Australia Telescope Compact Array observations for project C3739 semester 2025OCTS

Full description

Mrk 1044, a nearby super-Eddington accreting galaxy, recently underwent a dramatic X-ray flare that triggered complex radio evolution including an unexplained "dip" where flux dropped by 75% across all frequencies. Preliminary analysis of existing data suggests potential ~9-day radio periodicity, hinting at intrinsic modulation in the weak jet/wind system. This proposal requests 60 days of dual-frequency (5.5/9.0 GHz) ATCA monitoring to establish statistical significance of this periodicity and characterize the physical mechanisms driving radio variability in super-Eddington systems.
The observational strategy employs 2-day cadence sampling over 6.7 potential cycles, providing robust statistical power for period detection while capturing the next predicted flux minimum in real-time. Simultaneous multi-frequency coverage will distinguish between geometric occultation and variable absorption scenarios. Cross-correlation with ongoing X-ray monitoring will determine whether modulation originates in the accretion disk or outflow region.
This investigation addresses fundamental questions about how super-Eddington black holes regulate their outflows and represents a rare opportunity to study rapid magnetic processes in real-time. The results will provide crucial insights into the jet/wind dichotomy in active galactic nuclei and inform models of black hole feedback in the early universe, where super-Eddington accretion was likely common.