2,985 research outputs found
Galaxies Inside Stromgren Spheres of Luminous Quasars at z>6: Detection of The First Galaxies
The intrinsic Lyman-alpha emission lines of normal galaxies before
reionization are much absorbed by the damping wing of the Gunn-Peterson trough,
rendering their direct detection nearly impossible, if their intrinsic line
widths are less than ~100km/s. High redshift luminous quasars prior to the
completion of cosmological reionization at z~6, on the other hand, are capable
of producing large HII regions around them (Stromgren spheres) to allow their
intrinsic Lyman-alpha emission lines to be transmitted without overwhelming
absorption (Cen & Haiman 2000). We suggest that targeted observations at the
Stromgren spheres of known luminous quasars at z >= 6 would be able to detect
Lyman-alpha emission lines of galaxies inside the Stromgren spheres largely
unattenuated. A tunable, very narrowband filter of \Delta\lambda\over \lambda ~
0.1% or a narrowband filter of \Delta\lambda\over \lambda ~1% with follow-up
spectroscopic identifications will be required. Such observations could
directly observe the sources of cosmological reionization including possibly
the Pop III galaxies at z=6-20 by JWST. Possible applications include
determinations of the ionization state of the intergalactic medium, the sizes
of the Stromgren spheres, the ages of the quasars, the luminosity function of
high redshift galaxies and its evolution, the spatial distribution of galaxies
and its evolution, the biased distribution of galaxies around quasars and the
anisotropy of quasar emission. Observations using Keck-class telescopes may
already be made to enable a differentiation between a fully neutral and a 10%
neutral intergalactic medium at z>6.Comment: Submitted to ApJ Letters, 10 page
VLBI Imaging of Water Maser Emission from the Nuclear Torus of NGC 1068
We have made the first VLBI synthesis images of the H2O maser emission
associated with the central engine of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 1068. Emission
extends about +/-300 km/s from the systemic velocity. Images with
submilliarcsecond angular resolution show that the red-shifted emission lies
along an arc to the northwest of the systemic emission. (The blue-shifted
emission has not yet been imaged with VLBI.) Based on the maser velocities and
the relative orientation of the known radio jet, we propose that the maser
emission arises on the surface of a nearly edge-on torus, where physical
conditions are conducive to maser action. The visible part of the torus is
axially thick, with comparable height and radius. The velocity field indicates
sub-Keplerian differential rotation around a central mass of about 1e7 Msun
that lies within a cylindrical radius of about 0.65 pc. The estimated
luminosity of the central engine is about 0.5 of the Eddington limit. There is
no detectable compact radio continuum emission near the proposed center of the
torus (T_B< 5e6 K on size scales of about 0.1 pc), so that the observed
flat-spectrum core cannot be direct self-absorbed synchrotron radiation.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures. To appear in ApJ Part 2. Also available at
http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/~vlbiweb
On the dust tori in Palomar-Green quasars
The dust clouds in the torus of the quasar are irradiated by the central
source, and the clouds at the inner radius of the torus re-radiate mostly in
the near-infrared (NIR) wavebands. The ratio of the near-infrared luminosity to
the bolometric luminosity L_NIR/L_bol can therefore reflect the torus geometry
to some extent. We find a significant correlation between the ratio of the
near-infrared luminosity to the bolometric luminosity L_NIR/L_bol and the
central black hole mass M_bh for the Palomar-Green(PG) quasars, whereas no
correlation is found between the Eddington ratio L_bol/L_Edd and the ratio
L_NIR/L_bol. Similar correlations are found for the mid-infrared and
far-infrared cases. It may imply that the torus geometry, i.e., the solid angle
subtended by the dust torus as seen from the central source, does not evolve
with the accretion rate. The correlation of the solid angle subtended by the
torus with the central black hole mass M_bh implies that the formation of the
dust torus is likely regulated by the central black hole mass. We find that the
torus thickness H increases with quasar bolometric luminosities, which is
different from the constant torus thickness H with luminosity assumed in the
receding torus model. The mean covering factor of the dust clouds at the inner
radius of the torus derived from the IR emission data is ~0.39 for PG quasars.
The average relative thickness H/R of the tori in the PG quasars derived from
the ratios of the infrared to bolometric luminosities is ~0.9. We suggest that
the further IR observations on a larger quasar sample including more fainter
quasars by the Spitzer Space Telescope will help understand the physics of the
dust tori in quasars.Comment: The incorrect V-magnitude used for 1351+640 is fixed, the main
conclusions are not changed, accepted for publication in Ap
Mid Infrared Spectra of Radio Galaxies and Quasars
Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) observations of 3C radio galaxies and
quasars shed new light on the nature of the central engines of AGN. Emission
from silicate dust obscuring the central engine can be used to estimate the
bolometric luminosity of an AGN. Emission lines from ions such as O IV and Ne V
give another indication of the presence or lack of a hidden source of far-UV
photons in the nucleus. Radio-loud AGN with relative-to-Eddington luminosity
ratios of L/L_Edd < 3E-3 do not appear to have broad optical emission lines,
though some do have strong silicate emission. Aromatic emission features from
star formation activity are common in low-luminosity radio galaxies. Strong
molecular hydrogen pure-rotational emission lines are also seen in some mid-IR
weak radio galaxies, caused by either merger shocks or jet shocks in the
interstellar medium.Comment: Conference proceedings to appear in "The Central Engine of Active
Galactic Nuclei", ed. L. C. Ho and J.-M. Wang (San Francisco: ASP
Constraining the size of the narrow line region in distant quasars
We propose a proper method to measure the size of the narrow line region
(NLR) in distant quasars. The apparent angular size of the NLR is, in general,
too small to resolve technically. However, it is possible to map the NLR if
with gravitational lensing. In our method, we directly compare the observed
image of the NLR with the expected lensed images of the NLR for various source
sizes and lens models. Seeking the best fit image via the comparison
procedures, we can obtain the best-fit size and the best-fit lens model. We
apply this method to the two-dimensional spectroscopic data of a famous lensed
quasar, Q2237+0305. If the lens galaxy resembles the applied lens model, an
upper limit to the NLR size can be set 750 pc. Further, we examine how the
fitting results will be improved by future observations, taking into account
the realistic observational effects, such as seeing. Future observations will
provide us more stringent constraints on the size of the NLR and on the density
profile of the lens galaxy.Comment: 17 pages including 4 figures, accepted to Ap
AGN Obscuring Tori Supported by Infrared Radiation Pressure
Explicit 2-d axisymmetric solutions are found to the hydrostatic equilibrium,
energy balance, and photon diffusion equations within obscuring tori around
active galactic nuclei. These solutions demonstrate that infrared radiation
pressure can support geometrically thick structures in AGN environments subject
to certain constraints: the bolometric luminosity must be roughly 0.03--1 times
the Eddington luminosity; and the Compton optical depth of matter in the
equatorial plane should be order unity, with a tolerance of about an order of
magnitude up or down. Both of these constraints are at least roughly consistent
with observations. In addition, angular momentum must be redistributed so that
the fractional rotational support against gravity rises from the inner edge of
the torus to the outer in a manner specific to the detailed shape of the
gravitational potential. This model also predicts that the column densities
observed in obscured AGN should range from about 10^{22} to about 10^{24}
cm^{-2}.Comment: ApJ, in pres
Further Evidence that the Redshifts of AGN Galaxies May Contain Intrinsic Components
In the decreasing intrinsic redshift (DIR) model galaxies are assumed to be
born as compact objects that have been ejected with large intrinsic redshift
components, z_(i), out of the nuclei of mature AGN galaxies. As young AGN
(quasars) they are initially several magnitudes sub-luminous to mature galaxies
but their luminosity gradually increases over 10^8 yrs, as z_(i) decreases and
they evolve into mature AGN (Seyferts and radio galaxies). Evidence presented
here that low- and intermediate-redshift AGN are unquestionably sub-luminous to
radio galaxies is then strong support for this model and makes it likely that
the high-redshift AGN (quasars) are also sub-luminous, having simply been
pushed above the radio galaxies on a logz-m_(v) plot by the presence of a large
intrinsic component in their redshifts. An increase in luminosity below z =
0.06 is also seen. It is associated in the DIR model with an increase in
luminosity as the sources mature but, if real, is difficult to interpret in the
cosmological redshift (CR) model since at this low redshift it is unlikely to
be associated with a higher star formation rate or an increase in the material
used to build galaxies. Whether it might be possible in the CR model to explain
these results by selection effects is also examined.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures. Contains response to referees suggestions.
(Accepted for ApJL
3C 216: A Powerful FRII Seyfert 1 Galaxy
3C 216 has a weak accretion flow luminosity, well below the Seyfert1/QSO
dividing line, weak broad emission lines (BELs) and powerful radio lobes. As a
consequence of the extreme properties of 3C 216, it is the most convincing
example known of an FR II radio source that is kinetically dominated: the jet
kinetic luminosity, , is larger than the total thermal luminosity (IR to
X-ray) of the accretion flow, . Using three independent estimators for
the central black hole mass, we find that the jet in 3C 216 is very
super-Eddington, , where is the long
term time averaged , calculated at 151 MHz. It is argued that 3C 216
satisfies the contemporaneous kinetically dominated condition, , either presently or in the past based on the rarity of
quasars. The existence of AGN is a strong constraint
on the theory of the central engine of FRII radio sources
Spectropolarimetry of 3CR 68.1: A Highly Inclined Quasar
We present Keck spectropolarimetry of the highly polarized radio-loud quasar
3CR 68.1 (z=1.228, V=19). The polarization increases from 5 in the red (4000 A
rest-frame) to >10% in the blue (1900 A rest-frame). The broad emission lines
are polarized the same as the continuum, which shows that 3CR 68.1 is not a
blazar as it has sometimes been regarded in the past. We also present
measurements of the emission lines and a strong, blueshifted, associated
absorption line system, as well as a detection at the emission-line redshift of
Ca II K absorption, presumably from stars in the host galaxy. 3CR 68.1 belongs
to an observationally rare class of highly polarized quasars that are neither
blazars nor partially obscured radio-quiet QSOs. Taking into account 3CR 68.1's
other unusual properties, such as its extremely red spectral energy
distribution and its extreme lobe dominance, we explain our spectropolarimetric
results in terms of unified models. We argue that we have a dusty, highly
inclined view of 3CR 68.1, with reddened scattered (polarized) quasar light
diluted by even more dust-reddened quasar light reaching us directly from the
nucleus.Comment: 20 pages, includes 3 tables, 6 figures. Accepted by Ap
Physical Conditions in the Inner Narrow-Line Region of the Seyfert 2 Galaxy NGC 1068
The physical conditions in the inner narrow line region (NLR) of the Seyfert
2 galaxy, NGC 1068, are examined using ultraviolet and optical spectra and
photoionization models. The spectra are Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Harchive
data obtained with the Faint Object Spectrograph (FOS). We selected spectra of
four regions, taken through the 0.3" FOS aperture, covering the full FOS 1200A
to 6800A waveband. Each region is approximately 20 pc in extent, and all are
within 100 pc of the apparent nucleus of NGC 1068. The spectra show similar
emission-line ratios from wide range of ionization states for the most abundant
elements. After extensive photoionization modeling, we interpret this result as
an indication that each region includes a range of gas densities, which we
included in the models as separate components. Supersolar abundances were
required for several elements to fit the observed emission line ratios. Dust
was included in the models but apparently dust to gas fraction varies within
these regions. The low ionization lines in these spectra can be best explained
as arising in gas that is partially shielded from the ionizing continuum.
Although the predicted line ratios from the photoionization models provide a
good fit to the observed ratios, it is apparent that the model predictions of
electron temperatures in the ionized gas are too low. We interpret this as an
indication of additional collisional heating due to shocks and/or energetic
particles associated with the radio jet that traverses the NLR of NGC 1068. The
density structure within each region may also be the result of compression by
the jet.Comment: 38 pages, Latex, includes 5 figures (postscript), to appear in Ap
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