THE QUASAR PG1302-102 EXHIBITS PERIODIC OPTICAL VARIABILITY AND WAS IDENTIFIED AS A SUB-PC SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE BINARY (SMBHB) CANDIDATE. IF PG1302 CONSISTS OF AN UNEQUAL-MASS SMBHB THE RELATIVISTIC MOTION OF THE SECONDARY BH WILL PRODUCE STRONG DOPPLER MODULATIONS EVEN IF THE REST-FRAME LUMINOSITY IS CONSTANT. THIS EFFECT CAN EXPLAIN THE VARIABILITY IN OPTICAL UV AND X-RAYS (INCLUDING OUR OBSERVATIONS FROM CYCLE 13). HOWEVER THE UV/X-RAY LIGHT CURVES ARE SPARSE AND GIVEN THE 5YR PERIOD OF PG1302 ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS ARE NEEDED. WE PROPOSE TO CONTINUE MULTI-WAVELENGTH MONITORING OF PG1302 WITH UVOT AND XRT TO ROBUSTLY TEST THE RELATIVISTIC BOOST HYPOTHESIS. SWIFT IS UNIQUELY SUITED TO PERFORM THIS TEST AS IT CAN COVER THE OPTICAL UV AND X-RAY BANDS SIMULTANEOUSLY.
$33,000FY2020National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNASA
The Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York