541 research outputs found
The Black Hole Mass - Stellar Velocity Dispersion Relationship for Quasars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7
We assess evolution in the black hole mass - stellar velocity dispersion
relationship (M-sigma relationship) for quasars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
Data Release 7 for the redshift range 0.1 < z < 1.2. We estimate the black hole
mass using the "photoionization method," with the broad Hbeta or Mg II emission
line and the quasar continuum luminosity. For the stellar velocity dispersion,
we use the narrow [O III] or [O II] emission line as a surrogate. This study is
a follow-up to an earlier study in which we investigated evolution in the
M-sigma relationship in quasars from Data Release 3. The greatly increased
number of quasars in our new sample has allowed us to break our lower-redshift
subsample into black hole mass bins and probe the M-sigma relationship for
constant black hole mass. The M-sigma relationship for the highest-mass (log M
> 9 solar masses) and lowest-mass (log M < 7.5 solar masses) black holes
appears to evolve significantly, however most or all of this apparent evolution
can be accounted for by various observational biases due to intrinsic scatter
in the relationship and to uncertainties in observed quantities. The M-sigma
relationship for black holes in the middle mass range (7.5 < log M < 9 solar
masses) shows minimal change with redshift. The overall results suggest a limit
of +/- 0.2 dex on any evolution in the M-sigma relationship for quasars out to
z ~ 1 compared with the relationship observed in the local universe. Intrinsic
scatter may also provide a plausible way to reconcile the wide range of results
of several different studies of the black hole - galaxy relationships.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Ap
The Lyman Continuum Polarization Rise in the QSO PG 1222+228
Some QSOs show an abrupt, strong rise in polarization near rest wavelength
750 A. If this arises in the atmosphere of an accretion disk around a
supermassive black hole, it may have diagnostic value. In PG 1222+228, the
polarization rise occurs at the wavelength of a sharp drop in flux. We examine
and reject interpretations of this feature involving a high velocity outflow.
The observations agree with a model involving several intervening Lyman limit
systems, two of which happen to coincide with the Lyman continuum polarization
rise. After correction for the Lyman limit absorption, the continuum shortward
of 912 A is consistent with a typical power-law slope, alpha = -1.8. This
violates the apparent pattern for the Lyman limit polarization rises to occur
only in ``candidate Lyman edge QSOs''. The corrected, polarized flux rises
strongly at the wavelength of the polarization rise, resembling the case of PG
1630+377. The rise in polarized flux places especially stringent requirements
on models.Comment: 19 pages, including 5 EPS figures. Uses aaspp4.sty. Accepted for
publication in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 2000
Ma
Dependence of Nebular Heavy-Element Abundance on H I Content for Spiral Galaxies
We analyze the galactic H I content and nebular log(O/H) for 60 spiral
galaxies in the Moustakas et al. (2006) spectral catalog. After correcting for
the mass-metallicity relationship, we show that the spirals in cluster
environments show a positive correlation for log(O/H) on DEF, the galactic H I
deficiency parameter, extending the results of previous analyses of the Virgo
and Pegasus I clusters. Additionally, we show for the first time that galaxies
in the field obey a similar dependence. The observed relationship between H I
deficiency and galactic metallicity resembles similar trends shown by
cosmological simulations of galaxy formation including inflows and outflows.
These results indicate the previously observed metallicity-DEF correlation has
a more universal interpretation than simply a cluster's effects on its member
galaxies. Rather, we observe in all environments the stochastic effects of
metal-poor infall as minor mergers and accretion help to build giant spirals.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap
Double-Peaked Narrow-Line Active Galactic Nuclei. II. The Case Of Equal Peaks
Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with double-peaked narrow lines (DPAGNs) may be caused by kiloparsec-scale binary AGNs, bipolar outflows, or rotating gaseous disks. We examine the class of DPAGNs in which the two narrow-line components have closely similar intensity as being especially likely to involve disks or jets. Two spectroscopic indicators support this likelihood. For DPAGNs from Smith et al., the "equal-peaked" objects (EPAGNs) have [Ne V]/[O III] ratios lower than for a control sample of non-double-peaked AGNs. This is unexpected for a pair of normal AGNs in a galactic merger, but may be consistent with [O III] emission from a rotating ring with relatively little gas at small radii. Also, [O III]/H beta ratios of the redshifted and blueshifted systems in the EPAGN are more similar to each other than in a control sample, suggestive of a single ionizing source and inconsistent with the binary interpretation.University Cooperative Society of the University of Texas at AustinJane and Roland Blumberg Cenntenial Professorship in AstronomyAlfred P. Sloan FoundationNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNational Science FoundationU.S. Department of EnergyJapanese MonbukagakushoMax Planck SocietyUniversity of ChicagoInstitute for Advanced StudyJapan Participation GroupJohns Hopkins UniversityKorean Scientist GroupLos Alamos National LaboratoryMax-Planck-Institute for Astronomy (MPIA)Max-Planck-Institute for Astrophysics (MPA)New Mexico State UniversityUniversity of PittsburghUniversity of PortsmouthPrinceton UniversityUnited States Naval ObservatoryUniversity of WashingtonFermilabAstronom
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The Jet-Driven Outflow In The Radio Galaxy SDSS J1517+3353: Implications For Double-Peaked Narrow-Line Active Galactic Nucleus
We report on the study of an intriguing active galaxy that was selected as a potential multiple supermassive black hole merger in the early-type host SDSS J151709.20+335324.7 (z = 0.135) from a complete search for double-peaked [O III] lines from the SDSS spectroscopic quasi-stellar object (QSO) database. Ground-based SDSS imaging reveals two blue structures on either side of the photometric center of the host galaxy, separated from each other by about 5.7 kpc. From a combination of SDSS fiber and Keck/HIRES long-slit spectroscopy, it is demonstrated that, in addition to these two features, a third distinct structure surrounds the nucleus of the host galaxy. All three structures exhibit highly ionized line emission with line ratios characteristic of Seyfert II active galactic nuclei. The analysis of spatially resolved emission-line profiles from the HIRES spectrum reveal three distinct kinematic subcomponents, one at rest and the other two moving at -350 km s(-1) and 500 km s(-1) with respect to the systemic velocity of the host galaxy. A comparison of imaging and spectral data confirm a strong association between the kinematic components and the spatial knots, which implies a highly disturbed and complex active region in this object. A comparative analysis of the broadband positions, colors, kinematics, and spectral properties of the knots in this system lead to two plausible explanations: (1) a multiple active galactic nucleus (AGN) produced due to a massive dry merger, or (2) a very powerful radio jet-driven outflow. Subsequent VLA radio imaging reveals a clear jet aligned with the emission-line gas, confirming the latter explanation. We use the broadband radio measurements to examine the impact of the jet on the interstellar medium of the host galaxy, and find that the energy in the radio lobes can heat a significant fraction of the gas to the virial temperature. Finally, we discuss tests that may help future surveys distinguish between jet-driven kinematics and true black-hole binaries. J1517+3353 is a remarkable laboratory for AGN feedback and warrants deeper follow-up study. In the Appendix, we present high-resolution radio imaging of a second AGN with double-peaked [O III] lines, SDSS J112939.78+605742.6, which shows a sub-arcsecond radio jet. If the double-peaked nature of the narrow lines in radio-loud AGNs are generally due to radio jet interactions, we suggest that extended radio structure should be expected in most of such systems.NSF AST-0507483, AST-0808133University of Texas at AustinAlfred P. Sloan FoundationParticipating InstitutionsNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationU.S. Department of EnergyJapanese MonbukagakushoMax Planck SocietyAstronom
Efficient Global Sensitivity Analysis of Structural Vibration for a Nuclear Reactor System Subject to Nonstationary Loading
The structures associated with the nuclear steam supply system (NSSS) of a pressurized water reactor (PWR) include significant epistemic and aleatory uncertainties in the physical parameters, while also being subject to various non-stationary stochastic loading conditions over the life of a nuclear power plant. To understand the influence of these uncertainties on nuclear reactor systems, sensitivity analysis must be performed. This work evaluates computational design of experiment strategies, which execute a nuclear reactor equipment system finite element model to train and verify Gaussian Process (GP) surrogate models. The surrogate models are then used to perform both global and local sensitivity analyses. The significance of the sensitivity analysis for efficient modeling and simulation of nuclear reactor stochastic dynamics is discussed
The Extraordinary Abundances of QSO Broad Absorption Line Regions: A Matter of Novae?
The broad absorption lines (BALs) of QSOs indicate abundances of heavy
elements, relative to hydrogen, that are 1 to 2 orders of magnitude higher than
the solar values. In at least one QSO, an especially large enhancement of
phosphorus is observed. These abundances resemble those in Galactic novae, and
this suggests that novae may produce the BAL gas. The needed rate of nova
outbursts may come from single white dwarfs that accrete gas as they pass
through a supermassive accretion disk around a central black hole.Comment: 9 pages including 1 Postscript figure. Uses aaspp4.sty and
flushrt.sty. Uuencoded, gzipped tarfile. To appear in Astrophys. J.
(Letters), 1996 April 1
Chemical Abundances in Virgo Spiral Galaxies II: Effects of Cluster Environment
We present new measurements of chemical abundances in H II regions in spiral
galaxies of the Virgo cluster and a comparison of Virgo galaxies and field
spirals. With these new data there now exist nine Virgo spirals with abundance
measurements for at least four H II regions. Our sample of Virgo galaxies
ranges from H I deficient objects near the core of the cluster to galaxies with
normal H I properties, far from the cluster core. We investigate the
relationship between H I disk characteristics and chemical abundances to
determine whether dynamical process that remove gas from the disk, such as ram
pressure stripping by the intracluster medium, also affect the chemical
abundances.Comment: 53 pages (gzip'ed and uuencoded postscript) Accepted for publication
for the Astrophysical Journa
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