PKS 0537-286 (referred to QSO 0537-286), also known as QSO B0537-286, is a quasar located in the constellation Columba. With a redshift of 3.104, the object is located 11.4 billion light years away[1] and belongs to the flat spectrum radio quasar blazar subclass (FSQR).[2] It is one of the most luminous known high-redshift quasars.[3]

PKS 0537-286
PKS 0537-286 taken by DESI Legacy Surveys
Observation data (J2000.0 epoch)
ConstellationColumba
Right ascension05h 39m 54.281s
Declination-28d 39m 55.95s
Redshift3.104000
Heliocentric radial velocity930,556 km/s
Distance11.4 Gly (light travel time distance)
Apparent magnitude (V)0.54
Apparent magnitude (B)0.43
Surface brightness18.1
Characteristics
TypeFSQR;Blazar
Other designations
PMN J0539-2839, BZQ J0539-2839, PGC 2824447, MRC 0537-286, NVSS J053954-283956, PKS B0537-286, OG -263, TXS 0537-286, 2FGL 0539.3-2841, IRCF J053954.2-283955, 2XMM J053954.2-283956, RX J0539.9-2839

Observation history

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First detected at radio frequencies in 1975, PKS 0537-286 was observed at X-rays by the Einstein observatory.[4] It was later studied by ASCA,[5] ROSAT,[6] XMM[7] and subsequently Swift.[8] These observations showed PKS 0537-286 as extremely luminous quasar ( Lx=1047 erg s−1 in the 0.1-2 keV range) with a particularly hard spectrum (r = 1 measured by Swift/BAT), which in the γ-ray band, it shows an energy flux of (1.44 ± 0.006) × 10−11 erg cm−2 s−1 in the fourth catalogue of Fermi-LAT active galactic nuclei.[9] A weak iron K emission line and reflection features is also found in PKS 0537-286. Moreover, Sowards-Emmerd et al. (2004)[10] identified the quasar as probable counterpart of the EGRET source 3EG J0531-2940.[11]

Characteristics

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PKS 0537-286 is the brightest blazar beyond z = 3.0.[2] It shows characteristic properties of blazars, such as (rapid variability, strong polarization and high brightness) which are widely attributed to a powerful relativistic jet oriented close to the line of sight.[12]

Moreover, in several occasions, γ-ray flares were observed when the daily flux was above 10−6 photon cm−2 s−1. This makes PKS 0537-286 the most distant γ-ray flaring blazar.[13] The broad-band emission from PKS 0537-286 was successfully modelled within a one-zone synchrotron and external inverse Compton scenario where the excess in optical and ultraviolet bands was interpreted as emission from bright thermal accretion disc.[2] Moreover, PKS 0537-286 shows an emission redshift of 3.11, a prominent absorption system at a redshift of 2.976, and a strong discontinuity at the Lyman-continuum edge in the absorption system.[3]

Supermassive black hole

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The central supermassive black hole in PKS 0537-286 is among one of the largest and heaviest black holes known, with a high accretion rate.[14] Based on a study published in 2010, the black hole contains a solar mass of 2 x 109.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "Your NED Search Results". ned.ipac.caltech.edu. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
  2. ^ a b c Bottacini, E.; Ajello, M.; Greiner, J.; Pian, E.; Rau, A.; Palazzi, E.; Covino, S.; Ghisellini, G.; Krühler, T.; Yoldaş, A. Küpcü; Cappelluti, N.; Afonso, P. (2010-01-01). "PKS 0537-286, carrying the information of the environment of SMBHs in the early Universe". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 509: A69. arXiv:0910.2463. Bibcode:2010A&A...509A..69B. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200913260. ISSN 0004-6361.
  3. ^ a b Wright, A. E.; Peterson, B. A.; Jauncey, D. L.; Condon, J. J. (1978-12-01). "PKS 0537-286: a high-redshift QSO with an extreme Lyman-continuum cutoff". The Astrophysical Journal. 226: L61–L64. Bibcode:1978ApJ...226L..61W. doi:10.1086/182831. ISSN 0004-637X.
  4. ^ Zamorani, G.; Henry, J. P.; Maccacaro, T.; Tananbaum, H.; Soltan, A.; Avni, Y.; Liebert, J.; Stocke, J.; Strittmatter, P. A.; Weymann, R. J.; Smith, M. G.; Condon, J. J. (1981-04-01). "X-ray studies of quasars with the Einstein Observatory II". The Astrophysical Journal. 245: 357–374. Bibcode:1981ApJ...245..357Z. doi:10.1086/158815. ISSN 0004-637X.
  5. ^ Cappi, M.; Matsuoka, M.; Comastri, A.; Brinkmann, W.; Elvis, M.; Palumbo, G. G. C.; Vignali, C. (1997-03-01). "ASCA and ROSAT X-Ray Spectra of High-Redshift Radio-loud Quasars". The Astrophysical Journal. 478 (2): 492–510. arXiv:astro-ph/9610204. Bibcode:1997ApJ...478..492C. doi:10.1086/303817. ISSN 0004-637X.
  6. ^ Fiore, Fabrizio; Elvis, Martin; Giommi, Paolo; Padovani, Paolo (1998-01-01). "X-Ray Spectral Survey of WGACAT Quasars. I. Spectral Evolution and Low-Energy Cutoffs". The Astrophysical Journal. 492 (1): 79–90. arXiv:astro-ph/9708049. Bibcode:1998ApJ...492...79F. doi:10.1086/305024. ISSN 0004-637X.
  7. ^ Turner, M. J. L.; Abbey, A.; Arnaud, M.; Balasini, M.; Barbera, M.; Belsole, E.; Bennie, P. J.; Bernard, J. P.; Bignami, G. F.; Boer, M.; Briel, U.; Butler, I.; Cara, C.; Chabaud, C.; Cole, R. (2001-01-01). "The European Photon Imaging Camera on XMM-Newton: The MOS cameras". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 365 (1): L27–L35. arXiv:astro-ph/0011498. Bibcode:2001A&A...365L..27T. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20000087. ISSN 0004-6361.
  8. ^ Sambruna, R. M.; Tavecchio, F.; Ghisellini, G.; Donato, D.; Holland, S. T.; Markwardt, C. B.; Tueller, J.; Mushotzky, R. F. (2007-11-01). "Swift Observations of High-Redshift Radio-loud Quasars". The Astrophysical Journal. 669 (2): 884–892. arXiv:0707.2925. Bibcode:2007ApJ...669..884S. doi:10.1086/521694. ISSN 0004-637X.
  9. ^ Abdollahi, S.; Acero, F.; Baldini, L.; Ballet, J.; Bastieri, D.; Bellazzini, R.; Berenji, B.; Berretta, A.; Bissaldi, E.; Blandford, R. D.; Bloom, E.; Bonino, R.; Brill, A.; Britto, R. J.; Bruel, P. (2022-06-01). "Incremental Fermi Large Area Telescope Fourth Source Catalog". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 260 (2): 53. arXiv:2201.11184. Bibcode:2022ApJS..260...53A. doi:10.3847/1538-4365/ac6751. ISSN 0067-0049.
  10. ^ Sowards-Emmerd, David; Romani, Roger W.; Michelson, Peter F.; Ulvestad, James S. (2004-07-01). "Blazar Counterparts for 3EG Sources at -40°". The Astrophysical Journal. 609 (2): 564–575. arXiv:astro-ph/0403692. Bibcode:2004ApJ...609..564S. doi:10.1086/421239. ISSN 0004-637X.
  11. ^ Hartman, R. C.; Bertsch, D. L.; Bloom, S. D.; Chen, A. W.; Deines-Jones, P.; Esposito, J. A.; Fichtel, C. E.; Friedlander, D. P.; Hunter, S. D.; McDonald, L. M.; Sreekumar, P.; Thompson, D. J.; Jones, B. B.; Lin, Y. C.; Michelson, P. F. (1999-07-01). "The Third EGRET Catalog of High-Energy Gamma-Ray Sources". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 123 (1): 79–202. Bibcode:1999ApJS..123...79H. doi:10.1086/313231. hdl:2060/19980237754. ISSN 0067-0049.
  12. ^ Jolley, E. J. D.; Kuncic, Z.; Bicknell, G. V.; Wagner, S. (2009-12-01). "Accretion discs in blazars". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 400 (3): 1521–1526. arXiv:0908.2337. Bibcode:2009MNRAS.400.1521J. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15554.x. ISSN 0035-8711.
  13. ^ Li, Shang; Xia, Zi-Qing; Liang, Yun-Feng; Liao, Neng-Hui; Fan, Yi-Zhong (2018-02-01). "Fast γ-Ray Variability in Blazars beyond Redshift 3". The Astrophysical Journal. 853 (2): 159. arXiv:1710.02904. Bibcode:2018ApJ...853..159L. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aaa3fb. ISSN 0004-637X.
  14. ^ Jolley, E. J. D.; Kuncic, Z.; Bicknell, G. V.; Wagner, S. (2009-12-01). "Accretion discs in blazars". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 400 (3): 1521–1526. arXiv:0908.2337. Bibcode:2009MNRAS.400.1521J. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15554.x. ISSN 0035-8711.
  15. ^ Ghisellini, G.; Ceca, R. Della; Volonteri, M.; Ghirlanda, G.; Tavecchio, F.; Foschini, L.; Tagliaferri, G.; Haardt, F.; Pareschi, G.; Grindlay, J. (March 2010). "Chasing the heaviest black holes of jetted active galactic nuclei". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 405 (1): 387. arXiv:0912.0001. Bibcode:2010MNRAS.405..387G. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.16449.x. ISSN 0035-8711.