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We discuss results from very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of two Seyfert galaxies with double peaked emission lines in their SDSS optical spectra. Such AGN are potential candidates for the presence of binary black holes, which can be resolved on parsec-scales with VLBI. Our observations do not detect twin radio cores but rather nuclear outflows in these Seyferts. These outflows could be interacting with the emission line clouds producing the double peaks in the emission lines.
We present the results from 1.5 and 5 GHz phase-referenced VLBA and 1.5 GHz Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) observations of the Seyfert 2 galaxy KISSR1219, which exhibits double peaked emission lines in its optical spectrum. The VLA and VLBA data reveal a one-sided core-jet structure at roughly the same position angles, providing evidence of an AGN outflow. The absence of dual parsec-scale radio cores puts the binary black hole picture in doubt for the case of KISSR1219. The high brightness temperatures of the parsec-scale core and jet components ($>10^6$ K) are consistent with this interpretation. Doppler boosting with jet speeds of $gtrsim0.55c$ to $gtrsim0.25c$, going from parsec- to kpc-scales, at a jet inclination $gtrsim50^circ$ can explain the jet one-sidedness in this Seyfert 2 galaxy. A blue-shifted broad emission line component in [O {sc iii}] is also indicative of an outflow in the emission line gas at a velocity of $sim350$ km s$^{-1}$, while the [O {sc i}] doublet lines suggest the presence of shock-heated gas. A detailed line ratio study using the MAPPINGS III code further suggests that a shock+precursor model can explain the line ionization data well. Overall, our data suggest that the radio outflow in KISSR1219 is pushing the emission line clouds, both ahead of the jet and in a lateral direction, giving rise to the double peak emission line spectra.
LAMOST has released more than two million spectra, which provide the opportunity to search for double-peaked narrow emission line (NEL) galaxies and AGNs. The double-peaked narrow-line profiles can be well modeled by two velocity components, respectively blueshifted and redshifted with respect to the systemic recession velocity. This paper presents 20 double-peaked NEL galaxies and AGNs found from LAMOST DR1 using a search method based on multi-gaussian fit of the narrow emission lines. Among them, 10 have already been published by other authors, either listed as genuine double-peaked NEL objects or as asymmetric NEL objects, the remaining 10 being first discoveries. We discuss some possible origins for double-peaked narrow-line features, as interaction between jet and narrow line regions, interaction with companion galaxies and black hole binaries. Spatially resolved optical imaging and/or follow-up observations in other spectral bands are needed to further discuss the physical mechanisms at work.
In this manuscript, an interesting blue Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) SDSS J154751.94+025550 (=SDSS J1547) is reported with very different line profiles of broad Balmer emission lines: double-peaked broad H$beta$ but single-peaked broad H$alpha$. SDSS J1547 is the first AGN with detailed discussions on very different line profiles of the broad Balmer emission lines, besides the simply mentioned different broad lines in the candidate for a binary black hole (BBH) system in SDSS J0159+0105. The very different line profiles of the broad Balmer emission lines can be well explained by different physical conditions to two central BLRs in a central BBH system in SDSS J1547. Furthermore, the long-term light curve from CSS can be well described by a sinusoidal function with a periodicity about 2159days, providing further evidence to support the expected central BBH system in SDSS J1547. Therefore, it is interesting to treat different line profiles of broad Balmer emission lines as intrinsic indicators of central BBH systems in broad line AGN. Under assumptions of BBH systems, 0.125% of broad line AGN can be expected to have very different line profiles of broad Balmer emission lines. Future study on more broad line AGN with very different line profiles of broad Balmer emission lines could provide further clues on the different line profiles of broad Balmer emission lines as indicator of BBH systems.
AGN with double-peaked narrow lines (DPAGN) may be caused by kiloparsec scale binary AGN, bipolar outflows, or rotating gaseous disks. We examine the class of DPAGN in which the two narrow line components have closely similar intensity as being especially likely to involve disks or jets. Two spectroscopic indicators support this likelihood. For DPAGN from Smith et al. (2010), the equal-peaked objects (EPAGN) have [Ne V]/[O III] ratios lower than for a control sample of non-double peaked AGN. This is unexpected for a pair of normal AGN in a galactic merger, but may be consistent with [O III] emission from a rotating ring with relatively little gas at small radii. Also, [O III]/H-beta ratios of the redshifted and blueshifted systems in the EPAGN are more similar to each other than in a control sample, suggestive of a single ionizing source and inconsistent with the binary interpretation.
Detection of electromagnetic (EM) counterparts of pre-coalescence binaries has very important implications for our understanding of the evolution of these systems as well as the associated accretion physics. In addition, a combination of EM and gravitational wave signatures observed from coalescing supermassive black hole binaries (SBHBs) would provide independent measurements of redshift and luminosity distance, thus allowing for high precision cosmological measurements. However, a statistically significant sample of these objects is yet to be attained and finding them observationally has proven to be a difficult task. Here we discuss existing observational evidence and how further advancements in the theoretical understanding of observational signatures of SBHBs before and after the coalescence can help in future searches.