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X-ray light curves of active galactic nuclei are phase incoherent

Publication ,  Journal Article
Krolik, J; Done, C; Madejski, G
Published in: Astrophys. J. (USA)
1993

The authors compute the Fourier phase spectra for the light curves of five low-luminosity active galactic nuclei observed by EXOSAT. There is no statistically significant phase coherence in any of them. This statement is equivalent, subject to a technical caveat, to a demonstration that their fluctuation statistics are Gaussian. Models in which the X-ray output is controlled wholly by a unitary process undergoing a nonlinear limit cycle are therefore ruled out, while models with either a large number of randomly excited independent oscillation modes or nonlinearly interacting spatially dependent oscillations are favored. The authors also demonstrate how the degree of phase coherence in light curve fluctuations influences the application of causality bounds on internal length scales

Duke Scholars

Published In

Astrophys. J. (USA)

DOI

Publication Date

1993

Volume

402

Issue

2

Start / End Page

432 / 440

Related Subject Headings

  • Astronomy & Astrophysics
  • 5109 Space sciences
  • 5107 Particle and high energy physics
  • 5101 Astronomical sciences
  • 0306 Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
  • 0202 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
  • 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences
 

Citation

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Krolik, J., Done, C., & Madejski, G. (1993). X-ray light curves of active galactic nuclei are phase incoherent. Astrophys. J. (USA), 402(2), 432–440. https://doi.org/10.1086/172148
Krolik, J., C. Done, and G. Madejski. “X-ray light curves of active galactic nuclei are phase incoherent.” Astrophys. J. (USA) 402, no. 2 (1993): 432–40. https://doi.org/10.1086/172148.
Krolik J, Done C, Madejski G. X-ray light curves of active galactic nuclei are phase incoherent. Astrophys J (USA). 1993;402(2):432–40.
Krolik, J., et al. “X-ray light curves of active galactic nuclei are phase incoherent.” Astrophys. J. (USA), vol. 402, no. 2, 1993, pp. 432–40. Manual, doi:10.1086/172148.
Krolik J, Done C, Madejski G. X-ray light curves of active galactic nuclei are phase incoherent. Astrophys J (USA). 1993;402(2):432–440.

Published In

Astrophys. J. (USA)

DOI

Publication Date

1993

Volume

402

Issue

2

Start / End Page

432 / 440

Related Subject Headings

  • Astronomy & Astrophysics
  • 5109 Space sciences
  • 5107 Particle and high energy physics
  • 5101 Astronomical sciences
  • 0306 Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
  • 0202 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
  • 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences