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arXiv · 2404.17435

Bayesian synthesis of astrometric wobble and total light curves in close binary supermassive black holes

Andjelka B. Kovacevic·Yu-Yang Songsheng·Jian-Min Wang·Luka C. Popovic
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Abstract

We test the potential of Bayesian synthesis of upcoming multi-instrument data to extract orbital parameters and individual light curves of close binary supermassive black holes (CB-SMBH) with subparsec separations. Next generation (ng) interferometers, will make possible the observation of astrometric wobbles in CB-SMBH. Combining them with periodic variable time-domain data from surveys like the Vera C. Rubin Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), allows for a more information on CB-SMBH candidates compared to standalone observational methods. Our method reliably determines binary parameters and component fluxes from binary total flux across long-term, intermediate and short-term binary dynamics and observational configurations, assuming ten annual observations, even in short period "q-accrete" objects. Expected CB-SMBH astrometric wobbles constructed from binary dynamical parameters, might serve in refining observational strategies for CB-SMBH. Combination of inferred mass ratio, light curves of binary components, and observed photocenter wobbles can be a proxy for the activity states of CB-SMBH components.

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Andjelka B. Kovacevic, Yu-Yang Songsheng, Jian-Min Wang, Luka C. Popovic. 2024-04-26. Bayesian synthesis of astrometric wobble and total light curves in close binary supermassive black holes. https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.17435

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