Origin of the newly detected X-ray flares in NGC 1275

Determine whether the newly detected X-ray flares from NGC 1275 originate downstream in the relativistic jet rather than in a compact corona or accretion-related region near the supermassive black hole.

Background

The Swift/XRT observations reveal X-ray flares in NGC 1275 with approximately five-day characteristic durations and a variable spectrum consistent with a Seyfert-like power law. These properties are compatible with accretion activity in a compact corona, but the observations do not uniquely identify the emission site.

The paper also considers downstream jet processes as a possible origin, particularly because some flares in active galactic nuclei can be associated with radio or gamma-ray variability. The authors explicitly leave unresolved whether the newly detected flares arise near the black hole or farther downstream in the relativistic jet.