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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2013

DO QUIESCENT AND ACTIVE GALAXIES HAVE DIFFERENT M{sub BH}-{sigma}{sub *} RELATIONS?

To investigate the validity of the assumption that quiescent galaxies and active galaxies follow the same black hole mass (M{sub BH})-stellar velocity dispersion ({sigma}{sub *}) relation, as required for the calibration of M{sub BH} estimators for broad line active galactic nuclei (AGNs), we determine and compare the M{sub BH}-{sigma}{sub *} relations, respectively, for quiescent and active galaxies. For the quiescent galaxy sample, composed of 72 dynamical M{sub BH} measurements, we update {sigma}{sub *} for 28 galaxies using homogeneous H-band measurements that are corrected for galaxy rotation. For active galaxies, we collect 25 reverberation-mapped AGNs and improve {sigma}{sub *} measurement for two objects. Combining the two samples, we determine the virial factor f, first by scaling the active galaxy sample to the M{sub BH}-{sigma}{sub *} relation of quiescent galaxies, and second by simultaneously fitting the quiescent and active galaxy samples, as f=5.1{sub -1.1}{sup +1.5} and f=5.9{sub -1.5}{sup +2.1}, respectively. The M{sub BH}-{sigma}{sub *} relation of active galaxies appears to be shallower than that of quiescent galaxies. However, the discrepancy is caused by a difference in the accessible M{sub BH} distribution at given {sigma}{sub *}, primarily due to the difficulty of measuring reliable stellar velocity dispersion for the host galaxies of luminous AGNs. Accounting for the selection effects, we find that active and quiescent galaxies are consistent with following intrinsically the same M{sub BH}-{sigma}{sub *} relation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Reverberation Mapping of Optical Emission Lines in Five Active Galaxies

We present the first results from an optical reverberation mapping campaign executed in 2014 targeting the active galactic nuclei (AGNs) MCG+08-11-011, NGC 2617, NGC 4051, 3C 382, and Mrk 374. Our targets have diverse and interesting observational properties, including a “changing look” AGN and a broad-line radio galaxy. Based on continuum-H β lags, we measure black hole masses for all five targets. We also obtain H γ and He ii λ 4686 lags for all objects except 3C 382. The He ii λ 4686 lags indicate radial stratification of the BLR, and the masses derived from different emission lines are in general agreement. The relative responsivities of these lines are also in qualitative agreement with photoionization models. These spectra have extremely high signal-to-noise ratios (100–300 per pixel) and there are excellent prospects for obtaining velocity-resolved reverberation signatures.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

COSMIC EVOLUTION OF BLACK HOLES AND SPHEROIDS. V. THE RELATION BETWEEN BLACK HOLE MASS AND HOST GALAXY LUMINOSITY FOR A SAMPLE OF 79 ACTIVE GALAXIES

We investigate the cosmic evolution of the black hole (BH) mass-bulge luminosity relation using a sample of 52 active galaxies at z ∼ 0.36 and z ∼ 0.57 in the BH mass range of 10{sup 7.4}-10{sup 9.1} M {sub ☉}. By consistently applying multicomponent spectral and structural decomposition to high-quality Keck spectra and high-resolution Hubble Space Telescope images, BH masses (M {sub BH}) are estimated using the Hβ broad emission line combined with the 5100 Å nuclear luminosity, and bulge luminosities (L {sub bul}) are derived from surface photometry. Comparing the resulting M {sub BH} – L {sub bul} relation to local active galaxies and taking into account selection effects, we find evolution of the form M {sub BH}/L {sub bul}∝(1 + z){sup γ} with γ = 1.8 ± 0.7, consistent with BH growth preceding that of the host galaxies. Including an additional sample of 27 active galaxies with 0.5 < z < 1.9 taken from the literature and measured in a consistent way, we obtain γ = 0.9 ± 0.7 for the M {sub BH} – L {sub bul} relation and γ = 0.4 ± 0.5 for the M {sub BH}-total host galaxy luminosity (L {sub host}) relation. The results strengthen the findings from our previous studies and provide additional evidence for host galaxy bulge growth being dominated by disk-to-bulge transformation via minor mergers and/or disk instabilities.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

NON-THERMAL RADIATION FROM COLLISIONS OF COMPACT OBJECTS WITH INTERMEDIATE-SCALE JETS IN ACTIVE GALAXIES

Massive black holes in active galaxies are immersed in huge concentrations of late-type stars in the galactic bulges and also early-type massive stars in the nuclear stellar clusters, which are additionally surrounded by quasi-spherical halos on a scale of several kpc that contain from a few hundred up to several thousand globular clusters (GCs). It is expected that significant numbers of red giant stars, massive stars, and also GCs can move through the jet expelled from the central engine of the active galaxy. We consider collisions of stars from the galactic bulge, nuclear cluster, and GCs with the jet plasma. As a result of such collisions, multiple shocks are expected to appear in the jet around these compact objects. Therefore, the plasma in the kpc-scale jet can be significantly disturbed. We show that particles can be accelerated on these shocks up to multi-TeV energies. TeV leptons emit synchrotron radiation, extending up to X-ray energies, and also comptonize radiation produced in a stellar cluster and also the microwave background radiation to TeV γ-ray energies. We show that such non-thermal radiation is likely to be detectable from the intermediate-scale jets of nearby active galaxies for a reasonable number of stars and GCs immersed within the jet. As an example, we calculate the expected non-thermal emission in X-ray and gamma-ray energies from the nearby radio galaxy Cen A, from which steady gamma-ray emission with a complex spectrum has recently been reported by Fermi and the HESS Observatories.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

A SiO 2-1 SURVEY TOWARD GAS-RICH ACTIVE GALAXIES

In order to study the feedback from active galactic nuclei (AGNs), we performed a survey of SiO J = 2-1 (v = 0) transition toward ten gas-rich active galaxies with the IRAM 30 m telescope. As the first survey of SiO in such galaxies, we detected SiO J = 2-1 (v = 0) emission in six galaxies above the 3σ level and one galaxy (NGC 3690) at the 2.7σ level. The detection rate is not related to the AGN type or to star formation activity. In comparison with M82, which is a pure star-forming galaxy without nuclear activity, our SiO detections could not be completely ascribed to being due to star formation activity. This suggests that the AGN feedback may be efficient in producing SiO molecules in such galaxies. Further surveys with large single-dish millimeter telescopes and interferometers are necessary for understanding the origin of SiO in galaxies with nuclear activity.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

HERSCHEL/SPIRE SUBMILLIMETER SPECTRA OF LOCAL ACTIVE GALAXIES {sup ,}

We present the submillimeter spectra from 450 to 1550 GHz of 11 nearby active galaxies observed with the SPIRE Fourier Transform Spectrometer (SPIRE/FTS) on board Herschel. We detect CO transitions from J{sub up} = 4 to 12, as well as the two [C I] fine structure lines at 492 and 809 GHz and the [N II]1461 GHz line. We used radiative transfer models to analyze the observed CO spectral line energy distributions. The FTS CO data were complemented with ground-based observations of the low-J CO lines. We found that the warm molecular gas traced by the mid-J CO transitions has similar physical conditions (n{sub H{sub 2}}{approx} 10{sup 3.2}-10{sup 3.9} cm{sup -3} and T{sub kin} {approx} 300-800 K) in most of our galaxies. Furthermore, we found that this warm gas is likely producing the mid-IR rotational H{sub 2} emission. We could not determine the specific heating mechanism of the warm gas, however, it is possibly related to the star formation activity in these galaxies. Our modeling of the [C I] emission suggests that it is produced in cold (T{sub kin} < 30 K) and dense (n{sub H{sub 2}}>10{sup 3} cm{sup -3}) molecular gas. Transitions of other molecules are often detected in our SPIRE/FTS spectra. The HF J = 1-0 transition at 1232 GHz is detected in absorption in UGC 05101 and in emission in NGC 7130. In the latter, near-infrared pumping, chemical pumping, or collisional excitation with electrons are plausible excitation mechanisms likely related to the active galactic nucleus of this galaxy. In some galaxies, few H{sub 2}O emission lines are present. Additionally, three OH{sup +} lines at 909, 971, and 1033 GHz are identified in NGC 7130.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

The BRAVE Program. I. Improved Bulge Stellar Velocity Dispersion Estimates for a Sample of Active Galaxies

We present new bulge stellar velocity dispersion measurements for 10 active galaxies with secure M {sub BH} determinations from reverberation mapping. These new velocity dispersion measurements are based on spatially resolved kinematics from integral-field (IFU) spectroscopy. In all but one case, the field of view of the IFU extends beyond the effective radius of the galaxy, and in the case of Mrk 79 it extends to almost one half the effective radius. This combination of spatial resolution and field of view allows for secure determinations of stellar velocity dispersion within the effective radius for all 10 target galaxies. Spatially resolved maps of the first ( V ) and second ( σ {sub ⋆}) moments of the line of sight velocity distribution indicate the presence of kinematic substructure in most cases. In future projects we plan to explore methods of correcting for the effects of kinematic substructure in the derived bulge stellar velocity dispersion measurements.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

A TALE OF TWO NARROW-LINE REGIONS: IONIZATION, KINEMATICS, AND SPECTRAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTIONS FOR A LOCAL PAIR OF MERGING OBSCURED ACTIVE GALAXIES

We explore the gas ionization and kinematics, as well as the optical-IR spectral energy distributions for UGC 11185, a nearby pair of merging galaxies hosting obscured active galactic nuclei (AGNs), also known as SDSS J181611.72+423941.6 and J181609.37+423923.0 (J1816NE and J1816SW, z ≈ 0.04). Due to the wide separation between these interacting galaxies (∼23 kpc), observations of these objects provide a rare glimpse of the concurrent growth of supermassive black holes at an early merger stage. We use BPT line diagnostics to show that the full extent of the narrow-line emission in both galaxies is photoionized by an AGN, and confirm the existence of a 10 kpc-scale ionization cone in J1816NE, while in J1816SW the AGN narrow-line region is much more compact (1–2 kpc) and relatively undisturbed. Our observations also reveal the presence of ionized gas that nearly spans the entire distance between the galaxies, which is likely in a merger-induced tidal stream. In addition, we carry out a spectral analysis of the X-ray emission using data from XMM-Newton . These galaxies represent a useful pair to explore how the [O iii] luminosity of an AGN is dependent on the size of the region used to explore the extended emission. Given the growing evidence for AGN “flickering” over short timescales, we speculate that the appearances and impacts of these AGNs may change multiple times over the course of the galaxy merger, which is especially important given that these objects are likely the progenitors of the types of systems commonly classified as “dual AGNs.”.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

TOWARD A NEW GEOMETRIC DISTANCE TO THE ACTIVE GALAXY NGC 4258. III. FINAL RESULTS AND THE HUBBLE CONSTANT

We report a new geometric maser distance estimate to the active galaxy NGC 4258. The data for the new model are maser line-of-sight (LOS) velocities and sky positions from 18 epochs of very long baseline interferometry observations, and LOS accelerations measured from a 10 yr monitoring program of the 22 GHz maser emission of NGC 4258. The new model includes both disk warping and confocal elliptical maser orbits with differential precession. The distance to NGC 4258 is 7.60 {+-} 0.17 {+-} 0.15 Mpc, a 3% uncertainty including formal fitting and systematic terms. The resulting Hubble constant, based on the use of the Cepheid variables in NGC 4258 to recalibrate the Cepheid distance scale, is H{sub 0} = 72.0 {+-} 3.0 km s{sup -1} Mpc{sup -1}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Hundreds of Low-mass Active Galaxies in the Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) Survey

We present an entirely new sample of 388 low-mass galaxies (M $\star$ ≤ 10 10 M ⊙ ) that have spectroscopic signatures indicating the presence of massive black holes (BHs) in the form of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) or tidal disruption events. Of these, 70 have stellar masses in the dwarf galaxy regime with 10 8 ≲ M $\star$ /M ⊙ ≲ 10 9.5 . We identify the active galaxies by analyzing optical spectra of a parent sample of ~23,000 low-mass emission-line galaxies in the Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA) Survey Data Release 4, and employing four different diagnostics based on narrow emission-line ratios and the detection of high-ionization coronal lines. We find that 47 of the 388 low-mass active galaxies exhibit broad Hα in their spectra, corresponding to virial BH masses in the range M BH ~ 10 5.0–7.7 M ⊙ with a median BH mass of $\langle$M BH $\rangle$ ~ 10 6.2 M ⊙ . Our sample extends to higher redshifts (z ≤ 0.3; $\langle$z$\rangle$ = 0.13) than previous samples of AGNs in low-mass/dwarf galaxies based on Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectroscopy, which can be attributed to the spectroscopic limit of GAMA being ~2 mag deeper. Moreover, our multi-diagnostic approach has revealed low-mass active galaxies spanning a wide range of properties, from blue star-forming dwarfs to luminous "miniquasars" powered by low-mass BHs. As such, this work has implications for BH seeding and AGN feedback at low masses.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

A NEW APPROACH TO CONSTRAIN BLACK HOLE SPINS IN ACTIVE GALAXIES USING OPTICAL REVERBERATION MAPPING

A tight relation between the size of the broad-line region (BLR) and optical luminosity has been established in about 50 active galactic nuclei studied through reverberation mapping of the broad Hβ emission line. The R {sub BLR}-L relation arises from simple photoionization considerations. Using a general relativistic model of an optically thick, geometrically thin accretion disk, we show that the ionizing luminosity jointly depends on black hole mass, accretion rate, and spin. The non-monotonic relation between the ionizing and optical luminosity gives rise to a complicated relation between the BLR size and the optical luminosity. We show that the reverberation lag of Hβ to the varying continuum depends very sensitively on black hole spin. For retrograde spins, the disk is so cold that there is a deficit of ionizing photons in the BLR, resulting in shrinkage of the hydrogen ionization front with increasing optical luminosity, and hence shortened Hβ lags. This effect is specially striking for luminous quasars undergoing retrograde accretion, manifesting in strong deviations from the canonical R {sub BLR}-L relation. This could lead to a method to estimate black hole spins of quasars and to study their cosmic evolution. At the same time, the small scatter of the observed R {sub BLR}-L relation for the current sample of reverberation-mapped active galaxies implies that the majority of these sources have rapidly spinning black holes.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Symmetric Achromatic Variability in Active Galaxies: A Powerful New Gravitational Lensing Probe?

We report the discovery of a rare new form of long-term radio variability in the light curves of active galaxies (AG)—symmetric achromatic variability (SAV)—a pair of opposed and strongly skewed peaks in the radio flux density observed over a broad frequency range. We propose that SAV arises through gravitational milli-lensing when relativistically moving features in AG jets move through gravitational lensing caustics created by 10{sup 3}--10{sup 6} M{sub ⊙} subhalo condensates or black holes located within intervening galaxies. The lower end of this mass range has been inaccessible with previous gravitational lensing techniques. This new interpretation of some AG variability can easily be tested and if it passes these tests, will enable a new and powerful probe of cosmological matter distribution on these intermediate-mass scales, as well as provide, for the first time, micro-arcsecond resolution of the nuclei of AG—a factor of 30–100 greater resolution than is possible with ground-based millimeter very-long-baseline interferometry.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

A local baseline of the black hole mass scaling relations for active galaxies. III. The M{sub BH}–σ relation

We create a baseline of the black hole (BH) mass (M{sub BH})—stellar-velocity dispersion (σ) relation for active galaxies, using a sample of 66 local (0.02<z<0.09) Seyfert-1 galaxies, selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Analysis of SDSS images yields AGN luminosities free of host-galaxy contamination, and morphological classification. 51/66 galaxies have spiral morphology. Out of these, 28 bulges have Sérsic index n<2 and are considered candidate pseudo-bulges, with eight being definite pseudo-bulges based on multiple classification criteria met. Only 4/66 galaxies show signs of interaction/merging. High signal-to-noise ratio Keck spectra provide the width of the broad Hβ emission line free of Fe ii emission and stellar absorption. AGN luminosity and Hβ line widths are used to estimate M{sub BH}. The Keck-based spatially resolved kinematics is used to determine stellar-velocity dispersion within the spheroid effective radius (σ{sub spat,reff}). We find that σ can vary on average by up to 40% across definitions commonly used in the literature, emphasizing the importance of using self-consistent definitions in comparisons and evolutionary studies. The M{sub BH}–σ relation for our Seyfert-1 galaxy sample has the same intercept and scatter as that of reverberation-mapped AGNs as well as that of quiescent galaxies, consistent with the hypothesis that our single epoch M{sub BH} estimator and sample selection function do not introduce significant biases. Barred galaxies, merging galaxies, and those hosting pseudo-bulges do not represent outliers in the M{sub BH}–σ relation. This is in contrast with previous work, although no firm conclusion can be drawn on this matter due to the small sample size and limited resolution of the SDSS images.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

A search for submillimeter H{sub 2}O masers in active galaxies: the detection of 321 GHz H{sub 2}O maser emission in NGC 4945

We present further results of a search for extragalactic submillimeter H{sub 2}O masers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The detection of a 321 GHz H{sub 2}O maser in the nearby type 2 Seyfert galaxy, the Circinus galaxy, has previously been reported, and here the spectral analysis of four other galaxies is described. We have discovered H{sub 2}O maser emission at 321 GHz toward the center of NGC 4945, a nearby type 2 Seyfert. The maser emission shows Doppler-shifted velocity features with velocity ranges similar to those of the previously reported 22 GHz H{sub 2}O masers; however, the non-contemporaneous observations also show differences in velocity offsets. The subparsec-scale distribution of the 22 GHz H{sub 2}O masers revealed by earlier very long baseline interferometry observations suggests that the submillimeter masers could arise in an edge-on rotating disk. The maser features remain unresolved by the synthesized beam of ∼0.″54 (∼30 pc) and are located toward the 321 GHz continuum peak within errors. A marginally detected (3σ) high-velocity feature is redshifted by 579 km s{sup −1} with respect to the systemic velocity of the galaxy. Assuming that this feature is real and arises from a Keplerian rotating disk in this galaxy, it is located at a radius of ∼0.020 pc (∼1.5 × 10{sup 5} Schwarzschild radii), which would enable molecular material closer to the central engine to be probed than the 22 GHz H{sub 2}O masers. This detection confirms that submillimeter H{sub 2}O masers are a potential tracer of the circumnuclear regions of active galaxies, which will benefit from higher angular resolution studies with ALMA.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Probing the Physics of Narrow-line Regions in Active Galaxies. IV. Full Data Release of the Siding Spring Southern Seyfert Spectroscopic Snapshot Survey (S7)

We present the second and final data release of the Siding Spring Southern Seyfert Spectroscopic Snapshot Survey (S7). Data are presented for 63 new galaxies not included in the first data release, and we provide 2D emission-line fitting products for the full S7 sample of 131 galaxies. The S7 uses the WiFeS instrument on the ANU 2.3 m telescope to obtain spectra with a spectral resolution of R = 7000 in the red (540–700 nm) and R = 3000 in the blue (350–570 nm), over an integral field of 25 × 38 arcsec{sup 2} with 1 × 1 arcsec{sup 2} spatial pixels. The S7 contains both the largest sample of active galaxies and the highest spectral resolution of any comparable integral field survey to date. The emission-line fitting products include line fluxes, velocities, and velocity dispersions across the WiFeS field of view, and an artificial neural network has been used to determine the optimal number of Gaussian kinematic components for emission-lines in each spaxel. Broad Balmer lines are subtracted from the spectra of nuclear spatial pixels in Seyfert 1 galaxies before fitting the narrow lines. We bin nuclear spectra and measure reddening-corrected nuclear fluxes of strong narrow lines for each galaxy. The nuclear spectra are classified on optical diagnostic diagrams, where the strength of the coronal line [Fe vii] λ 6087 is shown to be correlated with [O iii]/H β . Maps revealing gas excitation and kinematics are included for the entire sample, and we provide notes on the newly observed objects.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

A physically based model of the ionizing radiation from active galaxies for photoionization modeling

We present a simplified model of active galactic nucleus (AGN) continuum emission designed for photoionization modeling. The new model oxaf reproduces the diversity of spectral shapes that arise in physically based models. We identify and explain degeneracies in the effects of AGN parameters on model spectral shapes, with a focus on the complete degeneracy between the black hole mass and AGN luminosity. Our reparametrized model oxaf removes these degeneracies and accepts three parameters that directly describe the output spectral shape: the energy of the peak of the accretion disk emission E{sub peak}, the photon power-law index of the non-thermal emission Γ, and the proportion of the total flux that is emitted in the non-thermal component p{sub NT}. The parameter E{sub peak} is presented as a function of the black hole mass, AGN luminosity, and “coronal radius” of the optxagnf model upon which oxaf is based. We show that the soft X-ray excess does not significantly affect photoionization modeling predictions of strong emission lines in Seyfert narrow-line regions. Despite its simplicity, oxaf accounts for opacity effects where the accretion disk is ionized because it inherits the “color correction” of optxagnf. We use a grid of mappings photoionization models with oxaf ionizing spectra to demonstrate how predicted emission-line ratios on standard optical diagnostic diagrams are sensitive to each of the three oxaf parameters. The oxaf code is publicly available in the Astrophysics Source Code Library.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

THE CLUSTER AND FIELD GALAXY ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEUS FRACTION AT z = 1-1.5: EVIDENCE FOR A REVERSAL OF THE LOCAL ANTICORRELATION BETWEEN ENVIRONMENT AND AGN FRACTION

The fraction of cluster galaxies that host luminous active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is an important probe of AGN fueling processes, the cold interstellar medium at the centers of galaxies, and how tightly black holes and galaxies co-evolve. We present a new measurement of the AGN fraction in a sample of 13 clusters of galaxies (M {>=} 10{sup 14} M{sub Sun }) at 1 < z < 1.5 selected from the Spitzer/IRAC Shallow Cluster Survey, as well as the field fraction in the immediate vicinity of these clusters, and combine these data with measurements from the literature to quantify the relative evolution of cluster and field AGN from the present to z {approx} 3. We estimate that the cluster AGN fraction at 1 < z < 1.5 is f{sub A} = 3.0{sup +2.4}{sub -1.4}% for AGNs with a rest-frame, hard X-ray luminosity greater than L{sub X,{sub H}} {>=} 10{sup 44} erg s{sup -1}. This fraction is measured relative to all cluster galaxies more luminous than M{sup *}{sub 3.6}(z) + 1, where M{sup *}{sub 3.6}(z) is the absolute magnitude of the break in the galaxy luminosity function at the cluster redshift in the IRAC 3.6 {mu}m bandpass. The cluster AGN fraction is 30 times greater than the 3{sigma} upper limit on the value for AGNs of similar luminosity at z {approx} 0.25, as well as more than an order of magnitude greater than the AGN fraction at z {approx} 0.75. AGNs with L{sub X,{sub H}} {>=} 10{sup 43} erg s{sup -1} exhibit similarly pronounced evolution with redshift. In contrast to the local universe, where the luminous AGN fraction is higher in the field than in clusters, the X-ray and MIR-selected AGN fractions in the field and clusters are consistent at 1 < z < 1.5. This is evidence that the cluster AGN population has evolved more rapidly than the field population from z {approx} 1.5 to the present. This environment-dependent AGN evolution mimics the more rapid evolution of star-forming galaxies in clusters relative to the field.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Probing the physics of narrow-line regions in active galaxies. iii. accretion and cocoon shocks in the liner NGC 1052

We present Wide Field Spectrograph integral field spectroscopy and Hubble Space Telescope Faint Object Spectrograph spectroscopy for the low-ionization nuclear emission line region (LINER) galaxy NGC 1052. We infer the presence of a turbulent accretion flow forming a small-scale accretion disk. We find a large-scale outflow and ionization cone along the minor axis of the galaxy. Part of this outflow region is photoionized by the active galactic nucleus and shares properties with the extended narrow-line region of Seyfert galaxies, but the inner (R≲1.0″) accretion disk and the region around the radio jet appear shock excited. The emission-line properties can be modeled by a “double-shock” model in which the accretion flow first passes through an accretion shock in the presence of a hard X-ray radiation, and the accretion disk is then processed through a cocoon shock driven by the overpressure of the radio jets. This model explains the observation of two distinct densities (∼10{sup 4} and ∼10{sup 6} cm{sup −3}) and provides a good fit to the observed emission-line spectrum. We derive estimates for the velocities of the two shock components and their mixing fractions, the black hole mass, and the accretion rate needed to sustain the LINER emission and derive an estimate for the jet power. Our emission-line model is remarkably robust against variation of input parameters and hence offers a generic explanation for the excitation of LINER galaxies, including those of spiral type such as NGC 3031 (M81).

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗