21 research outputs found
The relative wavelength independence of IR lags in active galactic nuclei: implications for the distribution of the hot dust
We show that, contrary to simple predictions, most AGNs show at best only a
small increase of lags in the J, H, K, and L bands with increasing wavelength.
We suggest that a possible cause of this near simultaneity of the variability
from the near-IR to the mid-IR is that the hot dust is in a hollow bi-conical
outflow of which we only see the near side. Although most AGNs show near
simultaneity of IR variability, there was at least one epoch when NGC 4151
showed the sharply increasing IR lag with the increase of the wavelength. This
behaviour might also be present in GQ Comae. We discuss these results briefly.
The relative wavelength independence of IR lags simplifies the use of IR lags
for estimating cosmological parameters.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, for the Odessa Astronomical Publicatio
Interpretation of IR variability of AGNs in the hollow bi-conical dust outflow model
We show that, contrary to simple predictions, most AGNs show at best only a
small increase of lags with increasing wavelength in the J, H, K, and L bands .
We suggest that a possible cause of this near simultaneity of the variability
from the near-IR to the mid-IR is that the hot dust is in a hollow bi-conical
outflow of which we preferentially see the near side. In the proposed model
sublimation or re-creation of dust (with some delay relative luminosity
variations) along our line of sight in the hollow cone could be a factor in
explaining the changing look phenomenon of AGNs. Variations in the dust
obscuration can help explain changes in relationship of H-beta time delay on
Luv variability. The relative wavelength independence of IR lags simplifies the
use of IR lags for estimating cosmological parameters.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, IAU Sym 37
Reverberation measurement of the inner radius of the dust torus in NGC 4151 during 2008-2013
We investigate the correlation between infrared (JHKL) and optical (B) fluxes
of the variable nucleus of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151 using partially
published data for the last 6 years (2008-2013.). Here we are using the same
data as in Oknyansky et al. (2014), but include also optical (B) data from Guo
et al. We find that the lag of flux in all the infrared bands is the same, 40
+- 6 days, to within the measurement accuracy. Variability in the J and K bands
is not quite simultaneous, perhaps due to the differing contributions of the
accretion disk in these bands. The lag found for the K band compared with the B
band is not significantly different from earlier values obtained for the period
2000-2007. However, finding approximately the same lags in all IR bands for
2008-2013 differs from previous results at earlier epochs when the lag
increased with increasing wavelength. Examples of almost the same lag in
different IR bands are known for some other active nuclei. In the case of NGC
4151 it appears that the relative lags between the IR bands may be different in
different years. The available data, unfortunately, do not allow us to
investigate a possible change in the lags during the test interval. We discuss
our results in the framework of the standard model where the variable infrared
radiation is mainly due to thermal re-emission from the part of the dusty torus
closest to the central source. There is also a contribution of some IR emission
from the accretion disk, and this contribution increases with decreasing
wavelength. Some cosmological applications of obtained results are discussed.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures, 14-th Odessa International Astronomical Gamow
Conference-School Astronomy and beyond: Astrophysics, Cosmology and
Gravitation, Cosmomicrophysics, Radio-astronomy and Astrobiolog