180 research outputs found
Extended Gas in Seyfert Galaxies: Near Infrared Observations of NGC 2110 and Circinus
We present results of near--IR long-slit spectroscopy in the J and K bands of
the Seyfert 2 galaxies NGC 2110 and Circinus, investigating the gaseous
distribution, excitation, reddening and kinematics. In NGC 2110, the emission
line ratio [FeII]/Pa beta increases towards the nucleus (to ~ 7). The nuclear
[Fe II]1.257 (microns) and Pa beta lines are broader (FWHM ~ 500 km/s) than the
H2 (2.121) line (FWHM ~ 300 km/s). Both these results suggest that shocks,
driven by the radio jet, are an important source of excitation of [Fe II]. The
H2 excitation appears to be dominated by X-rays from the nucleus. In Circinus,
both [FeII]/Pa beta and H2/Br gamma decrease from ~ 2 at 4 arcsec from the
nucleus to nuclear values of ~ 0.6 and ~ 1, respectively, suggesting that the
starburst dominates the nuclear excitation, while the AGN dominates the
excitation further out (r > 2 arcsec). For both galaxies, the gaseous
kinematics are consistent with circular rotation in the plane of the disk. Our
rotation curves suggest that the nucleus (identified with the peak of the IR
continuum) is displaced from the kinematic centre of the galaxies. This effect
has been observed previously in NGC 2110 based on the kinematics of optical
emission lines, but the displacement is smaller in the infrared, suggesting the
effect is related to obscuration. The continuum J-K colours of the nuclear
region indicate a red stellar population in NGC 2110 and a reddened young
stellar population in Circinus. Right at the nucleus of both galaxies, the
colours are redder, apparently a result of hot dust emission from the inner
edge of a circumnuclear torus.Comment: 11 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
The Ionizing Source of the Nucleus of NGC1097
We present new observations in X-ray and optical/ultraviolet of the nucleus
of NGC1097, known for the abrupt appearance of broad, double-peaked Balmer
lines in its spectrum in 1991. These new observations are used to construct the
spectral energy distribution (SED) of the central engine. From the SED we infer
that this AGN is radio-loud and has a bolometric luminosity L_Bol ~ 10^42
erg/s, implying a low Eddington ratio of L_Bol/L_Edd ~ 10^{-4}. These results
suggest that the central ionizing source is an advection-dominated accretion
flow (ADAF) in the form of an ellevated structure which photoionizes an outer
thin disk. We fit a simplified ADAF model to the SED and obtain limits on the
values of the mass accretion rate Mdot and accretion efficiency \eta, namely
Mdot/Mdot_Edd >= 10^{-3} and \eta <= 10^{-2}. We identify an energy budget
problem: if the central photoionizing source is isotropic, the covering factor
of the line-emitting portion of the thin accretion disk is ~ 6, i. e. the
central source accounts for only 20% of the energy emitted in the double-peaked
Balmer lines.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, to appear in the proceedings of "The Interplay
among Black Holes, Stars and ISM in Galactic Nuclei", IAU 222, eds. Th.
Storchi Bergmann, L.C. Ho, and H.R. Schmit
The Temperature of Extended Gas in Active Galaxies -- Evidence for Matter-Bounded Clouds
We report measurements of the electron temperature at about a dozen locations
in the extended emission-line regions of five active (Seyfert and radio)
galaxies. Temperatures (T_{[OIII]} and T_{[NII]}) have been determined from
both the I([OIII]\lambda4363)/I([OIII]\lambda5007) and
I([NII]\lambda5755)/I[NII]\lambda6583) ratios. T_{[OIII]} lies in the range
(1.0 -- 1.7) \times 10^{4}K. We find a strong trend for T_{[OIII]} to be higher
than T_{[NII]}, with the difference typically being \approx 5,000K. Because the
critical density for collisional de-excitation of the ^{1}D{_2} level in NII is
lower than that of the same level in OIII, the deviations of the measured
intensity ratios from those expected for T_{[OIII]} = T_{[NII]} in the low
density limit are unlikely to result from collisional de-excitation. The
measured values of T_{[OIII]} and the differences between T_{[OIII]} and
T_{[NII]} are very similar to those found in Galactic planetary nebulae. It is
argued that the dominant form of energy input to the clouds is photoionization,
but detailed modelling indicates that the temperature difference is too large
to be accounted for in terms of photoionization of ionization-bounded clouds.
We propose instead that both matter- and ionization-bounded clouds are present
in the extended emission-line regions, with most of the [OIII] emission
originating from a hot zone in the matter-bounded clouds and essentially all of
the [NII] from the ionization-bounded clouds.Comment: 14 pages, Latex, 3 postscript figures Astrophysical Journal
(Letters), in press for June 20 1997 issue, Volume 48
The Ultraviolet Spectra of Active Galaxies With Double-Peaked Emission Lines
We present the results of UV spectroscopy of AGNs with double-peaked Balmer
emission lines. In 2/3 of the objects, the far-UV resonance lines are strong,
with single-peaked profiles resembling those of Seyfert galaxies. The Mg II
line is the only UV line with a double-peaked profile. In the remaining
objects, the far-UV resonance lines are relatively weak but still
single-peaked. The latter group also displays prominent UV absorption lines,
indicative of a low-ionization absorber. We interpret the difference in the
profiles of the emission lines as resulting from two different regions: a
dense, low-ionization accretion disk (the predominant source of the Balmer and
Mg II lines), and a lower density, higher-ionization wind (the predominant
source of the far-UV resonance lines). These results suggest a way of
connecting the double-peaked emitters with the greater AGN population: in
double-peaked emitters the accretion rate onto the black hole is low, making
the wind feeble and allowing the lines from the underlying disk to shine
through. This scenario also implies that in the majority of AGNs, the wind is
the source of the broad emission lines.Comment: To appear in "The Interplay among Black Holes, Stars and ISM in
Galactic Nuclei," IAU Coll. 222, eds. Storchi Bergmann, Ho, and Schmit
Disentangling the near infrared continuum spectral components of the inner 500 pc of Mrk 573: two-dimensional maps
We present a near infrared study of the spectral components of the continuum
in the inner 500500 pc of the nearby Seyfert galaxy Mrk573 using
adaptive optics near-infrared integral field spectroscopy with the instrument
NIFS of the Gemini North Telescope at a spatial resolution of 50 pc. We
performed spectral synthesis using the {\sc starlight} code and constructed
maps for the contributions of different age components of the stellar
population: young ( Myr), young-intermediate (
Myr), intermediate-old ( Myr Gyr) to the
near-IR K-band continuum, as well as their contribution to the total stellar
mass. We found that the old stellar population is dominant within the inner 250
pc, while the intermediate age components dominate the continuum at larger
distances. A young stellar component contributes up to 20% within the
inner 70 pc, while hot dust emission and featureless continuum components
are also necessary to fit the nuclear spectrum, contributing up to 20% of the
K-band flux there. The radial distribution of the different age components in
the inner kiloparsec of Mrk573 is similar to those obtained by our group for
the Seyfert galaxies Mrk1066, Mrk1157 and NGC1068 in previous works using a
similar methodology. Young stellar populations (100 Myr) are seen in the
inner 200-300 pc for all galaxies contributing with 20% of the K-band
flux, while the near-IR continuum is dominated by the contribution of
intermediate-age stars (100 Myr-2 Gyr) at larger distances. Older stellar
populations dominate in the inner 250 pc
Evidence for a Physically Compact Narrow-Line Region in the Seyfert 1 Galaxy NGC 5548
We have combined HST/FOS and ground-based spectra of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC
5548 to study the narrow emission lines over the 1200 -- 10,000 angstrom
region. All of the spectra were obtained when the broad emission line and
continuum fluxes were at an historic low level, allowing us to accurately
determine the contribution of the narrow-line region (NLR) to the emission
lines. We have generated multicomponent photoionization models to investigate
the relative strength of the high ionization lines compared to those in Seyfert
2 galaxies, and the weakness of the narrow Mg II 2800 line. We present evidence
for a high ionization component of NLR gas that is very close to the nucleus
(~1 pc). This component must be optically thin to ionizing radiation at the
Lyman edge (tau = 2.5) to avoid producing [O I] and Mg II in a partially
ionized zone. The very high ionization lines (N V, [Ne V], [Fe VII], [Fe X])
are stronger than the predictions of our standard model, and we show that this
may be due to supersolar abundances and/or a ``blue bump'' in the extreme
ultraviolet (although recent observations do not support the latter). An outer
component of NLR gas (at only ~70 pc from the continuum source) is needed to
produce the low ionization lines. We show that the outer component may contain
dust, which further reduces the Mg II flux by depletion and by absorption of
the resonance photons after multiple scatterings. We show that the majority of
the emission in the NLR of NGC 5548 must arise within about ~70 pc from the
nucleus. Thus, the NLR in this Seyfert 1 galaxy is very physically compact,
compared to the typical NLR in Seyfert 2 galaxies.Comment: 38 pages, Latex, includes 2 figures (postscript), to appear in Ap
First detection of the 448 GHz H2O transition in space
We present the first detection of the ortho-H2O 4_23-3_30 transition at 448
GHz in space. We observed this transition in the local (z = 0.010) luminous
infrared (IR) galaxy ESO 320-G030 (IRAS F11506-3851) using the Atacama Large
Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The water 4_23-3_30 emission, which
originates in the highly obscured nucleus of this galaxy, is spatially resolved
over a region of ~65 pc in diameter and shows a regular rotation pattern
compatible with the global molecular and ionized gas kinematics. The line
profile is symmetric and well fitted by a Gaussian with an integrated flux of
37.0 +- 0.7 Jy km s-1 . Models predict this water transition as a potential
collisionally excited maser transition. On the contrary, in this galaxy, we
find that the 4_23-3_30 emission is primarily excited by the intense far-IR
radiation field present in its nucleus. According to our modeling, this
transition is a probe of deeply buried galaxy nuclei thanks to the high dust
optical depths (tau_100{\mu}m > 1, N_H > 1e24 cm-2) required to efficiently
excite it.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A Letters; 4 pages, 5 figure
Outflows in the Narrow Line Region of Bright Seyfert Galaxies - I: GMOS-IFU Data
We present two-dimensional maps of emission-line fluxes and kinematics, as
well as of the stellar kinematics of the central few kpc of five bright nearby
Seyfert galaxies -- Mrk\,6, Mrk\,79, Mrk\,348, Mrk\,607 and Mrk\,1058 --
obtained from observations with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS)
Integral Field Unit (IFU) on the Gemini North Telescope. The data cover the
inner 3\farcs55\farcs0 -- corresponding to physical scales in the range
0.60.9 to 1.52.2\,kpc -- at a spatial resolution ranging
from 110 to 280 pc with a spectral coverage of 4300 -- 7100\,\AA\ and velocity
resolution of 90\,km\,s. The gas excitation is Seyfert like
everywhere but show excitation, but show excitation gradients that are
correlated with the gas kinematics, reddening and/or the gas density. The gas
kinematics show in all cases two components: a rotation one similar to that
observed in the stellar velocity field, and an outflow component. In the case
of Mrk607, the gas is counter-rotating relative to the stars. Enhanced gas
velocity dispersion is observed in association to the outflows according to two
patterns: at the locations of the highest outflow velocities along the
ionization axis or perpendicularly to it in a strip centered at the nucleus
that we attribute to an equatorial outflow. Bipolar outflows are observed in
Mrk\,348 and Mrk\,79, while in Mrk\,1058 only the blueshifted part is clearly
observed, while in the cases of Mrk\,6 and Mrk\,607 the geometry of the outflow
needs further constraints from modeling to be presented in a forthcoming study,
where the mass flow rate and powers will also be obtained.Comment: 20 pages, accepted by MNRA
The End of the Lines for OX 169: No Binary Broad-Line Region
We show that unusual Balmer emission line profiles of the quasar OX 169,
frequently described as either self-absorbed or double peaked, are actually
neither. The effect is an illusion resulting from two coincidences. First, the
forbidden lines are quite strong and broad. Consequently, the [N II]6583 line
and the associated narrow-line component of H-alpha present the appearance of
twin H-alpha peaks. Second, the redshift of 0.2110 brings H-beta into
coincidence with Na I D at zero redshift, and ISM absorption in Na I D divides
the H-beta emission line. In spectra obtained over the past decade, we see no
substantial change in the character of the line profiles, and no indication of
intrinsic double-peaked structure. The H-gamma, Mg II, and Ly-alpha emission
lines are single peaked, and all of the emission-line redshifts are consistent
once they are correctly attributed to their permitted and forbidden-line
identifications. A systematic shift of up to 700 km/s between broad and narrow
lines is seen, but such differences are common, and could be due to
gravitational and transverse redshift in a low-inclination disk. Stockton &
Farnham (1991) had called attention to an apparent tidal tail in the host
galaxy of OX 169, and speculated that a recent merger had supplied the nucleus
with a coalescing pair of black holes which was now revealing its existence in
the form of two physically distinct broad-line regions. Although there is no
longer any evidence for two broad emission-line regions in OX 169, binary black
holes should form frequently in galaxy mergers, and it is still worthwhile to
monitor the radial velocities of emission lines which could supply evidence of
their existence in certain objects.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Ap.
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