WUNA Lunch Talk:

Chelsea MacLeod

University of Washington

A Statistical Description for the Time Variability of Quasars

August 31

12:10PM, Room 230, NRAO, Edgemont Road

Abstract:

Quasars are known to vary with large amplitudes stochastically over a broad range of wavelengths and time scales. In this talk I will present results on modeling the optical continuum variability of quasars in the SDSS as a damped random walk, including the trends between variability and black hole mass, wavelength, and radio loudness. I will also briefly discuss the prospects for identifying quasars in future time domain surveys.