Optical variability of eight FRII-type quasars with 13-yr photometric light curves

We characterize the optical variability properties of eight lobe-dominated radio quasars (QSOs): B2 0709$+$37, FBQS J095206.3$+$235245, PG 1004$+$130, [HB89] 1156$+$631, [HB89] 1425$+$267, [HB89] 1503$+$691, [HB89] 1721$+$343, 4C $+$74.26, systematically monitored for a duration of 13 years since 2009. The quasars are radio-loud objects with extended radio lobes that indicate their orientation close to the sky plane. Five of the eight QSOs are classified as giant radio quasars. All quasars showed variability during our monitoring, with magnitude variations between 0.3 and 1 mag for the least variable and the most variable QSO, respectively. We performed both structure function (SF) analysis and power spectrum density (PSD) analysis for the variability characterization and search for characteristic timescales and periodicities. As a result of our analysis, we obtained relatively steep SF slopes ($\alpha$ ranging from 0.49 to 0.75) that are consistent with the derived PSD slopes ($\sim$2--3). All the PSDs show a good fit to single power law forms, indicating a red-noise character of variability between $\sim$13 years and weeks timescales. We did not measure reliable characteristic timescales of variability from the SF analysis which indicates that the duration of the gathered data is too short to reveal them. The absence of bends in the PSDs (change of slope from $\geq$1 to $\sim$0) on longer timescales indicates that optical variations are most likely caused by thermal instabilities in the accretion disk.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJS; 17 pages, 5 figures, 5 table

Optical variability of eight FRII-type quasars with 13 yr photometric light curves

We characterize the optical variability properties of eight lobe-dominated radio quasars (QSOs): B2 0709+37, FBQS J095206.3+235245, PG 1004+130, [HB89] 1156+631, [HB89] 1425+267, [HB89] 1503+691, [HB89] 1721+343, and 4C +74.26, systematically monitored for a duration of 13 yr since 2009. The quasars are radio-loud objects with extended radio lobes that indicate their orientation close to the sky plane. Five of the eight QSOs are classified as giant radio quasars. All quasars showed variability during our monitoring, with magnitude variations between 0.3 and 1 mag for the least variable and the most variable QSOs, respectively. We performed both structure function (SF) analysis and power spectral density (PSD) analysis for the variability characterization and search for characteristic timescales and periodicities. As a result of our analysis, we obtained relatively steep SF slopes (α ranging from 0.49 to 0.75) that are consistent with the derived PSD slopes (∼2–3). All the PSDs show a good fit to single power-law forms, indicating a red-noise character of variability between timescales of ∼13 yr and weeks. We did not measure reliable characteristic timescales of variability from the SF analysis, which indicates that the duration of the gathered data is too short to reveal them. The absence of bends in the PSDs (change of slope from ≥1 to ∼0) on longer timescales indicates that optical variations are most likely caused by thermal instabilities in the accretion disk

Optical Time-Series Photometry of the Symbiotic Nova V1835 Aquilae

We present time-series CCD photometry in the $BVRI$ passbands of the recently identified symbiotic nova V1835 Aquilae (NSV 11749) over an interval of 5.1 years with 7-14 day cadence, observed during its quiescence. We find slow light variations with a range of $\sim$0.9 mag in $V$ and $\sim$0.3 mag in $I$. Analysis of these data show strong periodicity at $419 \pm 10$ days, which we interpret to be the system's orbital period. A dip in the otherwise-sinusoidal phased light curve suggests a weak ellipsoidal effect due to tidal distortion of the giant star, which in turn opens the possibility that V1835 Aql transfers some of its mass to the hot component via Roche lobe overflow rather than via a stellar wind. We also find evidence that V1835 Aql is an S-type symbiotic star, relatively free of circumstellar dust, and include it among the nuclear burning group of symbiotics. Finally, we provide photometry, periods, and light curve classifications for 22 variable stars in the field around V1835 Aql, about half of which are newly identified.Comment: Main Paper: 28 pages, 5 figures, 5 tables. Supplement: 15 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. To be published in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacifi