20 research outputs found
Stronger Constraints on the Evolution of the Relation up to
We revisit the possibility of redshift evolution in the
relation with a sample of 22 Seyfert 1 galaxies with
black holes (BHs) in the mass range and redshift
range with spectra obtained from spatially resolved
Keck/Low-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer observations. Stellar velocity
dispersions were measured directly from the Mg Ib region, taking into
consideration the effect of Fe II contamination, active galactic nucleus (AGN)
dilution, and host-galaxy morphology on our measurements. BH masses are
estimated using the H line width, and the luminosity at 5100
\overset{\lower.5em\circ}{\mathrm{A}} is estimated from surface brightness
decomposition of the AGN from the host galaxy using high-resolution imaging
from the Hubble Space Telescope. Additionally, we investigate the use of the [O
III] emission line width as a surrogate for stellar velocity
dispersion, finding better correlation once corrected for Fe II contamination
and any possible blueshifted wing components. Our selection criteria allowed us
to probe lower-luminosity AGNs and lower-mass BHs in the non-local universe
than those measured in previous single-epoch studies. We find that any offset
in the relation up to is consistent with the
scatter of local BH masses, and address the sources of biases and uncertainties
that contribute to this scatter.Comment: Accepted 14 May 2019 for publication in ApJ. 42 pages, 12 figures, 4
tables. Corrected for typographical error
Black Hole - Bulge Relationship of Post-Starburst Quasars at z \sim 0.3
The MBH - {\sigma}\ast relation has been studied extensively for local
galaxies, but to date there have been scarce few direct measurements of stellar
velocity dispersions for systems beyond the local universe. We investigate
black hole and host galaxy properties of six "post-starburst quasars" at z \sim
0.3. Spectra of these objects simultaneously display features from the active
nucleus including broad emission lines and a host galaxy Balmer absorption
series indicative of the post-starburst stellar population. These are the first
measurements of {\sigma}\ast in such objects, and we significantly increase the
number of directly-measured non-local objects on the MBH - {\sigma}\ast
diagram. The "post-starburst quasars" of our sample fall on or above the
locally defined MBH - {\sigma}\ast relation, a result that is consistent with
previous MBH - {\sigma}\ast studies of samples at z > 0.1. However, they are
generally consistent with the MBH-Lbulge relation. Futhermore, their location
on the Faber-Jackson relation suggests that some of the bulges may be
dynamically peculiar.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
An Infrared Comparison of Type-1 and Type-2 Quasars
We model the optical to far-infrared SEDs of a sample of six type-1 and six
type-2 quasars selected in the mid-infrared. The objects in our sample are
matched in mid-IR luminosity and selected based on their Spitzer IRAC colors.
We obtained new targeted Spitzer IRS and MIPS observations and used archival
photometry to examine the optical to far-IR SEDs. We investigate whether the
observed differences between samples are consistent with orientation-based
unification schemes. The type-1 objects show significant emission at 3 micron.
They do not show strong PAH emission and have less far-IR emission on average
when compared to the type-2 objects. The SEDs of the type-2 objects show a wide
assortment of silicate features, ranging from weak emission to deep silicate
absorption. Some also show strong PAH features. In comparison, silicate is only
seen in emission in the type-1 objects. This is consistent with some of the
type-2s being reddened by a foreground screen of cooler dust, perhaps in the
host galaxy itself. We investigate the AGN contribution to the far-IR emission
and find it to be significant. We also estimate the star formation rate for
each of the objects by integrating the modeled far-IR flux and compare this
with the SFR found from PAH emission. We find the type-2 quasars have a higher
average SFR than the type-1 quasars based on both methods, though this could be
due to differences in bolometric luminosities of the objects. While we find
pronounced differences between the two types of objects, none of them are
inconsistent with orientation-based unification schemes.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap
A Distance-Limited Imaging Survey of Sub-Stellar Companions to Solar Neighborhood Stars
We report techniques and results of a Palomar 200-inch (5 m) adaptive optics
imaging survey of sub-stellar companions to solar-type stars. The survey
consists of Ks coronagraphic observations of 21 FGK dwarfs out to 20 pc (median
distance about 17 pc). At 1-arcsec separation (17 projected AU) from a typical
target system, the survey achieves median sensitivities 7 mag fainter than the
parent star. In terms of companion mass, that corresponds to sensitivities of
50MJ (1 Gyr), 70MJ (solar age), and 75MJ (10 Gyr), using the evolutionary
models of Baraffe and colleagues. Using common proper motion to distinguish
companions from field stars, we find that no system shows positive evidence of
a previously unknown substellar companion (searchable separation about 20-250
projected AU at the median target distance).Comment: 29 pages, 5 figures. Carson et al. 2008, AJ, in pres
The Lick AGN Monitoring Project: Reverberation Mapping of Optical Hydrogen and Helium Recombination Lines
We have recently completed a 64-night spectroscopic monitoring campaign at
the Lick Observatory 3-m Shane telescope with the aim of measuring the masses
of the black holes in 12 nearby (z < 0.05) Seyfert 1 galaxies with expected
masses in the range ~10^6-10^7M_sun and also the well-studied nearby active
galactic nucleus (AGN) NGC 5548. Nine of the objects in the sample (including
NGC 5548) showed optical variability of sufficient strength during the
monitoring campaign to allow for a time lag to be measured between the
continuum fluctuations and the response to these fluctuations in the broad
Hbeta emission, which we have previously reported. We present here the light
curves for the Halpha, Hgamma, HeII 4686, and HeI 5876 emission lines and the
time lags for the emission-line responses relative to changes in the continuum
flux. Combining each emission-line time lag with the measured width of the line
in the variable part of the spectrum, we determine a virial mass of the central
supermassive black hole from several independent emission lines. We find that
the masses are generally consistent within the uncertainties. The time-lag
response as a function of velocity across the Balmer line profiles is examined
for six of the AGNs. Finally we compare several trends seen in the dataset
against the predictions from photoionization calculations as presented by
Korista & Goad. We confirm several of their predictions, including an increase
in responsivity and a decrease in the mean time lag as the excitation and
ionization level for the species increases. Further confirmation of
photoionization predictions for broad-line gas behavior will require additional
monitoring programs for these AGNs while they are in different luminosity
states. [abridged]Comment: 37 pages, 18 figures and 15 tables, accepted for publication in the
Astrophysical Journa
The Lick AGN Monitoring Project 2011: Dynamical Modeling of the Broad Line Region in Mrk 50
We present dynamical modeling of the broad line region (BLR) in the Seyfert 1
galaxy Mrk 50 using reverberation mapping data taken as part of the Lick AGN
Monitoring Project (LAMP) 2011. We model the reverberation mapping data
directly, constraining the geometry and kinematics of the BLR, as well as
deriving a black hole mass estimate that does not depend on a normalizing
factor or virial coefficient. We find that the geometry of the BLR in Mrk 50 is
a nearly face-on thick disk, with a mean radius of 9.6(+1.2,-0.9) light days, a
width of the BLR of 6.9(+1.2,-1.1) light days, and a disk opening angle of
25\pm10 degrees above the plane. We also constrain the inclination angle to be
9(+7,-5) degrees, close to face-on. Finally, the black hole mass of Mrk 50 is
inferred to be log10(M(BH)/Msun) = 7.57(+0.44,-0.27). By comparison to the
virial black hole mass estimate from traditional reverberation mapping
analysis, we find the normalizing constant (virial coefficient) to be log10(f)
= 0.78(+0.44,-0.27), consistent with the commonly adopted mean value of 0.74
based on aligning the M(BH)-{\sigma}* relation for AGN and quiescent galaxies.
While our dynamical model includes the possibility of a net inflow or outflow
in the BLR, we cannot distinguish between these two scenarios.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 8 pages, 6 figure
The Lick AGN Monitoring Project: Broad-Line Region Radii and Black Hole Masses from Reverberation Mapping of Hbeta
We have recently completed a 64-night spectroscopic monitoring campaign at
the Lick Observatory 3-m Shane telescope with the aim of measuring the masses
of the black holes in 12 nearby (z < 0.05) Seyfert 1 galaxies with expected
masses in the range ~10^6-10^7 M_sun and also the well-studied nearby active
galactic nucleus (AGN) NGC 5548. Nine of the objects in the sample (including
NGC 5548) showed optical variability of sufficient strength during the
monitoring campaign to allow for a time lag to be measured between the
continuum fluctuations and the response to these fluctuations in the broad
Hbeta emission. We present here the light curves for the objects in this sample
and the subsequent Hbeta time lags for the nine objects where these
measurements were possible. The Hbeta lag time is directly related to the size
of the broad-line region, and by combining the lag time with the measured width
of the Hbeta emission line in the variable part of the spectrum, we determine
the virial mass of the central supermassive black hole in these nine AGNs. The
absolute calibration of the black hole masses is based on the normalization
derived by Onken et al. We also examine the time lag response as a function of
velocity across the Hbeta line profile for six of the AGNs. The analysis of
four leads to ambiguous results with relatively flat time lags as a function of
velocity. However, SBS 1116+583A exhibits a symmetric time lag response around
the line center reminiscent of simple models for circularly orbiting broad-line
region (BLR) clouds, and Arp 151 shows an asymmetric profile that is most
easily explained by a simple gravitational infall model. Further investigation
will be necessary to fully understand the constraints placed on physical models
of the BLR by the velocity-resolved response in these objects.Comment: 24 pages, 16 figures and 13 tables, submitted to Ap
First Results from the Lick AGN Monitoring Project: The Mass of the Black Hole in Arp 151
We have recently completed a 64-night spectroscopic monitoring campaign at
the Lick Observatory 3-m Shane telescope with the aim of measuring the masses
of the black holes in 13 nearby (z < 0.05) Seyfert 1 galaxies with expected
masses in the range ~10^6-10^7 M_sun. We present here the first results from
this project -- the mass of the central black hole in Arp 151. Strong
variability throughout the campaign led to an exceptionally clean Hbeta lag
measurement in this object of 4.25(+0.68/-0.66) days in the observed frame.
Coupled with the width of the Hbeta emission line in the variable spectrum, we
determine a black hole mass of (7.1 +/- 1.2)x10^6 M_sun, assuming the Onken et
al. normalization for reverberation-based virial masses. We also find
velocity-resolved lag information within the Hbeta emission line which clearly
shows infalling gas in the Hbeta-emitting region. Further detailed analysis may
lead to a full model of the geometry and kinematics of broad line region gas
around the central black hole in Arp 151.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures and 2 tables, accepted for publication in ApJ
Letter