X-ray reverberation modelling of the observed UV/optical power spectra of quasars

Abstract

Over the past decade, a significant amount of effort has been put into investigating the ultraviolet (UV) and optical variability of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Comprehensive studies of intensive multi-wavelength monitoring and surveys of local and high-redshift AGNs have shown that X-ray illumination of AGN accretion discs is a potential explanation for the observed variability. Our main objective is to study the UV/optical power spectra of AGNs under the assumption of X-ray reverberation and to test whether this model can explain the observed power spectra of distant quasars. To do this, we computed the disc transfer function in the case of X-ray reverberation using a recent physical model and studied its dependence on the parameters of the model. This model allows us to explore the variability of X-ray illuminated discs under the scenario in which the X-ray corona is powered by the accretion process or by an external source. We then calculated UV/optical power spectra using the disc transfer function and assuming a bending power law for the X-ray power spectrum. We fitted our models to the observed power spectra of quasars determined by a recent power spectrum analysis of the SDSS Stripe-82 light curves. We demonstrate that X-ray reverberation can fit the power spectra of quasars in our sample well at all wavelengths, from $\sim 1300$Å up to $4000$Å. Our best-fit models imply that the X-ray corona is powered by the accretion disc, and that the black hole spin is probably lower than 0.7, while the X-ray corona height is in the range of $20 - 60 R_{g}$. This is in agreement with previous findings from the application of the X-ray reverberation model to the quasar micro-lensing disc size problem, as well as recent time-lag measurements.