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Session 84 - QSOs and BL Lacs.
Display session, Wednesday, January 17
North Banquet Hall, Convention Center
Microvariability has been observed in a number of blazars. Even in some of the most active blazars with a history of this phenomenon, the microvariability is not always present. Even when present, the light curve does not always have the same form. Sometimes the light curve shows structure, that is a large excursion from some average value, and sometimes it does not. A number of scenarios have been proposed, but it is only by characterizing the light curve that one can discriminate among the theoretical models.
One method of analysis is a non-linear dynamical approach. If one can use the tools of chaos analysis, perhaps these light curves can be measured and characterized. Such tools would be to measure the Lyapunov exponent, and the fractal dimension, among other techniques. This paper seeks to characterize a small sample of light curves of one object alone, that of OJ 287.
