Variability of the H-beta line profiles as an indicator of orbiting
  bright spots in accretion disks of quasars: a case study of 3C 390.3
  Here we show that in the case when double peaked emission lines originate
from outer parts of accretion disk, their variability could be caused by
perturbations in the disk emissivity. In order to test this hypothesis, we
introduced a model of disk perturbing region in the form of a single bright
spot (or flare) by a modification of the power law disk emissivity in
appropriate way. The disk emission was then analyzed using numerical
simulations based on ray-tracing method in Kerr metric and the corresponding
simulated line profiles were obtained. We applied this model to the observed
H-beta line profiles of 3C 390.3 (observed in the period 1995-1999), and
estimated the parameters of both, accretion disk and perturbing region. Our
results show that two large amplitude outbursts of the H-beta line observed in
3C 390.3 could be explained by successive occurrences of two bright spots on
approaching side of the disk. These bright spots are either moving, originating
in the inner regions of the disk and spiralling outwards by crossing small
distances during the period of several years, or stationary. In both cases,
their widths increase with time, indicating that they most likely decay.
