Optical variability of the very radio-loud narrow line Seyfert 1 galaxy, 1H 0323+342

Abstract

ABSTRACT 1H 0323+342 is optically one of the nearest and brightest very radio-loud narrow line Seyfert 1 galaxies (vRL NLSy1). It is also one of the first vRL NLSy1s detected at gamma-ray energies by the Fermi-LAT. We report the results of monitoring the optical flux of 1H 0323+342 during more than six and a half years. In some cases, we, for the first time, simultaneously use two telescopes to monitor the optical flux of 1H 0323+342 on time-scales ranging from minutes to hours, demonstrating the reality of low amplitude microvariability whole events with durations of a few hours for this object. Based on the present results, as well as those of earlier studies, we suggest that this represents a fundamental time-scale associated with the underlying source region We also present an enhancement of Howell’s comparison star method for detecting microvariability.