6.0 * 10${}^{10}$ M${}_{\odot }$ for a maximally rotating black hole. We briefly discuss other possible radio-loud active galactic nuclei emission models capable of producing a gamma-ray QPO of such a period in a blazar.

6 pages, 4 figures, Submitted to MNRAS