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NASA NTRS1985

Consequences of hot gas in the broad line region of active galactic nuclei

Models for hot gas in the broad line region of active galactic nuclei are discussed. The results of the two phase equilibrium models for confinement of broad line clouds by Compton heated gas are used to show that high luminosity quasars are expected to show Fe XXVI L alpha line absorption which will be observed with spectrometers such as those planned for the future X-ray spectroscopy experiments. Two phase equilibrium models also predict that the gas in the broad line clouds and the confining medium may be Compton thick. It is shown that the combined effects of Comptonization and photoabsorption can suppress both the broad emission lines and X-rays in the Einstein and HEAO-1 energy bands. The observed properties of such Compton thick active galaxies are expected to be similar to those of Seyfert 2 nuclei. The implications for polarization and variability are also discussed.

Kallman, T.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Optical counterparts of the Large Magellanic Cloud X-ray point sources

The results of a program of optical identification of the X-ray point sources in the direction of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) are presented. Observational results are combined with accurate positions of about 3-arcsec obtained with the Einstein Observatory Imaging Proportional Counter (IPC). The sources include 13 foreground stars, three background active galaxies, and six LMC members which are known or suspected to be binaries. The 24 other sources in the Einstein LMC survey have only 30-arcsec positions and on average are less luminous and in more crowded regions of the LMC. On the basis of the new identifications, comparisons are made between the overall stellar X-ray population in the LMC and in the Galaxy. Although the mean X-ray luminosity of the LMC sources is significantly higher than that of the Galaxy, the total number of stellar X-ray systems per unit mass is similar in the LMC and the Galaxy.

Cowley, A. P.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Positron-electron pairs in astrophysics; Proceedings of the Workshop, Greenbelt, MD, January 6-8, 1983

Astrophysical sources of positron-electron-pair annihilation radiation are characterized in reviews and reports of observational and theoretical investigations. Topics examined include gamma-ray lines from solar flares, gamma-ray bursts, pulsars, the Galactic center, active galaxies, and physical processes in relativistic and magnetized plasmas. Spectra, historgrams, graphs, and diagrams are provided.

Burns, M. L.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Fundamental processes in pair plasmas

The various processes that produce and destroy electron-positron pairs are reviewed, and the timescales of these processes are compared to thermalization, accretion, and cooling timescales. The various radiation spectra produced by relativistic, thermal plasmas are considered. Recent results for the equilibria available to finite, thermal relativistic plasmas with and without embedded magnetic fields are reviewed. Such plasmas, in steady state, have maximum temperatures, luminosities, and field strengths, useful diagnostics for interpreting quasars and active galaxies.

Lightman, A. P.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Consequences of hot gas in the broad-line region of active galactic nuclei

Kallman, T.↗

NASA NTRS1985

The X-ray spectroscopy of active galactic nuclei

The scientific goals of X-ray spectroscopy of active galactic nuclei are discussed. The underlying energy source, the regions responsible for the optical emission lines, the different types of active galaxies, and cosmology are considered. The requirements for an X-ray mission of broad band width, large collecting area, modest spatial resolution and good spectral resolution are outlined. It is concluded that the ESA XMM mission meets these requirements.

Mushotzky, R.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Astronomy on a manned Mars mission

Three extra-solar-system astronomical experiments onboard a manned Mars mission are proposed. First, a modest, 50 cm aperture optical-ultraviolet-infrared telescope (or pair used as an interferometer) coupled with the Mars-Sun baseline would increase the number (by a factor of 3.4) and a volume of stars with accurately measured distances via stellar parallax and, therefore, greatly improve upon the cosmic distance scale; the darker sky at Mars would also provide nearly a full astronomical magnitude deeper images of distant and low brightness objects (limited by zodiacal light). Second, a gamma-ray burst detector coupled with similar detectors in other parts of the solar system will be used to reduce the position error boxes and to study the nature of these energetic sources. Third, the long baselines on a Mars mission radio interferometer will provide a view of the radio universe at unprescedented resolution, 4 x 10 to the minus 9th arcsec at 1 mm wavelength, which can potentially resolve the engine in nearby active galaxies. Each of these experiments is relatively inexpensive, taking advantage of the human presence for operation and maintenance, and the long Earth to Mars baseline.

Burns, Jack O.↗

NASA NTRS1986

The X-ray background and the evolution of quasars

The contribution of QSOs and active galaxies to the 2-10-keV X-ray background is calculated theoretically, assuming that the X-ray luminosity of each GSO has a power-law time evolution (dL/dt = AL exp alpha) and applying the continuity equation to derive the X-ray luminosity function at arbitrary redshift. The observed X-ray background is shown to require alpha greater than 1.2, ruling out pure luminosity evolution (alpha = 1).

Tucker, W. H.↗

NASA NTRS1986

A dynamical model for the central engine of QSOs and active galactic nuclei

A model for the energy generation in quasars and active galaxies is proposed based on (quasi)spherical accretion and a shock as a means for randomizing the inflowing kinetic energy. According to the model, most of the accretion energy is converted into relativistic protons at the shock, which in turn can provide the necessary pressure to self-consistently support it if their energy loss time scale by nuclear collisions is longer than the free fall time scale. The shock can thus be characterized as a 'relativistic proton radiative shock' in analogy with similar accretion shocks on white dwarfs.

Kazanas, Demosthenes↗

NASA NTRS1987

Simultaneous multifrequency observations of Markarian 421

Simultaneous radio, optical, ultraviolet, and X-ray observations of the highly variable BL Lacertae object Mrk 421 conducted over a period of four days in December 1984 and again in January 1985 are reported. During this time, the 2-10 keV flux dropped by a factor of eight, whereas the 0.1-1 keV flux decreased by a factor of only two. These changes were not reproduced at longer wavelengths during the period of simultaneous observation. The implications of these results for beaming models, the relation between BL Lacertae objects and other classes of AGN, and the nature of the core regions of active galaxies are discussed.

Brodie, Jean↗

NASA NTRS1986

Nucleosynthesis in the neighborhood of a black hole

The preliminary results from simulations of nucleosynthesis inside a thick accretion disk around a black hole are discussed as a function of the accretion rate, the viscosity parameter, and the mass of the black hole. Results for the Bondi accretion case are also presented. Taking the case of a 10-solar mass and a 10 to the 6th-solar mass central Schwarzschild hole, detailed evolution of a representative element of matter as it accretes into the hole is presented in the case when the initial abundance (at the outer edge of the disk) is the same as the solar abundance. It is suggested that such studies may eventually shed light on the composition of the outgoing jets observed in the active galaxies and SS433.

Chakrabarti, Sandip K.↗

NASA NTRS1987

The velocity distribution of quasar/AGN broad emission line clouds

In the present work, the effects of geometric projection are deconvolved from the observed broad emission line profiles from a number of active galaxies to reveal the intrinsic brightness versus velocity function of the emission-line clouds. Results are presented as total emission per absolute velocity interval, rather than imposing specific dynamical models on the data. It is concluded from the analysis that the preponderance of evidence indicates that the broad-line emission arises from gas with preferred absolute velocity relative to line center.

Puetter, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Quasar energy distributions. I - Soft X-ray spectra of quasars

As the initial stage of a study of quasar energy distributions (QEDs), Einstein IPC spectra of 24 quasars are presented. These are combined with previously reported IPC spectra to form a sample of 33 quasars with well-determined soft X-ray slopes. A correlation analysis shows that radio loudness, rather than redshift or luminosity, is fundamentally related to the X-ray slope. This correlation is not followed by higher energy spectra of active galaxies. Two components are required to explain both sets of results. The best-fit column densities are systematically smaller than the Galactic values. The same effect is not present in a sample of BL Lac objects, implying that the effect is intrinsic to the quasars and is caused by a low-energy turnup in the quasar spectra.

Wilkes, Belinda J.↗

NASA NTRS1989

The double-nucleus galactic merger Mkn 463

Deep CCD imaging in broadband and forbidden O III wavelengths of the twin-nucleus active galaxy Markarian 463 is presented. These data show that the system has triple curved tails indicative of a strong tidal interaction and probable merger. Colors, morphology, and their implications are discussed. The forbidden O III line emission is seen to be extended and linear, perhaps filling twin cones with apex at the eastern optical nucleus. It is argued that this indicates nonisotropic radiation from an obscured AGN. Spatially resolved spectroscopy on and off the nuclei reveals that the radial velocities of the gas lie in a small range, unlike some other multiple nucleus systems. The nature of the emission-line regions is discussed, along with the evolutionary state of the system indicated by the present data and IR and radio data.

Hutchings, J. B.↗

NASA NTRS1990

H2 line emission in three Seyfert nuclei: Evidence against UV-excitation

Line emission from vibrationally excited molecular hydrogen has been detected in a considerable number of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), including those generally believed to contain compact and luminous central engines (e.g., Seyfert nuclei) and those in which the luminosity is believed to arise from massive bursts of star formation (starburst nuclei). In most of these AGNs, only the bright 1-0 S(1) line (rest wavelength 2.12 microns) has been searched for and detected to date. Line-emitting H2 can be excited directly either by energetic collisions created by shock waves or by absorption of UV radiation. Each of these excitation mechanisms has been clearly identified in galactic and extragalactic regions. In active galactic nuclei strong sources of UV and (in some case) x rays are present. If the nuclear molecular matter is quiescent (i.e., isolated from the active nucleus and not set into motion by episodes of star formation) the H2 line emission will be dominated by fluorescence, or possibly by thermal emission due to heating by x rays (Krolik, this conference). However, it is expected or indeed observed that a significant fraction of the interstellar medium in and near these nuclei is undergoing rapid motions; either generated by the central engine or by a nuclear starburst, which are capable of producing strong shock phenomena in nearby molecular gas. Thus, a priori it is not obvious which mechanism is responsible for the H2 line emission from the nucleus of an active galaxy.

Geballe, T. R.↗

NASA NTRS1990

The Hawaii Imaging Fabry-Perot Interferometer (HIFI)

At Mauna Kea Observatory, researchers conducted optical, imaging spectrophotometric studies of selected active galaxies using both the Canada-France-Hawaii 3.6m and University of Hawaii 2.2m telecopes (Tully, Bland and Cecil 1988). To maximize spatial resolution, researchers select galaxies independent of luminosity but known to possess interesting morphologies or high-velocity, extranuclear ionized gas (Walker 1968; Rubin and Ford 1968). They study both the large-scale patterns produced in IR-luminous, starburst systems (e.g., M82, NGC 253, NGC 6240) and those with compact, but spatially extended, circumnuclear, narrow line regions (e.g., M51, NGC 1068, NGC 4151). Current studies are restricted to the optical (SII), (NII) and (OIII) lines and the brightest Balmer recombination lines. These lines are, in principle, sufficient to constrain the dynamical structure and dominant excitation mechanism of the ionized component.

Bland, Jonathan↗

NASA NTRS1990

Dust and ionized gas in active radio elliptical galaxies

The authors present broad and narrow bandwidth imaging of three southern elliptical galaxies which have flat-spectrum active radio cores (NGC 1052, IC 1459 and NGC 6958). All three contain dust and extended low excitation optical line emission, particularly extensive in the case of NGC 1052 which has a large H alpha + (NII) luminosity. Both NGC 1052 and IC 1459 have a spiral morphology in emission-line images. All three display independent strong evidence that a merger or infall event has recently occurred, i.e., extensive and infalling HI gas in NGC 1052, a counter-rotating core in IC 1459 and Malin-Carter shells in NGC 6958. This infall event is the most likely origin for the emission-line gas and dust, and the authors are currently investigating possible excitation mechanisms (Sparks et al. 1990).

Forbes, D. A.↗

NASA NTRS1990

LOUISA - A lunar optical-ultraviolet-infrared synthesis array

The emplacement of an optical wavelength interferometric array on the lunar surface is proposed. It will consist of 42 1.5-m mirrors distributed in two concentric circles with an outer diameter of 10-km. The resolution of LOUISA will be 10 microarcsec at a wavelength of 0.5 microns - a factor of 4100 times better than the HST. With such a resolution, astronomers will be able to image earthlike extrasolar planets, active regions on other stars, and collimated outflows from young stellar objects and the nuclei of active galaxies.

Burns, Jack O.↗