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Series

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

1997

Galaxies: Seyfert

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Physics

Locally Optimally Emitting Clouds And The Narrow Emission Lines In Seyfert Galaxies, Jason W. Ferguson, Kirk T. Korista, Jack A. Baldwin, Gary J. Ferland Sep 1997

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 Jun 1997

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 …