OVV quasar

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Artist's impression of the optically violent variable quasar 3C 279.[1]

An optically violent variable quasar, abbreviated OVV quasar, is a type of highly variable quasar that is now often known as a flat-spectrum radio quasar.[2] It is a subtype of blazar that consists of a few rare, bright radio galaxies, whose visible light output can change by 50% in a day.[3] OVV quasars have essentially become unified with highly polarized quasars (HPQ), core-dominated quasars (CDQ), and flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQ).[4] At visible wavelengths, they are similar in appearance to BL Lac objects but generally have stronger broad emission lines.

Different terms are used, but the term FSRQ is gaining popularity, effectively making the other terms archaic. The term FSRQ comes from the distinction between steep spectrum and flat spectrum radio-loud quasars, based on the overall shape of their radio continuum (after disregarding emission features).[5]

Examples

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References

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  1. ^ "APEX takes part in sharpest observation ever". ESO Press Release. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  2. ^ Padovani, Paolo; Giommi, Paolo; Fiore, Fabrizio (January 1997). "Are the X-ray spectra of flat-spectrum radio quasars and BL Lacertae objects different?". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 284 (3): 569–575. arXiv:astro-ph/9610093. Bibcode:1997MNRAS.284..569P. doi:10.1093/mnras/284.3.569.
  3. ^ Darling, David J. (2004). The universal book of astronomy: from the Andromeda Galaxy to the zone of avoidance. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. ISBN 978-0-471-26569-6.
  4. ^ Urry, C. Megan; Padovani, Paolo (September 1995). "Unified Schemes for Radio-Loud Active Galactic Nuclei". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 107: 803. arXiv:astro-ph/9506063. Bibcode:1995PASP..107..803U. doi:10.1086/133630. S2CID 17198955.
  5. ^ Urry, C. Megan; Padovani, Paolo (September 1995). "Observed properties and empirical classification of AGN". Unified schemes for radio-loud Active Galactic Nuclei. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. Vol. 107. pp. 803–845. arXiv:astro-ph/9506063. doi:10.1086/133630. Retrieved 2025-11-16.


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