Subscribe to the gold package and get unlimited access to Shamra Academy
Register a new userThe Deviation of the Broad-line Region Size Between Reverberation Mapping and Spectroastrometry
115
0
0.0
(
0
)
Ask ChatGPT about the research
No Arabic abstract
The combination of the linear size from reverberation mapping (RM) and the angular distance of the broad line region (BLR) from spectroastrometry (SA) in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) can be used to measure the Hubble constant $H_0$. Recently, Wang et al. (2020) successfully employed this approach and estimated $H_0$ from 3C 273. However, there may be a systematic deviation between the response-weighted radius (RM measurement) and luminosity-weighted radius (SA measurement), especially when different broad lines are adopted for size indicators (e.g., hb for RM and pa for SA). Here we evaluate the size deviations measured by six pairs of hydrogen lines (e.g., hb, ha and pa) via the locally optimally emitting cloud (LOC) models of BLR. We find that the radius ratios $K$(=$R_{rm SA}$/$R_{rm RM}$) of the same line deviated systematically from 1 (0.85-0.88) with dispersions between 0.063-0.083. Surprisingly, the $K$ values from the pa(SA)/hb(RM) and ha(SA)/hb(RM) pairs not only are closest to 1 but also have considerably smaller uncertainty. Considering the current infrared interferometry technology, the pa(SA)/hb(RM) pair is the ideal choice for the low redshift objects in the SARM project. In the future, the ha(SA)/hb(RM) pair could be used for the high redshift luminous quasars. These theoretical estimations of the SA/RM radius pave the way for the future SARM measurements to further constrain the standard cosmological model.
rate research
Read More
A method is proposed for measuring the size of the broad emission line region (BLR) in quasars using broadband photometric data. A feasibility study, based on numerical simulations, points to the advantages and pitfalls associated with this approach. The method is applied to a subset of the Palomar-Green quasar sample for which independent BLR size measurements are available. An agreement is found between the results of the photometric method and the spectroscopic reverberation mapping technique. Implications for the measurement of BLR sizes and black hole masses for numerous quasars in the era of large surveys are discussed.
We report the results of a multi-year spectroscopic and photometric monitoring campaign of two luminous quasars, PG~0923+201 and PG~1001+291, both located at the high-luminosity end of the broad-line region (BLR) size-luminosity relation with optical luminosities above $10^{45}~{rm erg~s^{-1}}$. PG~0923+201 is for the first time monitored, and PG~1001+291 was previously monitored but our campaign has a much longer temporal baseline. We detect time lags of variations of the broad H$beta$, H$gamma$, Fe {sc ii} lines with respect to those of the 5100~{AA} continuum. The velocity-resolved delay map of H$beta$ in PG~0923+201 indicates a complicated structure with a mix of Keplerian disk-like motion and outflow, and the map of H$beta$ in PG~1001+291 shows a signature of Keplerian disk-like motion. Assuming a virial factor of $f_{rm BLR}=1$ and FWHM line widths, we measure the black hole mass to be $118_{-16}^{+11}times 10^7 M_{odot}$ for PG~0923+201 and $3.33_{-0.54}^{+0.62}times 10^7 M_{odot}$ for PG~1001+291. Their respective accretion rates are estimated to be $0.21_{-0.07}^{+0.06} times L_{rm Edd},c^{-2}$ and $679_{-227}^{+259}times L_{rm Edd},c^{-2}$, indicating that PG~0923+201 is a sub-Eddington accretor and PG~1001+291 is a super-Eddington accretor. While the H$beta$ time lag of PG~0923+201 agrees with the size-luminosity relation, the time lag of PG~1001+291 shows a significant deviation, confirming that in high-luminosity AGN the BLR size depends on both luminosity and Eddington ratio. Black hole mass estimates from single AGN spectra will be over-estimated at high luminosities and redshifts if this effect is not taken into account.
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 $37.30pm0.06$% ($f_{5100}$), $11.88pm0.29$% (H$beta$) and $9.61pm0.71$% (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 $1262pm247$ km s$^{-1}$ measured from the rms spectrum, the black hole mass of PKS 1510-089 is estimated to be $5.71^{+0.62}_{-0.58} times 10^{7} M_{odot}$.
A detailed analysis of the data from a high sampling rate, multi-month reverberation mapping campaign, undertaken primarily at MDM Observatory with supporting observations from telescopes around the world, reveals that the Hbeta emission region within the broad line regions (BLRs) of several nearby AGNs exhibit a variety of kinematic behaviors. While the primary goal of this campaign was to obtain either new or improved Hbeta reverberation lag measurements for several relatively low luminosity AGNs (presented in a separate work), we were also able to unambiguously reconstruct velocity-resolved reverberation signals from a subset of our targets. Through high cadence spectroscopic monitoring of the optical continuum and broad Hbeta emission line variations observed in the nuclear regions of NGC 3227, NGC 3516, and NGC 5548, we clearly see evidence for outflowing, infalling, and virialized BLR gas motions, respectively.
We report the discovery of rapid variations of a high-velocity CIV broad absorption line trough in the quasar SDSS J141007.74+541203.3. This object was intensively observed in 2014 as a part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping Project, during which 32 epochs of spectroscopy were obtained with the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey spectrograph. We observe significant (>4sigma) variability in the equivalent width of the broad (~4000 km/s wide) CIV trough on rest-frame timescales as short as 1.20 days (~29 hours), the shortest broad absorption line variability timescale yet reported. The equivalent width varied by ~10% on these short timescales, and by about a factor of two over the duration of the campaign. We evaluate several potential causes of the variability, concluding that the most likely cause is a rapid response to changes in the incident ionizing continuum. If the outflow is at a radius where the recombination rate is higher than the ionization rate, the timescale of variability places a lower limit on the density of the absorbing gas of n_e > 3.9 x 10^5 cm^-3. The broad absorption line variability characteristics of this quasar are consistent with those observed in previous studies of quasars, indicating that such short-term variability may in fact be common and thus can be used to learn about outflow characteristics and contributions to quasar/host-galaxy feedback scenarios.
Log in to be able to interact and post comments
comments
Fetching comments
Sign in to be able to follow your search criteria
