2,543 research outputs found
The Nature of Active Galactic Nuclei with Velocity Offset Emission Lines
We obtained Keck/OSIRIS near-IR adaptive optics-assisted integral-field
spectroscopy to probe the morphology and kinematics of the ionized gas in four
velocity-offset active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from the Sloan Digital Sky
Survey. These objects possess optical emission lines that are offset in
velocity from systemic as measured from stellar absorption features. At a
resolution of ~0.18", OSIRIS allows us to distinguish which velocity offset
emission lines are produced by the motion of an AGN in a dual supermassive
black hole system, and which are produced by outflows or other kinematic
structures. In three galaxies, J1018+2941, J1055+1520 and J1346+5228, the
spectral offset of the emission lines is caused by AGN-driven outflows. In the
remaining galaxy, J1117+6140, a counterrotating nuclear disk is observed that
contains the peak of Pa emission 0.2" from the center of the galaxy.
The most plausible explanation for the origin of this spatially and
kinematically offset peak is that it is a region of enhanced Pa
emission located at the intersection zone between the nuclear disk and the bar
of the galaxy. In all four objects, the peak of ionized gas emission is not
spatially coincident with the center of the galaxy as traced by the peak of the
near-IR continuum emission. The peaks of ionized gas emission are spatially
offset from the galaxy centers by 0.1"-0.4" (0.1-0.7 kpc). We find that the
velocity offset originates at the location of this peak of emission, and the
value of the offset can be directly measured in the velocity maps. The
emission-line ratios of these four velocity-offset AGNs can be reproduced only
with a mixture of shocks and AGN photoionization. Shocks provide a natural
explanation for the origin of the spatially and spectrally offset peaks of
ionized gas emission in these galaxies.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
The Origin of Double-Peaked Narrow Lines in Active Galactic Nuclei III: Feedback from Biconical AGN Outflows
We apply an analytic Markov Chain Monte Carlo model to a sample of 18
AGN-driven biconical outflows that we identified from a sample of active
galaxies with double-peaked narrow emission lines at z < 0.1 in the Sloan
Digital Sky Survey. We find that 8/18 are best described as asymmetric bicones,
8/18 are nested bicones, and 2/18 are symmetric bicones. From the geometry and
kinematics of the models, we find that these moderate-luminosity AGN outflows
are large and energetic. The biconical outflows axes are randomly oriented with
respect to the photometric major axis of the galaxy, implying a randomly
oriented and clumpier torus to collimate the outflow, but the torus also allows
some radiation to escape equatorially. We find that 16/18 (89%) outflows are
energetic enough to drive a two-staged feedback process in their host galaxies.
All of these outflows geometrically intersect the photometric major axis of the
galaxy, and 23% of outflow host galaxies are significantly redder or have
significantly lower specific star formation rates when compared to a matched
sample of active galaxies.Comment: 32 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS; See Figure 7
for a summary of the finding
The Origin of Double-peaked Narrow Lines in Active Galactic Nuclei. IV. Association with Galaxy Mergers
Double-peaked narrow emission lines in active galactic nucleus (AGN) spectra
can be produced by AGN outflows, rotation, or dual AGNs, which are AGN pairs in
ongoing galaxy mergers. Consequently, double-peaked narrow AGN emission lines
are useful tracers of the coevolution of galaxies and their supermassive black
holes, as driven by AGN feedback and AGN fueling. We investigate this concept
further with follow-up optical longslit observations of a sample of 95 Sloan
Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) galaxies that have double-peaked narrow AGN emission
lines. Based on a kinematic analysis of the longslit spectra, we confirm
previous work that finds that the majority of double-peaked narrow AGN emission
lines are associated with outflows. We also find that eight of the galaxies
have companion galaxies with line-of-sight velocity separations < 500 km/s and
physical separations <30 kpc. Since we find evidence of AGNs in both galaxies,
all eight of these systems are compelling dual AGN candidates. Galaxies with
double-peaked narrow AGN emission lines occur in such galaxy mergers at least
twice as often as typical active galaxies. Finally, we conclude that at least
3% of SDSS galaxies with double-peaked narrow AGN emission lines are found in
galaxy mergers where both galaxies are resolved in SDSS imaging.Comment: 14 pages, 2 figures, ApJ in pres
Zooming into local active galactic nuclei: The power of combining SDSS-IV MaNGA with higher resolution integral field unit observations
Ionised gas outflows driven by active galactic nuclei (AGN) are ubiquitous in
high luminosity AGN with outflow speeds apparently correlated with the total
bolometric luminosity of the AGN. This empirical relation and theoretical work
suggest that in the range L_bol ~ 10^43-45 erg/s there must exist a threshold
luminosity above which the AGN becomes powerful enough to launch winds that
will be able to escape the galaxy potential. In this paper, we present pilot
observations of two AGN in this transitional range that were taken with the
Gemini North Multi-Object Spectrograph Integral Field Unit (IFU). Both sources
have also previously been observed within the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-IV
(SDSS) Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) survey.
While the MaNGA IFU maps probe the gas fields on galaxy-wide scales and show
that some regions are dominated by AGN ionization, the new Gemini IFU data zoom
into the centre with four times better spatial resolution. In the object with
the lower L_bol we find evidence of a young or stalled biconical AGN-driven
outflow where none was obvious at the MaNGA resolution. In the object with the
higher L_bol we trace the large-scale biconical outflow into the nuclear region
and connect the outflow from small to large scales. These observations suggest
that AGN luminosity and galaxy potential are crucial in shaping wind launching
and propagation in low-luminosity AGN. The transition from small and young
outflows to galaxy-wide feedback can only be understood by combining
large-scale IFU data that trace the galaxy velocity field with higher
resolution, small scale IFU maps.Comment: 14 pages, accepted for publication in MNRA
An Active Galactic Nucleus Caught in the Act of Turning Off and On
We present the discovery of an active galactic nucleus (AGN) that is turning off and then on again in the z = 0.06 galaxy SDSS J1354+1327. This episodic nuclear activity is the result of discrete accretion events that could have been triggered by a past interaction with the companion galaxy that is currently located 12.5 kpc away. We originally targeted SDSS J1354+1327 because its Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectrum has narrow AGN emission lines that exhibit a velocity offset of 69 km s−1 relative to systemic. To determine the nature of the galaxy and its velocity-offset emission lines, we observed SDSS J1354+1327 with Chandra/ACIS, Hubble Space Telescope/Wide Field Camera 3, Apache Point Observatory optical longslit spectroscopy, and Keck/OSIRIS integral-field spectroscopy. We find a ~10 kpc cone of photoionized gas south of the galaxy center and a ~1 kpc semi-spherical front of shocked gas, which is responsible for the velocity offset in the emission lines, north of the galaxy center. We interpret these two outflows as the result of two separate AGN accretion events: the first AGN outburst created the southern outflow, and then \u3c105 later, the second AGN outburst launched the northern shock front. SDSS J1354+1327 is the galaxy with the strongest evidence for an AGN that has turned off and then on again, and it fits into the broader context of AGN flickering that includes observations of AGN light echoes
Rediscovery of the Endangered Carchi Andean Toad, \u3cem\u3eRhaebo colomai\u3c/em\u3e (Hoogmoed, 1985), in Ecuador, with Comments on Its Conservation Status and Extinction Risk
Since 1984 there have been no records of Rhaebo colomai (Hoogmoed, 1985) within the territory of Ecuador. This species was known from 2 localities in the province of Carchi, northwestern Ecuador, and the department of Nariño, southwestern Colombia, which were reported in 1979 and 2015, respectively. We report the recent sightings of R. colomai at 3 new localities in Ecuador and discuss and evaluate this species’ extinction risk and conservation status
An Active Galactic Nucleus Caught in the Act of Turning Off and On
We present the discovery of an active galactic nucleus (AGN) that is turning off and then on again in the z = 0.06 galaxy SDSS J1354+1327. This episodic nuclear activity is the result of discrete accretion events that could have been triggered by a past interaction with the companion galaxy that is currently located 12.5 kpc away. We originally targeted SDSS J1354+1327 because its Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectrum has narrow AGN emission lines that exhibit a velocity offset of 69 km s−1relative to systemic. To determine the nature of the galaxy and its velocity-offset emission lines, we observed SDSS J1354+1327 with Chandra/ACIS, Hubble Space Telescope/Wide Field Camera 3, Apache Point Observatory optical longslit spectroscopy, and Keck/OSIRIS integral-field spectroscopy. We find a ~10 kpc cone of photoionized gas south of the galaxy center and a ~1 kpc semi-spherical front of shocked gas, which is responsible for the velocity offset in the emission lines, north of the galaxy center. We interpret these two outflows as the result of two separate AGN accretion events: the first AGN outburst created the southern outflow, and then <10^5 years later, the second AGN outburst launched the northern shock front. SDSS J1354+1327 is the galaxy with the strongest evidence for an AGN that has turned off and then on again, and it fits into the broader context of AGN flickering that includes observations of AGN light echoes
- …