OJ 287 - Binary pair of supermassive black holes

TLDR: In this paper, a historical light curve of the BL Lacertae object OJ 287 is constructed in the optical V band using observations between 1890 and the present using a computer simulation, and probable masses of 5 billion solar and 20 million solar are determined for the two objects based on indirect evidence.

Abstract: A historical light curve of the BL Lacertae object OJ 287 is constructed in the optical V band using observations between 1890 and the present The curve exhibits periodic outbursts at intervals of 116 yr or 9 yr The individual outbursts show an initial maximum with decaying submaxima at intervals of about 1 month It is proposed that these characteristics are caused by a binary in the nucleus of OJ 287, with the binary members having an accretion disk around them The outbursts at 9-yr intervals would be caused by the tidal action of the companion on the disk of the larger black hole A computer simulation is used to demonstrate that the inflow into the center of such a disk during the repeated periastron passages of a companion will produce an outburst similar to the ones observed Based on indirect evidence, probable masses of 5 billion solar and 20 million solar are determined for the two objects 38 references