ABSTRACT. We present analysis of both the short-term optical and long-term multiwavelength variability of CTA 102. In 2004, this object was observed in an intense optical flaring state. Extensive R-band microvariability observations were carried out during this high state. In 2005, we obtained several weeks of contemporaneous radio, optical, and X-ray observations of CTA 102. These observations recorded distinct flaring activity in all three wavebands. Subsequent analysis revealed that this object may appear redder when in a brighter optical state, and that the X-ray, optical, and radio activity do not appear to be correlated. The shape of the observed spectral energy distributions suggests that both synchrotron-related and external inverse Compton processes may contribute to the X-ray emission. Our results are also compared to other results on this object and archival microvariability observations. It appears that more rapid, dramatic microvariability events occur when CTA 102 is in an elevated optical flux state.

Key words: galaxies: active; galaxies: individual (CTA 102)

Print publication: Issue 6 (2009 December)
Received 2009 July 28, accepted for publication 2009 October 9
Published 2009 November 5