分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19
摘要: The AGN STORM 2 collaboration targeted the Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 817 for a year-long multiwavelength, coordinated reverberation mapping campaign including HST, Swift, XMM-Newton, NICER, and ground-based observatories. Early observations with NICER and XMM revealed an X-ray state ten times fainter than historical observations, consistent with the presence of a new dust-free, ionized obscurer. The following analysis of NICER spectra attributes variability in the observed X-ray flux to changes in both the column density of the obscurer by at least one order of magnitude ($N_\mathrm{H}$ ranges from $2.85\substack{+0.48\\ -0.33} \times 10^{22}\text{ cm}^{-2}$ to $25.6\substack{+3.0\\ -3.5} \times 10^{22} \text{ cm}^{-2}$) and the intrinsic continuum brightness (the unobscured flux ranges from $10^{-11.8}$ to $10^{-10.5}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$ ). While the X-ray flux generally remains in a faint state, there is one large flare during which Mrk 817 returns to its historical mean flux. The obscuring gas is still present at lower column density during the flare but it also becomes highly ionized, increasing its transparency. Correlation between the column density of the X-ray obscurer and the strength of UV broad absorption lines suggests that the X-ray and UV continua are both affected by the same obscuration, consistent with a clumpy disk wind launched from the inner broad line region.
分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19
摘要: We present the first results from a 100-day Swift, NICER and ground-based X-ray/UV/optical reverberation mapping campaign of the Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 Mrk 335, when it was in an unprecedented low X-ray flux state. Despite dramatic suppression of the X-ray variability, we still observe UV/optical lags as expected from disk reverberation. Moreover, the UV/optical lags are consistent with archival observations when the X-ray luminosity was >10 times higher. Interestingly, both low- and high-flux states reveal UV/optical lags that are 6-11 times longer than expected from a thin disk. These long lags are often interpreted as due to contamination from the broad line region, however the u band excess lag (containing the Balmer jump from the diffuse continuum) is less prevalent than in other AGN. The Swift campaign showed a low X-ray-to-optical correlation (similar to previous campaigns), but NICER and ground-based monitoring continued for another two weeks, during which the optical rose to the highest level of the campaign, followed ~10 days later by a sharp rise in X-rays. While the low X-ray countrate and relatively large systematic uncertainties in the NICER background make this measurement challenging, if the optical does lead X-rays in this flare, this indicates a departure from the zeroth-order reprocessing picture. If the optical flare is due to an increase in mass accretion rate, this occurs on much shorter than the viscous timescale. Alternatively, the optical could be responding to an intrinsic rise in X-rays that is initially hidden from our line-of-sight.
分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19
摘要: 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.
分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19
摘要: We report the results of long-term reverberation mapping (RM) campaigns of the nearby active galactic nuclei (AGN) NGC 4151, spanning from 1994 to 2022, based on archived observations of the FAST Spectrograph Publicly Archived Programs and our new observations with the 2.3m telescope at the Wyoming Infrared Observatory. We reduce and calibrate all the spectra in a consistent way, and derive light curves of the broad H$\beta$ line and 5100\,{\AA} continuum. Continuum light curves are also constructed using public archival photometric data to increase sampling cadences. We subtract the host galaxy contamination using {\it HST} imaging to correct fluxes of the calibrated light curves. Utilizing the long-term archival photometric data, we complete the absolute flux-calibration of the AGN continuum. We find that the H$\beta$ time delays are correlated with the 5100\,{\AA} luminosities as $\tau_{\rm H\beta}\propto L_{5100}^{0.46\pm0.16}$. This is remarkably consistent with Bentz et al. (2013)'s global size-luminosity relationship of AGNs. Moreover, the data sets for five of the seasons allow us to obtain the velocity-resolved delays of the H$\beta$ line, showing diverse structures (outflows, inflows and disks). Combining our results with previous independent measurements, we find the measured dynamics of the H$\beta$ broad-line region (BLR) are possibly related to the long-term trend of the luminosity. There is also a possible additional $\sim$1.86 years time lag between the variation in BLR radius and luminosity. These results suggest that dynamical changes in the BLR may be driven by the effects of radiation pressure.
分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19
摘要: NGC 5548 is one of the active galactic nuclei (AGN) selected for our long-term spectroscopic monitoring with the Lijiang 2.4~m telescope, aiming at investigating the origin and evolution of the broad-line regions (BLRs), accurately measuring the mass of the supermassive black holes (SMBHs), and understanding structure and evolution of the AGN. We have performed five-season observations for NGC~5548 with the median sampling interval ranging from 1.25 to 3 days. The light curves of the 5100~\AA\ continuum and broad emission lines are measured after subtracting contamination of the host galaxy starlight. The time lags of the broad He~{\sc ii}, He~{\sc i}, H$\gamma$, and H$\beta$ lines with respect to the 5100~\AA\ continuum are obtained for each season and their mean time lags over the five seasons are 0.69, 4.66, 4.60, 8.43 days, respectively. The H$\gamma$ and H$\beta$ velocity-resolved lag profiles in the seasons of 2015, 2018, 2019, and 2021 are constructed, from which an ``M-shaped'' structure is found in 2015 but disappears after 2018. Our five-season reverberation mapping (RM) yields an averaged virial SMBH mass of $M_\bullet/10^7M_\odot=14.22$, with a small standard deviation of $1.89$. By combining the previous 18 RM campaigns and our five-season campaign for NGC~5548, we find that there exists a time lag of 3.5~years between the changes in the BLR size and optical luminosity. In addition, we also construct the BLR radius$-$luminosity relation and the virial relation for NGC~5548.
分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19
摘要: We report the results of long-term reverberation mapping (RM) campaigns of the nearby active galactic nuclei (AGN) NGC 4151, spanning from 1994 to 2022, based on archived observations of the FAST Spectrograph Publicly Archived Programs and our new observations with the 2.3m telescope at the Wyoming Infrared Observatory. We reduce and calibrate all the spectra in a consistent way, and derive light curves of the broad H$\beta$ line and 5100\,{\AA} continuum. Continuum light curves are also constructed using public archival photometric data to increase sampling cadences. We subtract the host galaxy contamination using {\it HST} imaging to correct fluxes of the calibrated light curves. Utilizing the long-term archival photometric data, we complete the absolute flux-calibration of the AGN continuum. We find that the H$\beta$ time delays are correlated with the 5100\,{\AA} luminosities as $\tau_{\rm H\beta}\propto L_{5100}^{0.46\pm0.16}$. This is remarkably consistent with Bentz et al. (2013)'s global size-luminosity relationship of AGNs. Moreover, the data sets for five of the seasons allow us to obtain the velocity-resolved delays of the H$\beta$ line, showing diverse structures (outflows, inflows and disks). Combining our results with previous independent measurements, we find the measured dynamics of the H$\beta$ broad-line region (BLR) are possibly related to the long-term trend of the luminosity. There is also a possible additional $\sim$1.86 years time lag between the variation in BLR radius and luminosity. These results suggest that dynamical changes in the BLR may be driven by the effects of radiation pressure.
分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19
摘要: We present reverberation mapping measurements for the prominent ultraviolet broad emission lines of the active galactic nucleus Mrk817 using 165 spectra obtained with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. Our ultraviolet observations are accompanied by X-ray, optical, and near-infrared observations as part of the AGN Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Program 2 (AGN STORM 2). Using the cross-correlation lag analysis method, we find significant correlated variations in the continuum and emission-line light curves. We measure rest-frame delayed responses between the far-ultraviolet continuum at 1180 A and Ly$\alpha$ $\lambda1215$ A ($10.4_{-1.4}^{+1.6}$ days), N V $\lambda1240$ A ($15.5_{-4.8}^{+1.0}$days), SiIV + OIV] $\lambda1397$ A ($8.2_{-1.4}^{+1.4}$ days), CIV $\lambda1549$ A ($11.8_{-2.8}^{+3.0}$ days), and HeII $\lambda1640$ A ($9.0_{-1.9}^{+4.5}$ days) using segments of the emission-line profile that are unaffected by absorption and blending, which results in sampling different velocity ranges for each line. However, we find that the emission-line responses to continuum variations are more complex than a simple smoothed, shifted, and scaled version of the continuum light curve. We also measure velocity-resolved lags for the Ly$\alpha$, and CIV emission lines. The lag profile in the blue wing of Ly$\alpha$ is consistent with virial motion, with longer lags dominating at lower velocities, and shorter lags at higher velocities. The CIV lag profile shows the signature of a thick rotating disk, with the shortest lags in the wings, local peaks at $\pm$ 1500 $\rm km\,s^{-1}$, and a local minimum at line center. The other emission lines are dominated by broad absorption lines and blending with adjacent emission lines. These require detailed models, and will be presented in future work.
分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19
摘要: We measure the black hole mass and investigate the accretion flow around the local ($z=0.0502$) quasar PG 1119+120. Spectroscopic monitoring with Calar Alto provides H$\beta$ lags and linewidths from which we estimate a black hole mass of $\log \left(M_{\bullet}/\mathrm{M}_{\odot} \right) = 7.0$, uncertain by $\sim0.4$ dex. High cadence photometric monitoring over two years with the Las Cumbres Observatory provides lightcurves in 7 optical bands suitable for intensive continuum reverberation mapping. We identify variability on two timescales. Slower variations on a 100-day timescale exhibit excess flux and increased lag in the $u'$ band and are thus attributable to diffuse bound-free continuum emission from the broad line region. Faster variations that we attribute to accretion disc reprocessing lack a $u'$-band excess and have flux and delay spectra consistent with either $\tau \propto \lambda^{4/3}$, as expected for a temperature structure of $T(R) \propto R^{-3/4}$ for a thin accretion disc, or $\tau \propto \lambda^{2}$ expected for a slim disc. Decomposing the flux into variable (disc) and constant (host galaxy) components, we find the disc SED to be flatter than expected with $f_{\nu} \sim \rm{const}$. Modelling the SED predicts an Eddington ratio of $\lambda_{\rm Edd} > 1$, where the flat spectrum can be reproduced by a slim disc with little dust extinction or a thin disc which requires more dust extinction. While this accretion is super-Eddington, the geometry is still unclear, however a slim disc is expected due to the high radiation pressure at these accretion rates, and is entirely consistent with our observations.
分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19
摘要: In this third paper of the series reporting on the reverberation mapping (RM) campaign of active galactic nuclei with asymmetric H$\beta$ emission-line profiles, we present results for 15 Palomar-Green (PG) quasars using spectra obtained between the end of 2016 to May 2021. This campaign combines long time spans with relatively high cadence. For 8 objects, both the time lags obtained from the entire light curves and the measurements from individual observing seasons are provided. Reverberation mapping of 9 of our targets has been attempted for the first time, while the results for 6 others can be compared with previous campaigns. We measure the H$\beta$ time lags over periods of years and estimate their black hole masses. The long duration of the campaign enables us to investigate their broad line region (BLR) geometry and kinematics for different years by using velocity-resolved lags, which demonstrate signatures of diverse BLR geometry and kinematics. The BLR geometry and kinematics of individual objects are discussed. In this sample, the BLR kinematics of Keplerian/virialized motion and inflow is more common than outflow.
分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19
摘要: NGC 5548 is one of the active galactic nuclei (AGN) selected for our long-term spectroscopic monitoring with the Lijiang 2.4~m telescope, aiming at investigating the origin and evolution of the broad-line regions (BLRs), accurately measuring the mass of the supermassive black holes (SMBHs), and understanding structure and evolution of the AGN. We have performed five-season observations for NGC~5548 with the median sampling interval ranging from 1.25 to 3 days. The light curves of the 5100~\AA\ continuum and broad emission lines are measured after subtracting contamination of the host galaxy starlight. The time lags of the broad He~{\sc ii}, He~{\sc i}, H$\gamma$, and H$\beta$ lines with respect to the 5100~\AA\ continuum are obtained for each season and their mean time lags over the five seasons are 0.69, 4.66, 4.60, 8.43 days, respectively. The H$\gamma$ and H$\beta$ velocity-resolved lag profiles in the seasons of 2015, 2018, 2019, and 2021 are constructed, from which an ``M-shaped'' structure is found in 2015 but disappears after 2018. Our five-season reverberation mapping (RM) yields an averaged virial SMBH mass of $M_\bullet/10^7M_\odot=14.22$, with a small standard deviation of $1.89$. By combining the previous 18 RM campaigns and our five-season campaign for NGC~5548, we find that there exists a time lag of 3.5~years between the changes in the BLR size and optical luminosity. In addition, we also construct the BLR radius$-$luminosity relation and the virial relation for NGC~5548.
分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19
摘要: The quasar 3C 273 has been observed with infrared spectroastrometry (SA) on broad Pa$\alpha$ line and optical reverberation mapping (RM) on broad H$\beta$ line. SA delivers information about the angular size and structure of the Pa$\alpha$ broad-line region (BLR), while RM delivers information about the physical size and structure of the H$\beta$ BLR. Based on the fact that the two BLRs share the mass of the supermassive black hole (SMBH) and viewing inclination, a combination of SA and velocity-resolved RM (SARM) thereby allows us to simultaneously determine the SMBH mass and geometric distance through dynamically modeling the two BLRs. We construct a suite of dynamical models with different geometric configurations and apply a Bayesian approach to obtain the parameter inferences. Overall the obtained masses and distances are insensitive to specific BLR configurations but more or less depend on parameterizations of the vertical distributions. The most probable model, chosen in light of the Bayes factor, yields an angular-size distance of $\log\,(D_{\rm A}/{\rm Mpc}) = 2.83_{-0.28}^{+0.32}$ and SMBH mass of $\log\,(M_\bullet/M_\odot)=9.06_{-0.27}^{+0.21}$, which agrees with the relationships between SMBH masses and bulge properties. The BLRs have an inclination of $5_{-1}^{+1}$ degrees, consistent with that of the large-scale jet in 3C 273. Our approach reinforces the capability of SARM analysis to measure SMBH mass and distance of AGNs even though SA and RM observations are undertaken with different emission lines and/or in different periods.
分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19
摘要: We conduct a systematic search for quasars with periodic variations from the archival photometric data of the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) by cross matching with the quasar catalogues of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and V\'eron-Cetty & V\'eron. We first select out primitive periodic candidates using the methods of the generalized Lomb-Scargle periodogram and auto-correlation function, and then estimate the false-alarm probability of the periodicity and calculate the Bayesian information criterion to compare between periodic and purely stochastic models. As such, we finally identify a sample of 127 candidates with the most significant periodic variations out of 143,700 quasars. This is the largest periodic quasar sample so far, thus providing a useful guiding sample for studying origins of quasar periodicity considering the moderate sampling rate and high-quality photometry of the ZTF data. We summarize the basic properties of the sample and briefly discuss the implications.