Dynamics of gas and dust clouds in active galactic nuclei

We analyse the motion of single optically thick clouds in the potential of a central mass under the influence of an anisotropic radiation field ~|cos(\theta)|, a model applicable to the inner region of active galactic nuclei. Resulting orbits are analytically soluble for constant cloud column densities. All stable orbits are closed, although they have non-trivial shapes. Furthermore, there exists a stability criterion in the form of a critical inclination, which depends on the luminosity of the central source and the column density of the cloud.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; language corrections, minor formatting change

Numerical simulations of the possible origin of the two sub-parsec scale and counter-rotating stellar disks around SgrA*

We present a high resolution simulation of an idealized model to explain the origin of the two young, counter-rotating, sub-parsec scale stellar disks around the supermassive black hole SgrA* at the Center of the Milky Way. In our model, the collision of a single molecular cloud with a circum-nuclear gas disk (similar to the one observed presently) leads to multiple streams of gas flowing towards the black hole and creating accretion disks with angular momentum depending on the ratio of cloud and circum-nuclear disk material. The infalling gas creates two inclined, counter-rotating sub-parsec scale accretion disks around the supermassive black hole with the first disk forming roughly 1 Myr earlier, allowing it to fragment into stars and get dispersed before the second, counter-rotating disk forms. Fragmentation of the second disk would lead to the two inclined, counter-rotating stellar disks which are observed at the Galactic Center. A similar event might be happening again right now at the Milky Way Galactic Center. Our model predicts that the collision event generates spiral-like filaments of gas, feeding the Galactic Center prior to disk formation with a geometry and inflow pattern that is in agreement with the structure of the so called mini-spiral that has been detected in the Galactic Center.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures, submitted to Ap

Radiation feedback on dusty clouds during Seyfert activity

We investigate the evolution of dusty gas clouds falling into the centre of an active Seyfert nucleus. Two-dimensional high-resolution radiation hydrodynamics simulations are performed to study the fate of single clouds and the interaction between two clouds approaching the Active Galactic Nucleus. We find three distinct phases of the evolution of the cloud: (i) formation of a lenticular shape with dense inner rim caused by the interaction of gravity and radiation pressure (the lense phase), (ii) formation of a clumpy sickle-shaped structure as the result of a converging flow (the clumpy sickle phase) and (iii) a filamentary phase caused by a rapidly varying optical depth along the sickle. Depending on the column density of the cloud, it will either be pushed outwards or its central (highest column density) parts move inwards, while there is always some material pushed outwards by radiation pressure effects. The general dynamical evolution of the cloud can approximately be described by a simple analytical model.Comment: 13 pages, 18 figures, accepted by MNRA

The central parsecs of active galactic nuclei: challenges to the torus

Type 2 AGN are by definition nuclei in which the broad-line region and continuum light are hidden at optical/UV wavelengths by dust. Via accurate registration of infrared (IR) Very Large Telescope adaptive optics images with optical \textit{Hubble Space Telescope} images we unambiguously identify the precise location of the nucleus of a sample of nearby, type 2 AGN. Dust extinction maps of the central few kpc of these galaxies are constructed from optical-IR colour images, which allow tracing the dust morphology at scales of few pc. In almost all cases, the IR nucleus is shifted by several tens of pc from the optical peak and its location is behind a dust filament, prompting to this being a major, if not the only, cause of the nucleus obscuration. These nuclear dust lanes have extinctions $A_V \geq 3-6$ mag, sufficient to at least hide the low-luminosity AGN class, and in some cases are observed to connect with kpc-scale dust structures, suggesting that these are the nuclear fueling channels. A precise location of the ionised gas H$\alpha$ and [\textsc{Si\,vii}] 2.48 $\mu$m coronal emission lines relative to those of the IR nucleus and dust is determined. The H$\alpha$ peak emission is often shifted from the nucleus location and its sometimes conical morphology appears not to be caused by a nuclear --torus-- collimation but to be strictly defined by the morphology of the nuclear dust lanes. Conversely, [\textsc{Si\,vii}] 2.48 $\mu$m emission, less subjected to dust extinction, reflects the truly, rather isotropic, distribution of the ionised gas. All together, the precise location of the dust, ionised gas and nucleus is found compelling enough to cast doubts on the universality of the pc-scale torus and supports its vanishing in low-luminosity AGN. Finally, we provide the most accurate position of the NGC 1068 nucleus, located at the South vertex of cloud B.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

The effect of stellar feedback on the formation and evolution of gas and dust tori in AGN

Recently, the existence of geometrically thick dust structures in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) has been directly proven with the help of mid-infrared interferometry. The observations are consistent with a two-component model made up of a geometrically thin and warm central disk, surrounded by a colder, fluffy torus component. In an exploratory study, we investigate one possible physical mechanism, which could produce such a structure, namely the effect of stellar feedback from a young nuclear star cluster on the interstellar medium in centres of AGN. The model is realised with the help of the hydrodynamics code TRAMP. We follow the evolution of the interstellar medium by taking discrete mass loss and energy ejection due to stellar processes, as well as optically thin radiative cooling into account. In a post-processing step, we calculate observable quantities (spectral energy distributions and images) with the help of the radiative transfer code MC3D. The interplay between injection of mass, supernova explosions and radiative cooling leads to a two-component structure made up of a cold geometrically thin, but optically thick and very turbulent disk residing in the vicinity of the angular momentum barrier, surrounded by a filamentary structure. The latter consists of cold long radial filaments flowing towards the disk and a hot tenuous medium in between, which shows both inwards and outwards directed motions. This modelling is able to reproduce the range of observed neutral hydrogen column densities of a sample of Seyfert galaxies as well as the relation between them and the strength of the silicate 10 micron spectral feature. Despite being quite crude, our mean Seyfert galaxy model is even able to describe the SEDs of two intermediate type Seyfert galaxies observed with the Spitzer Space Telescope.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures, accepted by MNRAS, high resolution version can be downloaded from: http://www.mpe.mpg.de/~mschartm/papers/schartmann_2008b.pd

Time-resolved infrared emission from radiation-driven central obscuring structures in Active Galactic Nuclei

The central engines of Seyfert galaxies are thought to be enshrouded by geometrically thick gas and dust structures. In this article, we derive observable properties for a self-consistent model of such toroidal gas and dust distributions, where the geometrical thickness is achieved and maintained with the help of X-ray heating and radiation pressure due to the central engine. Spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and images are obtained with the help of dust continuum radiative transfer calculations with RADMC-3D. For the first time, we are able to present time-resolved SEDs and images for a physical model of the central obscurer. Temporal changes are mostly visible at shorter wavelengths, close to the combined peak of the dust opacity as well as the central source spectrum and are caused by variations in the column densities of the generated outflow. Due to the three-component morphology of the hydrodynamical models -- a thin disc with high density filaments, a surrounding fluffy component (the obscurer) and a low density outflow along the rotation axis -- we find dramatic differences depending on wavelength: whereas the mid-infrared images are dominated by the elongated appearance of the outflow cone, the long wavelength emission is mainly given by the cold and dense disc component. Overall, we find good agreement with observed characteristics, especially for those models, which show clear outflow cones in combination with a geometrically thick distribution of gas and dust, as well as a geometrically thin, but high column density disc in the equatorial plane.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Radiative transfer modelling of parsec-scale dusty warped discs

Warped discs have been found on (sub-)parsec scale in some nearby Seyfert nuclei, identified by their maser emission. Using dust radiative transfer simulations we explore their observational signatures in the infrared in order to find out whether they can partly replace the molecular torus. Strong variations of the brightness distributions are found, depending on the orientation of the warp with respect to the line of sight. Whereas images at short wavelengths typically show a disc-like and a point source component, the warp itself only becomes visible at far-infrared wavelengths. A similar variety is visible in the shapes of the spectral energy distributions. Especially for close to edge-on views, the models show silicate feature strengths ranging from deep absorption to strong emission for variations of the lines of sight towards the warp. To test the applicability of our model, we use the case of the Circinus galaxy, where infrared interferometry has revealed a highly elongated emission component matching a warped maser disc in orientation and size. Our model is for the first time able to present a physical explanation for the observed dust morphology as coming from the AGN heated dust. As opposed to available torus models, a warped disc morphology produces a variety of silicate feature shapes for grazing lines of sight, close to an edge-on view. This could be an attractive alternative to a claimed change of the dust composition for the case of the nearby Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 1068, which harbours a warped maser disc as well.Comment: accepted by MNRA

The life cycle of starbursting circumnuclear gas discs

High-resolution observations from the sub-mm to the optical wavelength regime resolve the central few 100pc region of nearby galaxies in great detail. They reveal a large diversity of features: thick gas and stellar discs, nuclear starbursts, in- and outflows, central activity, jet interaction, etc. Concentrating on the role circumnuclear discs play in the life cycles of galactic nuclei, we employ 3D adaptive mesh refinement hydrodynamical simulations with the RAMSES code to self-consistently trace the evolution from a quasi-stable gas disc, undergoing gravitational (Toomre) instability, the formation of clumps and stars and the disc's subsequent, partial dispersal via stellar feedback. Our approach builds upon the observational finding that many nearby Seyfert galaxies have undergone intense nuclear starbursts in their recent past and in many nearby sources star formation is concentrated in a handful of clumps on a few 100pc distant from the galactic centre. We show that such observations can be understood as the result of gravitational instabilities in dense circumnuclear discs. By comparing these simulations to available integral field unit observations of a sample of nearby galactic nuclei, we find consistent gas and stellar masses, kinematics, star formation and outflow properties. Important ingredients in the simulations are the self-consistent treatment of star formation and the dynamical evolution of the stellar distribution as well as the modelling of a delay time distribution for the supernova feedback. The knowledge of the resulting simulated density structure and kinematics on pc scale is vital for understanding inflow and feedback processes towards galactic scales.Comment: accepted by MNRA

Simulating the pericentre passage of the Galactic centre star S2

The so-called S2 star reached its closest approach to the massive black hole (BH) at around 1500 $R_\mathrm{s}$ in May 2018. It has been proposed that the interaction of its stellar wind with the high-density accretion flow at this distance from Sgr A* will lead to a detectable, month-long X-ray flare. Our goal is to verify whether or not the S2 star wind can be used as a diagnostic tool to infer the properties of the accretion flow towards Sgr A* at its pericentre (an unprobed distance regime), putting important constraints on BH accretion flow models. We run a series of three-dimensional adaptive mesh refinement simulations with the help of the Ramses code which include the realistic treatment of the interaction of S2's stellar wind with the accretion flow along its orbit and - apart from hydrodynamical and thermodynamical effects - include the tidal interaction with the massive BH. These are post-processed to derive the X-ray emission in the observable 2-10 keV window. No significant excess of X-ray emission from Sgr A* is found for typical accretion flow models. A measurable excess is produced for a significantly increased density of the accretion flow. This can, however, be ruled out for standard power-law accretion flow models as in this case the thermal X-ray emission without the S2 wind interaction would already exceed the observed quiescent luminosity. Only a significant change of the wind parameters (increased mass loss rate and decreased wind velocity) might lead to an (marginally) observable X-ray flaring event. Even the detection of an (month-long) X-ray flare during the pericentre passage of the S2 star would not allow for strict constraints to be put on the accretion flow around Sgr A* due to the degeneracy caused by the dependence on multiple parameters (of the accretion flow model as well as the stellar wind).Comment: accepted by A&A Letter