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J. Busche, C. Tartamella, B. Beppler (Wheeling Jesuit Univ.), D. Turnshek (Univ. of Pittsburgh)
QSOs/AGN are the most luminous (\approx1046 to 1047 ergs~s-1) continuous emitters of energy in the Universe. Their power source is believed to be matter accretion onto a super-massive black hole (MBH\approx 108 - 109 M\odot). A long-standing challenge is to deduce their physical properties (e.g. black hole mass, accretion rate) from their observed properties. A common observed property is their relatively quiescent variability on monthly time scales, however little is known about intranight variability. We present preliminary results of a pilot study of the intranight variability of quasars of various type. There is substantial evidence for variations of a few hundredths of a magnitude over hourly time scales in both the B and R bands. As the sample size increases, we will make statistical studies of the QSO/AGN variability properties using Fourier analysis, structure function analysis, and wavelet techniques.
Based on observations with the VATT: the Alice P. Lennon Telescope and the Thomas J. Bannan Astrophysics Facility. Work supported by NASA West Virginia EPSCoR.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 #2
© YEAR. The American Astronomical Soceity.