The Fermi-LAT view of the changing-look blazar OQ 334

¹ Department of Physics, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650092, PR China
e-mail: ynzyg@ynu.edu.cn
² Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong 264209, PR China
³ School of Physics and Electrical Engineering, Liupanshui Normal University, Liupanshui, Guizhou 553004, PR China
e-mail: kangshiju@alumni.hust.edu.cn
⁴ Department of Astronomy, School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China

Received: 29 June 2023
Accepted: 10 February 2024

Abstract

Context. Unusually, there are still certain characteristics of the changing-look (CL) active galactic nuclei (AGNs) that remain undetected. Consequently, the trigger mechanism behind the CL phenomenon observed in partial AGNs remains unknown.

Aims. We explore the light curve and spectral energy distribution (SED) of the CL blazar OQ 334 as obtained by Fermi-LAT.

Methods. By examining the variability of the equivalent width (EW), we categorise the Fermi-LAT light curves of OQ 334 during the epoch of MJD 54628−58677 into seven distinct epochs, including the flat spectrum radio quasar (FSRQ) state, the transition state, and the BL Lac state. We obtained both a Fermi-LAT SED and a multi-wavelength SED for each of these distinct epochs.

Results. The source exhibits a transformation from a quiescent state to a highly active state, as evidenced by the variability of the EW. The multi-wavelength SEDs display a prominent external Compton characteristic, even though the Fermi-LAT SED reveals both a FSRQ and a BL Lac state across the seven different epochs. To gain further insights, we employed a leptonic model that takes into account the soft photon fields originating from both synchrotron radiation and the external environment. By simulating the multi-wavelength SEDs for each epoch, we uncover the following results. Firstly, the energy density of the external photon fields evolves in an oscillatory manner over the seven different epochs. Also, the energy density of the external photon fields in the BL Lac state is lower than that in the FSRQ state.

Conclusions. These findings suggest that the CL blazar represents a unique phase in the blazar sequence. Considering that the energy density of the external photon fields is proportional to the accretion rate, we propose that evidence for the interconversion of advection-dominated accretion flow (ADAF) discs and standard Shakura–Sunyaev discs (SSDs), – as variations in accretion modes in the CL blazar – can be obtained through observations by Fermi-LAT.