The Intermediate Line Region and the Baldwin Effect

Statistical investigations of samples of quasars have established that clusters of properties are correlated. The strongest trends among the ultraviolet emission-line properties are characterized by the object-to-object variation of emission from low-velocity gas, the so-called ``intermediate-line region'' or ILR. The strongest trends among the optical emission-line properties are characterized by the object-to-object variation of the line intensity ratio of [O III] 5007 to optical Fe II. Additionally, the strength of ILR emission correlates with [O III]/Fe II, as well as with radio and X-ray properties. The fundamental physical parameter driving these related correlations is not yet identified. Because the variation in the ILR dominates the variation in the equivalent widths of lines showing the Baldwin effect, it is important to understand whether the physical parameter underlying this variation also drives the Baldwin effect or is a primary source of scatter in the Baldwin effect.Comment: 11 pages, to appear in the proceedings of the meeting on "Quasars as Standard Candles for Cosmology" held on May 18-22, 1998, at La Serena, Chile. To be published by ASP, editor G. Ferlan

The Profiles of H-Beta and [OIII] 5007 in Radio-Loud Quasars

Moderate-resolution spectra of the H$\beta$--[O III] $\lambda$5007 region have been obtained for 41 radio-loud quasars in order to investigate relationships among their broad- and narrow-line profiles, radio structures, and X-ray properties. Spectra from the literature have been included to form a data set of 60 radio-loud quasars. A variety of statistical analyses have been performed, identifying several strong, related trends. The FWHM, equivalent width, and degree of redward asymmetry of H$\beta$ increase with decreasing radio core dominance (an orientation indicator), whereas the FWHM of [O III] $\lambda$5007 increases with luminosity and $\alpha_{ox}$. These and other effects are briefly discussed.Comment: To appear in the Astrophysical Journal Supplement. Warning: A large paper, 360kb uuencoded, compressed postscript, including figures (except Fig. 1a-g, the spectra, which are at the ftp site below) and tables. The entire paper is also available by anonymous ftp at ftp://pan.as.utexas.edu/pub/HBpreprint

Outflows and the Physical Properties of Quasars

We have investigated a sample of 5088 quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Second Data Release in order to determine how the frequency and properties of broad absorptions lines (BALs) depend on black hole mass, bolometric luminosity, Eddington fraction (L/L_Edd), and spectral slope. We focus only on high-ionization BALs and find a number of significant results. While quasars accreting near the Eddington limit are more likely to show BALs than lower $L/L_{Edd}$ systems, BALs are present in quasars accreting at only a few percent Eddington. We find a stronger effect with bolometric luminosity, such that the most luminous quasars are more likely to show BALs. There is an additional effect, previously known, that BAL quasars are redder on average than unabsorbed quasars. The strongest effects involving the quasar physical properties and BAL properties are related to terminal outflow velocity. Maximum observed outflow velocities increase with both the bolometric luminosity and the blueness of the spectral slope, suggesting that the ultraviolet luminosity to a great extent determines the acceleration. These results support the idea of outflow acceleration via ultraviolet line scattering.Comment: Uses emulateapj.cls, 14 pages including 7 tables and 7 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, Unabridged version of Table 4 can be downloaded from http://physics.uwyo.edu/agn