# Long-term Variation of AGNs

## 1 Introduction

The nature of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is still an open problem. The study of AGN variability, such as periodicity analysis, of light curves, can yield valuable information about their nature and the implications for quasar modeling are extremely important. Photometric observations of AGNs are important to construct their light curves and to study their variation behavior on different time scales. In this poster, we present both historical data and new observations for PKS0735+178, OJ287, and BL Lacertae and discuss long-term variations.

## 2 Periodicity Analysis

### 2.1 PKS 0735+178

PKS 0735+178 has been observed for $``$ 90 years in the optical (Fan et al. 1997, A&AS, 125, 525; Ap&SS, 249, 269 ) and $``$ 20 years in infrared band (Lin & Fan 1998, Ap&SS, in press). Largest amplitude of $`\mathrm{\Delta }B=4^m.6`$, $`J=2^m.47`$, $`\mathrm{\Delta }H=2^m.30`$, and $`\mathrm{\Delta }K=2^m.40`$ and color index of $`BV=0.55\pm 0.16`$; $`BI=1.55\pm 0.22`$; $`BU=0.58\pm 0.10`$; $`BR=0.99\pm 0.15`$ have been found. Two periodicity analysis including Jurkevich analysis show that there is a 14.2 (or 28.69)-year period in the B light curve (see Fan et al. 1997a,b). DCF analysis shows that the variations in the optical and near-IR are strongly correlated (Lin & Fan 1998, Ap&SS, in press).

### 2.2 0851+202, OJ287

OJ 287 has been observed for more than 100 years in optical and two dozens of years in infrared. The optical light curve shows a $``$12-year period (Sillanpaa et al. 1988, ApJ, 325, 628). DCF analysis shows that the opt/IR varaitions are strongly correlated, the variations ($`\mathrm{\Delta }U=4^m.72`$; $`\mathrm{\Delta }B=5^m.93`$; $`\mathrm{\Delta }V=5^m.18`$; $`\mathrm{\Delta }R=4^m.45`$; $`\mathrm{\Delta }I=4^m.07`$; $`\mathrm{\Delta }J=3^m.87`$; $`\mathrm{\Delta }H=3^m.78`$; $`\mathrm{\Delta }K=3^m.54`$) and color index ( $`UB=0.60\pm 0.14`$; $`BV=0.46\pm 0.17`$; $`BI=1.42\pm 0.25`$; $`VR=0.48\pm 0.14`$; $`VI=0.98\pm 0.22`$; $`RI=0.56\pm 0.12`$; $`JH=0.82\pm 0.16`$; $`HK=0.88\pm 0.14`$; $`JK=1.70\pm 0.19`$) are found (see Fan et al. 1998b, A&AS, in press). The largest amplitude variations give $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_\lambda =(2.24\pm 0.29)log\lambda +(4.20\pm 0.002)`$

### 2.3 BL Lacertae

BL Lacertae has been observed for more than 100 years in the optical (Fan et al. 1998a) and $``$20 years in IR (Fan et al. 1998c, A&AS, in press). Variations of $`\mathrm{\Delta }U=5^m.12`$, $`\mathrm{\Delta }B=5^m.31`$, $`\mathrm{\Delta }V=4^m.73`$, $`\mathrm{\Delta }R=2^m.73`$, $`\mathrm{\Delta }I=2^m.54`$, $`\mathrm{\Delta }J=2^m.29`$, $`\mathrm{\Delta }H=2^m.42`$, $`\mathrm{\Delta }K=2^m.93`$ are found from the light curves. A 14-year period is found in the B light curve (Fan et al. 1998a).

## 3 Infrared variation

BL Lacertae objects show variations at all frequencies, the variations in the infrared are as comparable as those in the optical for well observed objects. It is common for J-K to be correlated with J-H and H-K but not for J-H and H-K. From the compilation, we found that the positive correlation between color index and magnitude do not always hold. Some objects (0138-097, 0735+178, 0537-441, 0851+202, 1215+303, 1219+285, 1749+096, 0215+015) show a positive correlation between magnitude and color index suggesting that the spectrum flattens when the source brightens while others (0754+100, 1147+245, 1418+546, 1727+502) show an opposite behaviour.

The averaged color index and redshift are found positively correlated.

JHF thanks Prof. Roland Bacon, the director of observatoire de Lyon to support him to attend the conference, he is also grateful to the Education Fund Committee of Guangzhou city for support. This work is supported by the National Scientific Foundation of China (the Ninth Five-year Important Project) and the National Pandeng Project of China