Broad line region and black hole mass of PKS 1510-089 from spectroscopic reverberation mapping

Reverberation results of a flat spectrum radio quasar PKS 1510-089 are presented from 8.5-years long spectroscopic monitoring carried out in 9 observing seasons between December 2008 to June 2017 at Steward Observatory. Optical spectra show strong H$\beta$, H$\gamma$, and Fe II emission lines overlaying on a blue continuum. All the continuum and emission line light curves show significant variability with a fractional root-mean-square variation of $37.30\pm0.06$% ($f_{5100}$), $11.88\pm0.29$% (H$\beta$) and $9.61\pm0.71$% (H$\gamma$), however, along with thermal radiation from accretion disk non-thermal emission from jet also contribute to $f_{5100}$. Several methods of time series analysis (ICCF, DCF, von Neumann, Bartels, JAVELIN, $\chi^2$) are used to measure lag between continuum and line light curves. The observed frame BLR size is found to be $61.1^{+4.0}_{-3.2}$ ($64.7^{+27.1}_{-10.6}$) light-days for H$\beta$ (H$\gamma$). Using $\sigma_{\mathrm{line}}$ of $1262\pm247$ km s$^{-1}$ measured from the rms spectrum, the black hole mass of PKS 1510-089 is estimated to be $5.71^{+0.62}_{-0.58} \times 10^{7} M_{\odot}$.Comment: 12 pages, accepted for publication in A&

Differential interferometry of QSO broad line regions I: improving the reverberation mapping model fits and black hole mass estimates

Reverberation mapping estimates the size and kinematics of broad line regions (BLR) in Quasars and type I AGNs. It yields size-luminosity relation, to make QSOs standard cosmological candles, and mass-luminosity relation to study the evolution of black holes and galaxies. The accuracy of these relations is limited by the unknown geometry of the BLR clouds distribution and velocities. We analyze the independent BLR structure constraints given by super-resolving differential interferometry. We developed a three-dimensional BLR model to compute all differential interferometry and reverberation mapping signals. We extrapolate realistic noises from our successful observations of the QSO 3C273 with AMBER on the VLTI. These signals and noises quantify the differential interferometry capacity to discriminate and measure BLR parameters including angular size, thickness, spatial distribution of clouds, local-to-global and radial-to-rotation velocity ratios, and finally central black hole mass and BLR distance. A Markov Chain Monte Carlo model-fit, of data simulated for various VLTI instruments, gives mass accuracies between 0.06 and 0.13 dex, to be compared to 0.44 dex for reverberation mapping mass-luminosity fits. We evaluate the number of QSOs accessible to measures with current (AMBER), upcoming (GRAVITY) and possible (OASIS with new generation fringe trackers) VLTI instruments. With available technology, the VLTI could resolve more than 60 BLRs, with a luminosity range larger than four decades, sufficient for a good calibration of RM mass-luminosity laws, from an analysis of the variation of BLR parameters with luminosity.Comment: 19 pages, 14 figures, accepted by MNRAS on December 5, 201

Broad line region and black hole mass of PKS 1510-089 from spectroscopic reverberation mapping

Reverberation results of the flat spectrum radio quasar PKS 1510-089 from 8.5 years of spectroscopic monitoring carried out at Steward Observatory over nine observing seasons between December 2008 and June 2017 are presented. Optical spectra show strong H fi, H gamma, and Fe II emission lines overlying on a blue continuum. All the continuum and emission line light curves show significant variability with fractional root-mean-square variations of 37 :30 +/- 0 :06% ( f5100), 11 :88 +/- 0 :29% (H gamma), and 9 :61 +/- 0 :71% (H beta); however, along with thermal radiation from the accretion disk, non-thermal emission from the jet also contributes to f5100. Several methods of time series analysis (ICCF, DCF, von Neumann, Bartels, javelin, chi(2)) are used to measure the lag between the continuum and line light curves. The observed frame broad line region size is found to be 61:1+4:0 3:2 (64:7+27:1 10:6) light-days for Hfi (H gamma). Using the (sigma)line of 1262 +/- 247 km s 1 measured from the root-mean-square spectrum, the black hole mass of PKS 1510-089 is estimated to be 5 :71+0:62 0:58 +/- 107