2 research outputs found
3C 57 as an Atypical Radio-Loud Quasar: Implications for the Radio-Loud/Radio-Quiet Dichotomy
Lobe-dominated radio-loud (LD RL) quasars occupy a restricted domain in the
4D Eigenvector 1 (4DE1) parameter space which implies restricted
geometry/physics/kinematics for this subclass compared to the radio-quiet (RQ)
majority of quasars. We discuss how this restricted domain for the LD RL parent
population supports the notion for a RQ-RL dichotomy among Type 1 sources. 3C
57 is an atypical RL quasar that shows both uncertain radio morphology and
falls in a region of 4DE1 space where RL quasars are rare.
We present new radio flux and optical spectroscopic measures designed to
verify its atypical optical/UV spectroscopic behaviour and clarify its radio
structure. The former data confirms that 3C 57 falls off the 4DE1 quasar "main
sequence" with both extreme optical FeII emission (R_{FeII} ~ 1) and a large
CIV 1549 profile blueshift (~ -1500 km/s). These parameter values are typical
of extreme Population A sources which are almost always RQ. New radio measures
show no evidence for flux change over a 50+ year timescale consistent with
compact steep-spectrum (CSS or young LD) over core-dominated morphology. In the
4DE1 context where LD RL are usually low L/L_{Edd} quasars we suggest that 3C
57 is an evolved RL quasar (i.e. large Black Hole mass) undergoing a major
accretion event leading to a rejuvenation reflected by strong FeII emission,
perhaps indicating significant heavy metal enrichment, high bolometric
luminosity for a low redshift source and resultant unusually high Eddington
ratio giving rise to the atypical CIV 1549.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS; 10 pages, 6 figures, 4 table