3,047 research outputs found
Variability and the X-ray/UV ratio of Active Galactic Nuclei
The observed relation between the X-ray radiation from AGNs, originating in
the corona, and the optical/UV radiation from the disk is usually described by
the anticorrelation between the UV to X-ray slope alpha_ox and the UV
luminosity. Many factors can affect this relation, including: enhanced X-ray
emission associated with the jets of radio-loud AGNs; X-ray absorption
associated with the UV Broad Absorption Line (BAL) outflows; other X-ray
absorption not associated with BALs; intrinsic X-ray weakness; UV and X-ray
variability, and non-simultaneity of UV and X-ray observations. The separation
of these effects provides information about the intrinsic alpha_ox-L_UV
relation and its dispersion, constraining models of disk-corona coupling. We
extract simultaneous data from the second XMM-Newton serendipitous source
catalogue and the XMM-Newton Optical Monitor Serendipitous UV Source Survey
Catalog, and derive the single-epoch alpha_ox indices. We use ensemble
structure functions to analyse multi-epoch data. We confirm the anticorrelation
of alpha_ox with L_UV, and do not find any evidence of a dependence of alpha_ox
on z. The dispersion in our simultaneous data (0.12) is not significantly
smaller than in previous non-simultaneous studies, suggesting that "artificial
alpha_ox variability" introduced by non-simultaneity is not the main cause of
dispersion. "Intrinsic alpha_ox variability", i.e., the true variability of the
X-ray to optical ratio, is instead important, and accounts for ~30% of the
total variance, or more. "Inter-source dispersion", due to intrinsic
differences in the average alpha_ox values from source to source, is also
important. The dispersion introduced by variability is mostly caused by the
long timescale variations, which are expected to be driven by the optical
variations.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, 1 table. Final version equal to the published
on
Identification of the Coronal Sources of the Fast Solar Wind
The present spectroscopic study of the ultraviolet coronal emission in a
polar hole, detected on April 6-9, 1996 with the Ultraviolet Coronagraph
Spectrometer aboard the SOHO spacecraft, identifies the inter-plume lanes and
background coronal hole regions as the channels where the fast solar wind is
preferentially accelerated. In inter-plume lanes, at heliocentric distance 1.7
\rsun, the corona expands at a rate between 105 km/s and 150 km/s, that is,
much faster than in plumes where the outflow velocity is between 0 km/s and 65
km/s. The wind velocity is inferred from the Doppler dimming of the O VI
1032, 1037 \AA lines, within a range of values, whose lower
and upper limit corresponds to anisotropic and isotropic velocity distribution
of the oxygen coronal ions, respectively.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, 3 tables, Accepted by ApJ Letter
An Extraordinary Scattered Broad Emission Line in a Type 2 QSO
An infrared-selected, narrow-line QSO has been found to exhibit an
extraordinarily broad Halpha emission line in polarized light. Both the extreme
width (35,000 km/sec full-width at zero intensity) and 3,000 km/sec redshift of
the line centroid with respect to the systemic velocity suggest emission in a
deep gravitational potential. An extremely red polarized continuum and partial
scattering of the narrow lines at a position angle common to the broad-line
emission imply extensive obscuration, with few unimpeded lines of sight to the
nucleus.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, to appear in the Astrophysical Journal Letter
The Polarized Spectrum of Apm 08279+5255
We report the discovery of significant linear polarization (p > 1%) in the
hyperluminous z=3.87 BALQSO APM~08279+5255. The polarization spectrum is
complex, with properties similar to those of other, lower redshift but more
highly polarized BALQSOs. The resonance emission lines are unpolarized while
the absorption troughs show polarization similar to or higher than the
continuum. In particular, an apparent increase of polarization in the trough
covering 1000-1030 angstroms (rest) supports the interpretation of this feature
as a broad absorption component associated with OVI/Ly_beta local to the QSO,
as opposed to an intervening damped Ly_alpha absorption system.
The elevated polarization in some of the absorption features implies that we
view the scattered (polarized) spectrum through a sightline with less absorbing
material than the direct spectrum. Therefore, the complex structure of the
polarization spectrum in this brilliant lensed BALQSO suggests that it will be
an important laboratory for studying the structure of QSOs at high redshift.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical
Journal Letter
Spectropolarimetry of 3CR 68.1: A Highly Inclined Quasar
We present Keck spectropolarimetry of the highly polarized radio-loud quasar
3CR 68.1 (z=1.228, V=19). The polarization increases from 5 in the red (4000 A
rest-frame) to >10% in the blue (1900 A rest-frame). The broad emission lines
are polarized the same as the continuum, which shows that 3CR 68.1 is not a
blazar as it has sometimes been regarded in the past. We also present
measurements of the emission lines and a strong, blueshifted, associated
absorption line system, as well as a detection at the emission-line redshift of
Ca II K absorption, presumably from stars in the host galaxy. 3CR 68.1 belongs
to an observationally rare class of highly polarized quasars that are neither
blazars nor partially obscured radio-quiet QSOs. Taking into account 3CR 68.1's
other unusual properties, such as its extremely red spectral energy
distribution and its extreme lobe dominance, we explain our spectropolarimetric
results in terms of unified models. We argue that we have a dusty, highly
inclined view of 3CR 68.1, with reddened scattered (polarized) quasar light
diluted by even more dust-reddened quasar light reaching us directly from the
nucleus.Comment: 20 pages, includes 3 tables, 6 figures. Accepted by Ap
Further insights on predictors of environmental tobacco smoke exposure during the pediatric age
Background: The smoking ban in public places has reduced Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) exposure for non-smokers, but despite this, domestic environments still remain places at high risk of exposure, and, today, about 40% of children worldwide are exposed to ETS at home. The aims of the study are to investigate the contribution of several factors on ETS exposure among a group of Italian children and to evaluate the changes in smoking precautions adopted at home when the smoker is the mother, the father, or both parents, respectively. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on a sample of 519 Italian schoolchildren. Information was collected via a questionnaire. Results: 41.4% of the participants lived with at least one smoker. Almost half of the children exposed to ETS lived with one or more smokers who do not observe any home smoking ban. Lower maternal or paternal educational levels significantly increase the risk of ETS exposure at home and the “worst case” is represented by both parents who smoke. Conclusions: More effective preventive interventions are needed to protect children from ETS exposure. Some interventions should be specifically dedicated to smokers with a low educational level and to mothers that smoke
A Synoptic, Multiwavelength Analysis of a Large Quasar Sample
We present variability and multi-wavelength photometric information for the
933 known quasars in the QUEST Variability Survey. These quasars are grouped
into variable and non-variable populations based on measured variability
confidence levels. In a time-limited synoptic survey, we detect an
anti-correlation between redshift and the likelihood of variability. Our
comparison of variability likelihood to radio, IR, and X-ray data is consistent
with earlier quasar studies. Using already-known quasars as a template, we
introduce a light curve morphology algorithm that provides an efficient method
for discriminating variable quasars from periodic variable objects in the
absence of spectroscopic information. The establishment of statistically robust
trends and efficient, non-spectroscopic selection algorithms will aid in quasar
identification and categorization in upcoming massive synoptic surveys.
Finally, we report on three interesting variable quasars, including variability
confirmation of the BL Lac candidate PKS 1222+037.Comment: AJ, accepted for publication 15 Dec 200
Long term variability of the Broad Emission Line profiles in AGN
Results of a long-term monitoring ( years) of the broad line and
continuum fluxes of three Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), 3C 390.3, NGC 4151, and
NGC 5548, are presented. We analyze the H and H profile
variations during the monitoring period and study different details (as bumps,
absorption bands) which can indicate structural changes in the Broad Line
Region (BLR). The BLR dimensions are estimated using the time lags between the
continuum and the broad lines flux variations. We find that in the case of 3C
390.3 and NGC 5548 a disk geometry can explain both the broad line profiles and
their flux variations, while the BLR of NGC 4151 seems more complex and is
probably composed of two or three kinematically different regions.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, New Astronomy Reviews (Proceeding of 7th
SCSLSA), in pres
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