Variability and the X-ray/UV ratio of active galactic nuclei

Abstract

Context. Variability, both in X-ray and optical/UV, affects the well-known anti-correlation between the αox spectral index and the UV luminosity of active galactic nuclei, contributing part of the dispersion around the average correlation (intra-source dispersion) in addition to the differences among the time-average αox values from source to source (inter-source dispersion).