Disc Winds and Line-Width Distributions in Active Galactic Nuclei

We study Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) emission-line profiles by combining an improved version of the accretion disc-wind model of Murray & Chiang with the magnetohydrodynamic model of Emmering et al. We consider central objects with different masses and/or luminosities. We show how the shape, broadening and shift of the C IV line depend not only on the viewing angle to the object but also on the wind launching angle, especially for small launching angles. We have compared the dispersions in our model C IV line-width distributions to observational upper limits on that dispersion, considering both smooth and clumpy torus models. Following Fine et al., we transform that scatter in the profile line-widths into a constraint on the torus geometry. We show how the half-opening angle of the obscuring structure depends on the mass and luminosity of the central object

Beaming and precession in the inner jet of 3C 273 : II. The central engine

The quasar 3C 273 is a well-known superluminal source. More than 10 radio components have been detected moving away from the nucleus with different superluminal speeds and position angles. The pattern of ejection suggests the existence of a precessing inner jet, whose kinematics has been discussed by Abraham & Romero (1999). We now present a binary black hole model for the central engine of 3C 273 where the rapid precession is tidally induced in the primary accretion disk inner region by a secondary black hole in a non-coplanar orbit. Using γ- and X-ray data we estimate upper limits for the mass of the primary, and then we compute the relevant parameters of the system for a variety of disk models. We also discuss some of the implications of the model for the electromagnetic and gravitational radiation from 3C 273.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y GeofísicasInstituto Argentino de Radioastronomí