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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Space Telescope And Optical Reverberation Mapping Project. Viii. Time Variability Of Emission And Absorption In Ngc 5548 Based On Modeling The Ultraviolet Spectrum, Gerard A. Kriss, Gisella De Rosa, Justin Ely, Bradley M. Peterson, J. Kaastra, M. Mehdipour, Gary J. Ferland, Maryamossadat Dehghanian, S. Mathur, Rick Edelson, Kirk T. Korista, N. Arav, Aaron J. Barth, Misty C. Bentz, W. Niel Brandt, D. Michael Crenshaw, E. Dalla Bonta, K. D. Kenney, C. Done, Michael Eracleous, Michael M. Fausnaugh, E. Gardner, Michael R. Goad, Catherine J. Grier, Keith Horne, Christopher S. Kochanek, I. M. Mchardy, Hagai Netzer, Anna Pancoast, L. Pei, Richard W. Pogge, Daniel Proga
Space Telescope And Optical Reverberation Mapping Project. Viii. Time Variability Of Emission And Absorption In Ngc 5548 Based On Modeling The Ultraviolet Spectrum, Gerard A. Kriss, Gisella De Rosa, Justin Ely, Bradley M. Peterson, J. Kaastra, M. Mehdipour, Gary J. Ferland, Maryamossadat Dehghanian, S. Mathur, Rick Edelson, Kirk T. Korista, N. Arav, Aaron J. Barth, Misty C. Bentz, W. Niel Brandt, D. Michael Crenshaw, E. Dalla Bonta, K. D. Kenney, C. Done, Michael Eracleous, Michael M. Fausnaugh, E. Gardner, Michael R. Goad, Catherine J. Grier, Keith Horne, Christopher S. Kochanek, I. M. Mchardy, Hagai Netzer, Anna Pancoast, L. Pei, Richard W. Pogge, Daniel Proga
Physics & Astronomy Faculty Research
We model the ultraviolet spectra of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope during the 6 month reverberation mapping campaign in 2014. Our model of the emission from NGC 5548 corrects for overlying absorption and deblends the individual emission lines. Using the modeled spectra, we measure the response to continuum variations for the deblended and absorption-corrected individual broad emission lines, the velocity-dependent profiles of Lyα and C iv, and the narrow and broad intrinsic absorption features. We find that the time lags for the corrected emission lines are comparable to those for the original data. …
A Hard Look At Ngc 5347: Revealing A Nearby Compton-Thick Agn, E. S. Kammoun, J. M. Miller, A. Zoghbi, K. Oh, M. Koss, R. F. Muchotzky, L. W. Brenneman, W. N. Brandt, Daniel Proga, A. M. Lohfink, J. S. Kaastra, D. Barret, E. Behar, D. Stern
A Hard Look At Ngc 5347: Revealing A Nearby Compton-Thick Agn, E. S. Kammoun, J. M. Miller, A. Zoghbi, K. Oh, M. Koss, R. F. Muchotzky, L. W. Brenneman, W. N. Brandt, Daniel Proga, A. M. Lohfink, J. S. Kaastra, D. Barret, E. Behar, D. Stern
Physics & Astronomy Faculty Research
Current measurements show that the observed fraction of Compton-thick (CT) active galactic nuclei (AGN) is smaller than the expected values needed to explain the cosmic X-ray background. Prior fits to the X-ray spectrum of the nearby Seyfert-2 galaxy NGC 5347 (z = 0.00792, D = 35.5 Mpc ) have alternately suggested a CT and Compton-thin source. Combining archival data from Suzaku, Chandra, and—most importantly—new data from NuSTAR, ... See full text for complete abstract
Spitzer Space Telescope Measurements Of Dust Reverberation Lags In The Seyfert 1 Galaxy Ngc 6418, Billy Vazquez, Dan Batcheldor
Spitzer Space Telescope Measurements Of Dust Reverberation Lags In The Seyfert 1 Galaxy Ngc 6418, Billy Vazquez, Dan Batcheldor
Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications
We present results from a 15 month campaign of high-cadence (∼3 days) mid-infrared Spitzer and optical (B and V) monitoring of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 6418, with the objective of determining the characteristic size of the dusty torus in this active galactic nucleus (AGN). We find that the 3.6 and 4.5 μm flux variations lag behind those of the optical continuum by 37.2 ^+2.4 _-2.2 days and -47.1 ^+3.1 _-3.1 days, respectively. We report a cross-correlation time lag between the 4.5 and 3.6 μm flux of 13.9 ^+0.5 _-0.1 days. The lags indicate that the dust emitting at 3.6 …
Interpreting The Ionization Sequence In Agn Emission-Line Spectra, Chris T. Richardson, James T. Allen, Jack A. Baldwin, Paul C. Hewett, Gary J. Ferland
Interpreting The Ionization Sequence In Agn Emission-Line Spectra, Chris T. Richardson, James T. Allen, Jack A. Baldwin, Paul C. Hewett, Gary J. Ferland
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
We investigate the physical cause of the great range in the ionization level seen in the spectra of narrow-lined active galactic nuclei (AGN). We used a recently developed technique called mean field independent component analysis to identify examples of individual Sloan Digital Sky Survey galaxies whose spectra are not dominated by emission due to star formation (SF), which we therefore designate as AGN. We assembled high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) composite spectra of a sequence of these AGN defined by the ionization level of their narrow-line regions (NLR), and extending down to very low ionization cases. We then used a local …
A Transition Mass For Black Holes To Show Broad Emission Lines, Susmita Chakravorty, Martin Elvis, Gary J. Ferland
A Transition Mass For Black Holes To Show Broad Emission Lines, Susmita Chakravorty, Martin Elvis, Gary J. Ferland
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
Although the supermassive (AGN) and stellar mass (BHBs) black holes have many properties in common, the broad emission lines (BELs) are exclusively signatures of the active galactic nuclei (AGN). Based on the detection of these lines from Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data bases, there seems to be no AGN with mass MBH ≲ 105 M⊙. In this paper, we investigate if such low-mass black holes are really non-existent or they are undetected because the BELs in them are not produced efficiently. Using the ionizing spectral energy distribution for a wide range of black hole mass, …
Uncovering The Deeply Embedded Active Galactic Nucleus Activity In The Nuclear Regions Of The Interacting Galaxy Arp 299, A Alonso-Herrero, Eric S. Perlman
Uncovering The Deeply Embedded Active Galactic Nucleus Activity In The Nuclear Regions Of The Interacting Galaxy Arp 299, A Alonso-Herrero, Eric S. Perlman
Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications
We present mid-infrared (MIR) 8-13 μm spectroscopy of the nuclear regions of the interacting galaxy Arp 299 (IC 694+NGC 3690) obtained with CanariCam (CC) on the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). The high angular resolution (∼0.″3-0.″6) of the data allows us to probe nuclear physical scales between 60 and 120 pc, which is a factor of 10 improvement over previous MIR spectroscopic observations of this system. The GTC/CC spectroscopy displays evidence of deeply embedded active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity in both nuclei. The GTC/CC nuclear spectrum of NGC 3690/Arp 299-B1 can be explained as emission from AGN-heated dust in …
The Influence Of Soft Spectral Components On The Structure And Stability Of Warm Absorbers In Active Galactic Nuclei, Susmita Chakravorty, Ranjeev Misra, Martin Elvis, Ajit K. Kembhavi, Gary J. Ferland
The Influence Of Soft Spectral Components On The Structure And Stability Of Warm Absorbers In Active Galactic Nuclei, Susmita Chakravorty, Ranjeev Misra, Martin Elvis, Ajit K. Kembhavi, Gary J. Ferland
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
The radiation from the central regions of active galactic nuclei, including that from the accretion disc surrounding the black hole, is likely to peak in the extreme-ultraviolet ∼13–100 eV. However, due to Galactic absorption, we are limited to constrain the physical properties, i.e. the black hole mass and the accretion rate, from what observations we have below ∼10 eV or above ∼100 eV. In this paper, we predict the thermal and ionization states of warm absorbers as a function of the shape of the unobservable continuum. In particular we model an accretion disc at kTin∼ 10 eV and …
Nicmos Polarimetry Of "Polar-Scattered" Seyfert 1 Galaxies, Daniel P. Batcheldor, Andrew Edward Robinson, David J. Axon, Stuart Young, S Quinn, James E. Smith, James H. Hough, David M. Alexander
Nicmos Polarimetry Of "Polar-Scattered" Seyfert 1 Galaxies, Daniel P. Batcheldor, Andrew Edward Robinson, David J. Axon, Stuart Young, S Quinn, James E. Smith, James H. Hough, David M. Alexander
Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications
The nuclei of Seyfert 1 galaxies exhibit a range of optical polarization characteristics that can be understood in terms of two scattering regions producing orthogonal polarizations: an extended polar scattering region (PSR) and a compact equatorial scattering region (ESR), located within the circum-nuclear torus. Here we present NICMOS 2.0 μm imaging polarimetry of six "polar-scattered" Seyfert 1 (S1) galaxies, in which the PSR dominates the optical polarization. The unresolved nucleus (<058) is significantly polarized in only three objects, but five of the six exhibit polarization in a 058-15 circum-nuclear annulus. In Fairall 51 and ESO 323-G077, the polarization position angle at 2 μm (θ2 μm) is consistent with the average for the optical spectrum(θv), implying that the nuclear polarization is dominated by polar scattering at both wavelengths. The same is probably true for NGC3227. In both NGC 4593 and Mrk 766, there is a large difference between θ2 μm and θv off-nucleus, where polar scattering is expected to dominate. This may be due to contamination by interstellar polarization in NGC4593, but there is no clear explanation in the case of the strongly polarized Mrk766. Lastly, in Mrk1239, a large change (60°) in θ2 μm between the nucleus and the annulus indicates that the unresolved nucleus and its immediate surroundings have different polarization states at 2μm, which we attribute to the ESR and PSR, respectively. A further implication is that the source of the scattered 2 μm emission in the unresolved nucleus is the accretion disk, rather than torus hot dust emission.
On The Disappearance Of The Broad-Line Region In Low-Luminosity Active Galactic Nuclei, Moshe Elitzur, Luis C. Ho
On The Disappearance Of The Broad-Line Region In Low-Luminosity Active Galactic Nuclei, Moshe Elitzur, Luis C. Ho
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
The disk-wind scenario for the broad-line region (BLR) and toroidal obscuration in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) predicts the disappearance of the BLR at low luminosities. In accordance with the model predictions, data from a nearly complete sample of nearby AGNs show that the BLR disappears at luminosities lower than 5 × 1039(M/107 M⊙)2/3 erg s-1, where M is the black hole mass. The radiative efficiency of accretion onto the black hole is ≲10-3 for these sources, indicating that their accretion is advection-dominated.
Luminosity-Variation Independent Location Of The Circum-Nuclear, Hot Dust In Ngc 4151, Jorg-Uwe Pott, Matt A. Malkan, Moshe Elitzur, Andrea M. Ghez, Tom M. Herbst, Rainer Schödel, Julien Woillez
Luminosity-Variation Independent Location Of The Circum-Nuclear, Hot Dust In Ngc 4151, Jorg-Uwe Pott, Matt A. Malkan, Moshe Elitzur, Andrea M. Ghez, Tom M. Herbst, Rainer Schödel, Julien Woillez
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
After recent sensitivity upgrades at the Keck Interferometer (KI), systematic interferometric 2 μm studies of the innermost dust in nearby Seyfert nuclei are within observational reach. Here, we present the analysis of new interferometric data of NGC 4151, discussed in context of the results from recent dust reverberation, spectro-photometric, and interferometric campaigns. The complete data set gives a complex picture, in particular the measured visibilities from now three different nights appear to be rather insensitive to the variation of the nuclear luminosity. KI data alone indicate two scenarios: the K-band emission is either dominated to ~90% by size …
Color-Magnitude Relation And Morphology Of Low-Redshift Ulirgs In Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Yuxi Chen, James D. Lowenthal, Min S. Yun
Color-Magnitude Relation And Morphology Of Low-Redshift Ulirgs In Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Yuxi Chen, James D. Lowenthal, Min S. Yun
Astronomy: Faculty Publications
We present color-magnitude and morphological analysis of 54 low-redshift ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs; 0.018 < z < 0.265 with z = 0.151), a subset of the Infrared Astronomical Satellite 1Jy sample, in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The ULIRGs are both bright and blue: they are on average 1mag brighter in than the SDSS galaxies within the same redshift range, and 0.2mag bluer in g - r. They form a group in the color-magnitude diagram distinct from both the red sequence and the blue cloud formed by the SDSS galaxies: 24 out of the 52 unsaturated objects (46%) lie outside the 90% level number density contour of the SDSS galaxies. The majority (47, or 87%) have the colors typical of the blue cloud, and only four (7%) sources are located in the red sequence. While ULIRGs are popularly thought to be precursors to a QSO phase, we find few (three, or 6%) in the "green valley" where the majority of the X-ray- and IR-selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are found. Moreover, none of the AGN-host ULIRGs are found in the green valley. For the 14 previously spectroscopic identified AGNs (28%), we perform point-spread function subtractions and find that on average the central point sources contribute less than one-third to the total luminosity, and that their high optical luminosities and overall blue colors are apparently the result of star formation activity of the host galaxies. Visual inspection of the SDSS images reveals a wide range of morphologies including many close pairs, tidal tails, and otherwise disturbed profiles, in strong support of previous studies and the general view of ULIRGs as major mergers of gas-rich disk galaxies. A detailed morphology analysis using Gini and M coefficients shows that slightly less than one-half (42% in g band) of the ULIRGs are located in the merger region defined by morphology studies of local galaxies, while the remaining sources are located in the region of late-type and irregular galaxies. The heterogeneous distribution of ULIRGs in the G-M space is qualitatively consistent with the results found by numerical simulations of disk-disk mergers, and our study also shows that the measured morphological parameters are systematically affected by the signal-to-noise ratio and thus the merging galaxies can appear in various regions of the G-M parameter space. We briefly discuss the origins of the uncertainties and note that the morphology measurements should be implemented with caution for low physical resolution images. In general, our results reinforce the view that ULIRGs contain young stellar populations and are mergers in progress, but we do not observe the concentration of ULIRGs/AGN in the green valley as found by other studies. Our study provides a uniform comparison sample for studying dusty starbursts at higher redshifts such as Spitzer MIPS 24 μm-selected ULIRGs at z = 1-2 or submillimeter galaxies.
Properties Of Warm Absorbers In Active Galaxies: A Systematic Stability Curve Analysis, Susmita Chakravorty, Ajit K. Kembhavi, Martin Elvis, Gary J. Ferland
Properties Of Warm Absorbers In Active Galaxies: A Systematic Stability Curve Analysis, Susmita Chakravorty, Ajit K. Kembhavi, Martin Elvis, Gary J. Ferland
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
Signatures of warm absorbers are seen in soft X-ray spectra of about half of all type 1 Seyfert galaxies observed and in some quasars and blazars. We use the thermal equilibrium curve to study the influence of the shape of the ionizing continuum, density and the chemical composition of the absorbing gas on the existence and nature of the warm absorbers. We describe circumstances in which a stable warm absorber can exist as a multiphase medium or one with continuous variation in pressure. In particular, we find the following results: (i) the warm absorber exists only if the spectral index …
The Location And Kinematics Of The Coronal-Line Emitting Regions In Active Galactic Nuclei, J. R. Mullaney, M. J. Ward, C. Done, Gary J. Ferland, N. Schurch
The Location And Kinematics Of The Coronal-Line Emitting Regions In Active Galactic Nuclei, J. R. Mullaney, M. J. Ward, C. Done, Gary J. Ferland, N. Schurch
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
We use the photoionization code CLOUDY to determine both the location and the kinematics of the optical forbidden, high-ionization line (hereafter, FHIL) emitting gas in the narrow line Seyfert 1 galaxy Ark 564. The results of our models are compared with the observed properties of these emission lines to produce a physical model that is used to explain both the kinematics and the source of this gas. The main features of this model are that the FHIL emitting gas is launched from the putative dusty torus and is quickly accelerated to its terminal velocity of a few hundred km s …
Agn Dusty Tori. I. Handling Of Clumpy Media, Maia Nenkova, Matthew M. Sirocky, Željko Ivezić, Moshe Elitzur
Agn Dusty Tori. I. Handling Of Clumpy Media, Maia Nenkova, Matthew M. Sirocky, Željko Ivezić, Moshe Elitzur
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
According to unified schemes of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), the central engine is surrounded by dusty, optically thick clouds in a toroidal structure. We have recently developed a formalism that for the first time takes proper account of the clumpy nature of the AGN torus. We now provide a detailed report of our findings in a two-paper series. Here we present our general formalism for radiative transfer in clumpy media and construct its building blocks for the AGN problem-the source functions of individual dusty clouds heated by the AGN radiation field. We show that a fundamental difference from smooth density …
Spitzer Irs Observations Of Seyfert 1.8 And 1.9 Galaxies: A Comparison With Seyfert 1 And Seyfert 2, R. P. Deo, D. M. Crenshaw, S. B. Kraemer, M. Dietrich, Moshe Elitzur, H. Teplitz, T. J. Turner
Spitzer Irs Observations Of Seyfert 1.8 And 1.9 Galaxies: A Comparison With Seyfert 1 And Seyfert 2, R. P. Deo, D. M. Crenshaw, S. B. Kraemer, M. Dietrich, Moshe Elitzur, H. Teplitz, T. J. Turner
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
We present Spitzer mid-infrared spectra of 12 Seyfert 1.8 and 1.9 galaxies over the 5-38 μm region. We compare the spectral characteristics of this sample to those of 58 Seyfert 1 and 2 galaxies from the Spitzer archives. An analysis of the spectral shapes, the silicate 10 μm feature and the emission-line fluxes have enabled us to characterize the mid-IR properties of Seyfert 1.8/1.9s. We find that the EWs of the 10 μm silicate feature are generally weak in all Seyfert galaxies, as previously reported by several studies. The few Seyfert galaxies in this sample that show …
Intrinsic Absorption With The Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer, Jay Patrick Dunn
Intrinsic Absorption With The Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer, Jay Patrick Dunn
Physics and Astronomy Dissertations
We present a survey of 72 Seyfert galaxies and quasars observed by the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE). Our survey is the largest to date searching for intrinsic UV absorption with high spectral resolution, and is the first step toward a more comprehensive study of intrinsic absorption in low-redshift AGN. We have determined that 72 of 253 available active galactic nuclei (AGN) are viable targets for detection of intrinsic absorption lines. We examined these spectra for signs of intrinsic absorption in the O VI doublet (lambda lamdba 1031.9, 1037.6) and Lyman beta (lambda 1025.7). The fraction of Seyfert 1 galaxies …
The Agn-Obscuring Torus: The End Of The "Doughnut" Paradigm?, Moshe Elitzur, Isaac Shlosman
The Agn-Obscuring Torus: The End Of The "Doughnut" Paradigm?, Moshe Elitzur, Isaac Shlosman
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
Unified schemes of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) require an obscuring dusty torus around the central engine. The compact sizes (only a few parsecs) determined in recent high-resolution observations require that the obscuring matter be clumpy and located inside the region where the black hole gravity dominates over the galactic bulge. This location is in line with the scenario depicting the torus as the region of the clumpy wind coming off the accretion disk in which the clouds are dusty and optically thick. We study here the outflow scenario within the framework of hydromagnetic disk winds, incorporating the cloud properties determined …
Gemini Mid-Ir Polarimetry Of Ngc 1068: Polarized Structures Around The Nucleus, C. Packham, S. Young, S. Fisher, K. Volk, R. Mason, J. H. Hough, P. F. Roche, Moshe Elitzur, J. Radomski, E. Perlman
Gemini Mid-Ir Polarimetry Of Ngc 1068: Polarized Structures Around The Nucleus, C. Packham, S. Young, S. Fisher, K. Volk, R. Mason, J. H. Hough, P. F. Roche, Moshe Elitzur, J. Radomski, E. Perlman
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
We present diffraction-limited, 10 μm imaging polarimetry data for the central regions of the archetypal Seyfert active galactic nucleus NGC 1068. The position angle of polarization is consistent with three dominant polarizing mechanisms. We identify three distinct regions of polarization: (1) north of the nucleus, arising from aligned dust in the narrow emission line region, (2) south, east, and west of the nucleus, consistent with dust being channeled toward the central engine, and (3) a central minimum of polarization consistent with a compact (≤22 pc) torus. These observations provide continuity between the geometrically and optically thick torus and the …
Gemini Mid-Ir Polarimetry Of Ngc 1068: Polarized Structures Around The Nucleus, Christopher C. Packham, Stuart Young, Scott E. Fisher, Kevin M. Volk, Rachel E. Mason, James H. Hough, Patrick F. Roche, Moshe Elitzur, James T. Radomski, Eric S. Perlman
Gemini Mid-Ir Polarimetry Of Ngc 1068: Polarized Structures Around The Nucleus, Christopher C. Packham, Stuart Young, Scott E. Fisher, Kevin M. Volk, Rachel E. Mason, James H. Hough, Patrick F. Roche, Moshe Elitzur, James T. Radomski, Eric S. Perlman
Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications
We present diffraction-limited, 10 μm imaging polarimetry data for the central regions of the archetypal Seyfert active galactic nucleus NGC 1068. The position angle of polarization is consistent with three dominant polarizing mechanisms. We identify three distinct regions of polarization: (1) north of the nucleus, arising from aligned dust in the narrow emission line region, (2) south, east, and west of the nucleus, consistent with dust being channeled toward the central engine, and (3) a central minimum of polarization consistent with a compact (≤22 pc) torus. These observations provide continuity between the geometrically and optically thick torus and the host …
The Flaring H2o Megamaser And Compact Radio Source In Markarian 348, A. B. Peck, C. Henkel, J. S. Ulvestad, A. Brunthaler, H. Falcke, Moshe Elitzur, K. M. Menten, J. F. Gallimore
The Flaring H2o Megamaser And Compact Radio Source In Markarian 348, A. B. Peck, C. Henkel, J. S. Ulvestad, A. Brunthaler, H. Falcke, Moshe Elitzur, K. M. Menten, J. F. Gallimore
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
We report on single-dish monitoring and extremely high angular resolution observations of the flaring H2O megamaser in the Seyfert 2 galaxy Mrk 348. The H2O line is redshifted by ~130 km s-1 with respect to the systemic velocity, is very broad, with an FWHM of 130 km s-1, and has no detectable high-velocity components within 1500 km s-1 on either side of the strong line. Monitoring observations made with the Effelsberg 100 m telescope show that the maser varies significantly on timescales as short as 1 day and that the integrated line …
He Ii Reverberation In Active Galactic Nucleus Spectra, Mark C. Bottorff, Jack A. Baldwin, Gary J. Ferland, Jason W. Ferguson, Kirk T. Korista
He Ii Reverberation In Active Galactic Nucleus Spectra, Mark C. Bottorff, Jack A. Baldwin, Gary J. Ferland, Jason W. Ferguson, Kirk T. Korista
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
This paper compares the observed reverberation response lags and the intensity ratios of the broad-line region (BLR) emission lines He II λ1640, He II λ4686, and C IV λ1549 with predictions. Published observations indicate that the He II λ1640 lag is 3 times shorter than the lags of He II λ4686 or C IV λ1549. Diverse models, however, do not reproduce this observation. Extensive improved numerical simulations of the hydrogenic isoelectronic sequence emission show that the He II spectrum remains especially simple, even in the central regions of a luminous quasar. Line trapping never builds up a significant population of …
Dust Emission From Active Galactic Nuclei, Maia Nenkova, Željko Ivezić, Moshe Elitzur
Dust Emission From Active Galactic Nuclei, Maia Nenkova, Željko Ivezić, Moshe Elitzur
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
Unified schemes of active galactic nuclei require an obscuring dusty torus around the central source, giving rise to a Seyfert 1 line spectrum for pole-on viewing and Seyfert 2 characteristics in edge-on sources. Although the observed IR is in broad agreement with this scheme, the behavior of the 10 μm silicate feature and the width of the far-IR emission peak remained serious problems in all previous modeling efforts. We show that these problems find a natural explanation if the dust is contained in approximately five to 10 clouds along radial rays through the torus. The spectral energy distributions of …
The Narrow-Line Region In The Seyfert 2 Galaxy Ngc 3393, Andrew J. Cooke, J. A. Baldwin, Gary J. Ferland, Hagai Netzer, Andrew S. Wilson
The Narrow-Line Region In The Seyfert 2 Galaxy Ngc 3393, Andrew J. Cooke, J. A. Baldwin, Gary J. Ferland, Hagai Netzer, Andrew S. Wilson
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
The narrow-line region (NLR) of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 3393 is dominated by a symmetric structure which appears as S-shaped arms in Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images. These arms, which occupy the central few arcseconds of the nucleus, border a linear, triple-lobed radio source. We use HST imaging and spectra, ground-based optical images, long-slit spectra, Fabry-Perot imaging spectroscopy, and VLA radio data to perform a detailed investigation of the kinematics and ionization of the line-emitting gas in NGC 3393 and of its relationship with the relativistic gas responsible for the radio emission. The excitation map [O III] …
Hubble Space Telescope/Faint Object Spectrograph Spectroscopy Of Spatially Resolved Narrow-Line Regions In The Seyfert 2 Galaxies Ngc 2110 And Ngc 5929, Pierre Ferruit, Andrew S. Wilson, Mark Whittle, Chris Simpson, John S. Mulchaey, Gary J. Ferland
Hubble Space Telescope/Faint Object Spectrograph Spectroscopy Of Spatially Resolved Narrow-Line Regions In The Seyfert 2 Galaxies Ngc 2110 And Ngc 5929, Pierre Ferruit, Andrew S. Wilson, Mark Whittle, Chris Simpson, John S. Mulchaey, Gary J. Ferland
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
We present the results of UV and optical Hubble Space Telescope/Faint Object Spectrograph spectroscopy of bright, extranuclear regions of line emission in the Seyfert galaxies NGC 2110 and NGC 5929. We have obtained spectra of the brightest region of the ``nuclear jet'' of NGC 2110 (75 pc from the nucleus) and of the southwest emission-line cloud of NGC 5929 (90 pc from the nucleus), in the G130H (1090-1605 Å), G190H (1570-2310 Å), G400H (3235-4780 Å), and G570H (4570-6820 Å) configurations. The observed line ratios are compared with the predictions of the two component (matter- and ionization-bounded, MB-IB), central source …
Megamaser Disks In Active Galactic Nuclei, John F. Kartje, Arieh Königl, Moshe Elitzur
Megamaser Disks In Active Galactic Nuclei, John F. Kartje, Arieh Königl, Moshe Elitzur
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
Recent spectroscopic and VLBI-imaging observations of bright extragalactic H2O maser sources have revealed that the megamaser emission often originates in thin circumnuclear disks near the centers of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Using general radiative and kinematic considerations and taking account of the observed flux variability, we argue that the maser emission regions are clumpy, a conclusion that is independent of the detailed mechanism (X-ray heating, shocks, etc.) driving the collisionally pumped masers. We examine scenarios in which the clumps represent discrete gas condensations (i.e., clouds) and do not merely correspond to velocity irregularities in the disk. We show …
Steps Toward Determination Of The Size And Structure Of The Broad-Line Region In Active Galactic Nuclei. Xii. Ground-Based Monitoring Of 3c 390.3, M. Dietrich, Terry D. Oswalt, B. M. Peterson, P. Albrecht, M. Altmann, Et Al.
Steps Toward Determination Of The Size And Structure Of The Broad-Line Region In Active Galactic Nuclei. Xii. Ground-Based Monitoring Of 3c 390.3, M. Dietrich, Terry D. Oswalt, B. M. Peterson, P. Albrecht, M. Altmann, Et Al.
Publications
Results of a ground-based optical monitoring campaign on 3C 390.3 in 1994-1995 are presented. The broadband fluxes (B, V, R, and I), the spectrophotometric optical continuum flux and the Fλ(5177 Å),integrated emission-line fluxes of Hᵪ Hβ, Hᵧ, He I λ5876 and He II λ4686 all show a nearly monotonic increase with episodes of milder short-term variations superposed. The amplitude of the continuum variations increases with decreasing wavelength (4400-9000 Å). The optical continuum variations follow the variations in the ultraviolet and X-ray with time delays, measured from the centroids of the cross-correlation functions, typically around …
The Ultraviolet-Optical Albedo Of Broad Emission Line Clouds, Kirk Korista, Gary J. Ferland
The Ultraviolet-Optical Albedo Of Broad Emission Line Clouds, Kirk Korista, Gary J. Ferland
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
We explore the effective UV-optical albedos of a variety of types of broad emission line clouds, as well as their possible effects on the observed spectra of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). An important albedo source in moderately ionized ionization-bounded clouds is that which is due to neutral hydrogen: Rayleigh scattering of continuum photons off the extreme damping wings of Lyα. The photons resulting from this scattering mechanism may contribute significantly to the Lyα emission line, especially in the very broad wings. In addition, line photons emitted near 1200 Å (e.g., N V λ1240) that stream toward the neutral portion of …
Steps Toward Determination Of The Size And Structure Of The Broad-Line Region In Active Galactic Nuclei. Xii. Ground-Based Monitoring Of 3c 390.3, Matthias Dietrich, T. D. Oswalt, Jun Tao
Steps Toward Determination Of The Size And Structure Of The Broad-Line Region In Active Galactic Nuclei. Xii. Ground-Based Monitoring Of 3c 390.3, Matthias Dietrich, T. D. Oswalt, Jun Tao
Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications
Results of a ground-based optical monitoring campaign on 3C 390.3 in 1994-1995 are presented. The broadband fluxes (B, V, R, and I), the spectrophotometric optical continuum flux Fλ(5177 Å), and the integrated emission-line fluxes of Hα, Hβ, Hγ, He II λ15876, and He II A4686 all show a nearly monotonic increase with episodes of milder short-term variations superposed. The amplitude of the continuum variations increases with decreasing wavelength (4400-9000 Å). The optical continuum variations follow the variations in the ultraviolet and X-ray with time delays, measured from the centroids of the cross-correlation functions, typically around 5 days, but with uncertainties …
Locally Optimally Emitting Clouds And The Narrow Emission Lines In Seyfert Galaxies, Jason W. Ferguson, Kirk T. Korista, Jack A. Baldwin, Gary J. Ferland
Locally Optimally Emitting Clouds And The Narrow Emission Lines In Seyfert Galaxies, Jason W. Ferguson, Kirk T. Korista, Jack A. Baldwin, Gary J. Ferland
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
The narrow emission line spectra of active galactic nuclei are not accurately described by simple photoionization models of single clouds. Recent Hubble Space Telescope images of Seyfert 2 galaxies show that these objects are rich with ionization cones, knots, filaments, and strands of ionized gas. Here we extend to the narrow-line region the ``locally optimally emitting cloud'' (LOC) model, in which the observed spectra are predominantly determined by powerful selection effects. We present a large grid of photoionization models covering a wide range of physical conditions and show the optimal conditions for producing many of the strongest emission lines. We …
Physical Conditions Of The Coronal Line Region In Seyfert Galaxies, Jason W. Ferguson, Kirk Korista, Gary J. Ferland
Physical Conditions Of The Coronal Line Region In Seyfert Galaxies, Jason W. Ferguson, Kirk Korista, Gary J. Ferland
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
The launch of the Infrared Space Observatory and new atomic data have opened a window for the study of high-ionization gas in active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We present the results of a large number of photoionization simulations of the "coronal line" region in AGNs, employing new atomic data from the Opacity and Iron Projects. Our grid of line emission spans 8 orders of magnitude in gas density and 14 orders of magnitude in ionizing flux in an effort to identify the optimal conditions in which these lines form. We show that coronal lines form at distances from just outside the …