A Special State Transition in the Blazar OT 081: Implication for the Unified State Transition Paradigm of Different-scale Black Hole Systems

• Published in: The Astrophysical journal 2023-02, Vol.944 (1), p.12
• Main Authors: Ding, Nan, Gu, Qiusheng, Tang, Yunyong, Geng, Xiongfei, Chen, Yongyun, Guo, Xiaotong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Astrophysics; Binary systems; Black holes; Blazars; Broadband; Corona; Spectral energy distribution; Supermassive black holes; Unsteady state; X ray spectra; X-ray astronomy; X-ray fluxes
• ISSN: 0004-637X; 1538-4357
• DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/acae97

Exploring the similar behavior of black hole systems with different scales will provide insight into the unified physical laws of black hole systems. Here, we report a special spectral state transition process in blazar OT 081, which is driven by a supermassive black hole. Based on the X-ray flux versus photon index distribution, stacked average X-ray spectra, L 2500 Å − α ox parameters, and broadband spectral energy distributions, we conducted a pilot study on the spectral state transition for this blazar system. The analysis results suggest that the source transitions through a steady-state point from a strong corona, weak jet unsteady state to a weak corona, strong jet unsteady state. This state transition behavior is similar to that observed in the much smaller Galactic black hole binary systems, providing further observational evidence for the possible existence of a unified state transition paradigm for black hole systems with different scales.