Name of the Speaker(s): Alberto C. Sadun1,
P. Boltwood 2
Institution:1Agnes Scott College, 2Boltwood Observatory
Title of the communication:
The Nature of Microvariability--A Chaos Analysis
Preliminary abstract (12 lines max.):
A number of blazars have exhibited microvariability, yet even in the same source
there can be periods of great activity and lesser activity. And, the microvariability does
not show any obvious or characteristic form. Thus far, a number of speculative models
have been proposed to account for such microvariability, but they have not been too
specific. By characterizing the light curve one should be able to discriminate better among
the models, constrain them further, and provide better detail for them.
One approach is a nonlinear one. More specifically, if one can use the tools of
chaos analysis, such light curves can be measured and characterized. Principle among the
various techniques, we have found that the measurement of the fractal dimension
correlates well to the activity of the blazars. This paper seeks to characterize a set of light
curves all taken from one object alone, that of OJ 287.
