NOCTURNE. VI. Hour-timescale radio variability in early-stage active galactic nucleus SDSS J122844.81+501751.2

Abstract

Recently, a sample of radio-weak active galactic nuclei (AGN) was discovered to exhibit extreme Jy-level radio flares at 37~GHz. The origin of these extraordinary flares remains unknown. All sources host low-mass supermassive black holes, and most of them can be classified as narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies. We employed multiwavelength observations to investigate one of these sources, SDSS J122844.81+501751.2, during a period of high 37~GHz activity. Our data include radio observations from Metsähovi Radio Observatory (MRO) at 37~GHz, OVRO at 15~GHz, and JVLA at 15, 22, and 33~GHz, as well as optical, UV, and X-ray observations from \textit{Swift}/XRT and UVOT. We studied the variability of the multiwavelength light curves (LC) using statistical tests, as well as derived the $e$-folding timescales of the flares. Utilising the timescales and the observed flare properties, we estimated the variability brightness temperatures and Doppler factors associated with the flares. Most individual LCs do not show statistically significant variability, which is likely due to the low number of measurements. The shortest timescale we estimated is only 1.1~hours, measured between MRO 37~GHz and JVLA 33~GHz detections. This is the fastest intrinsic radio variability reported in an AGN so far. This yielded an extreme variability brightness temperature of $T_\mathrm{B}$ = 4.20 $~\times$ 10$^{18}$~K and a variability Doppler factor of 438. We discuss magnetic eruptions near the black hole as a possible explanation for the extreme radio flares, and show that both incoherent and coherent processes can produce flares at these timescales. These flares challenge our current understanding of AGN radio variability. Whereas magnetic eruptions offer a viable explanation for the flares, more observations, preferably broadband and including polarisation, will be required to confirm their origin. (abridged)