Abstract:
PKS 1510-089, a highly active flat-spectrum radio quasar, known for its frequent flaring activity across the electromagnetic spectrum. We present a decade-long analysis of its flux variability in optical bands and γ-rays, focusing on the non-thermal dominance parameter, Hβ and Hγ lines, and the λ 5100 Å continuum. We examine the Hβ flux and full width at half maximum (FWHM), along with the λ 5100 Å continuum light curves to assess whether the primary source of continuum emission is the accretion disk or the jet during different activity periods. Our results highlight that jet emission dominates the continuum during flare-like episodes. We obtain an approximately 80 day delay between the Hβ and continuum emissions, which we interpret as the spatial separation between the optical emission region and the broad-line region (BLR). Near-zero delays between optical and near-infrared bands indicate co-spatial emission within the jet. Synchrotron self-Compton is identified as the dominant γ-ray mechanism during flares, supported by minimal delays with optical/NIR emission. A persistent anticorrelation between the Hβ FWHM and luminosity reveals a "breathing-BLR" effect, independent of whether ionization arises from the disk or jet. This relation also holds between Hβ FWHM and λ 5100 Å luminosity during disk-dominated phases, suggesting that the emission line arises mostly from the canonical virialized BLR. Moreover, jet-related λ 5100 Å flares coincide with Hβ flares, suggesting the jet base lies within the BLR. From 219 disk-dominated spectra, we estimate a mean black hole mass of MBH=(2.85±0.37)×108 M☉. This study sheds light on the jet-BLR connection in PKS 1510-089, enhancing our understanding of blazar emission.
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; García-Pérez, A.
