Variability in active galactic nuclei

Abstract

This talk explored variability in active galactic nuclei (AGN) for a variety of scales across the time domain. From billion-year-scale intermittency to a quasi-periodic oscillation signal with a period of one hour, time-varying signals offer insights into a myriad of complex processes driven by the AGN central engine. Athough the era of time-domain observations of AGN across the spectrum has but just begun, already observations reveal the rich detail of phenomena associated with actively accreting black holes which challenge theoretical models. © 2012 International Astronomical Union.