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Symmetric Achromatic Variability in Active Galaxies -- A Powerful New Gravitational Lensing Probe?

3 Pith papers cite this work, alongside 27 external citations. Polarity classification is still indexing.

3 Pith papers citing it
27 external citations · Pith
abstract

We report the discovery of a rare new form of long-term radio variability in the light-curves of active galaxies (AG) --- Symmetric Achromatic Variability (SAV) --- a pair of opposed and strongly skewed peaks in the radio flux density observed over a broad frequency range. We propose that SAV arises through gravitational milli-lensing when relativistically moving features in AG jets move through gravitational lensing caustics created by $10^3-10^6 \;{\rm M}_{\odot}$ subhalo condensates or black holes located within intervening galaxies. The lower end of this mass range has been inaccessible with previous gravitational lensing techniques. This new interpretation of some AG variability can easily be tested and if it passes these tests, will enable a new and powerful probe of cosmological matter distribution on these intermediate mass scales, as well as provide, for the first time, micro-arcsecond resolution of the nuclei of AG --- a factor of 30--100 greater resolution than is possible with ground-based millimeter VLBI.

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2026 1 2020 2

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representative citing papers

Constraints on Primordial Black Holes

astro-ph.CO · 2020-02-27 · accept · novelty 4.0

Updated compilation shows PBHs are tightly constrained across 55 orders of magnitude in mass, ruling out dominant dark matter contributions except in narrow windows, with many limits carrying observational uncertainties.

citing papers explorer

Showing 3 of 3 citing papers.

  • Constraining Orbital Eccentricity of a Supermassive Black Hole Binary Candidate PKS 2131-0211 astro-ph.HE · 2026-06-03 · unverdicted · none · ref 254 · internal anchor

    Bayesian fitting of an eccentric Keplerian orbit to the radio light curve of PKS 2131-021 gives e = 0.053 ± 0.015 without red noise but favors a circular orbit plus DRW noise with e < 0.15.

  • Constraints on Primordial Black Holes astro-ph.CO · 2020-02-27 · accept · none · ref 287 · internal anchor

    Updated compilation shows PBHs are tightly constrained across 55 orders of magnitude in mass, ruling out dominant dark matter contributions except in narrow windows, with many limits carrying observational uncertainties.

  • Primordial Black Holes as Dark Matter: Recent Developments astro-ph.CO · 2020-06-03 · unverdicted · none · ref 259 · internal anchor

    Primordial black holes in specific mass ranges could account for some or all dark matter while resolving structure-formation and seed problems in standard cosmology.