Magnetic flux inversion in a peculiar changing look AGN

Abstract

We argue that the changing-look event in the active galactic nucleus 1ES 1927+654, followed by a dip of 3 orders of magnitude in the X-ray luminosity, is controlled by a change in the accretion rate and an inversion of magnetic flux in a magnetically arrested disk (MAD). Before the changing-look event, strong magnetic flux on the black hole powers X-ray emission via the Blandford-Znajek process while the UV emission is produced by a radiatively inefficient magnetized disk. An advection event, bringing flux of the opposite polarity, propagates inward leading, first, to a rise in the UV/optical luminosity and, then, to a dip in the X-ray luminosity when it reaches the black hole. We estimate the timescale for magnetic flux advection and find that the observed timescale between the beginning of the changing-look event and the minimum in the X-ray luminosity, $\approx 200$ days, is in agreement with the time needed to cancel the magnetic flux in a MAD extending to $\approx 180r_g$. Although flux inversion events might be rare due to the large ratio of flux-to-mass that is needed, we argue that AGN showing an unusually high ratio of X-ray to UV luminosity are prime candidates for such events. We also suggest that similar events may lead to jet interruptions in radio-loud objects.

Submitted to MNRAS Letters. 5 pages, 1 Figure

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Cited by in corpus (8)

• The Host Galaxy and Rapidly Evolving Broad-line Region in the Changing-look Active Galactic Nucleus 1ES 1927+654
• A Transient "Changing-look'' Active Galactic Nucleus Resolved on Month Timescales from First-year Sloan Digital Sky Survey V Data
• A magnetic accretion disk-outflow model for changing look active galactic nuclei
• Investigating Changing-Look Active Galactic Nuclei with Long-term Optical and X-Ray Observations
• The origin of the vanishing soft X-ray excess in the changing-look Active Galactic Nucleus Mrk 590
• A kinetic model of jet-corona coupling in accreting black holes
• A radio, optical, UV and X-ray view of the enigmatic changing look Active Galactic Nucleus 1ES~1927+654 from its pre- to post-flare states
• A magnetically-supported disk-corona model for Changing-Look AGN transitions