THE QUASAR SDSS J1536+0441: AN UNUSUAL DOUBLE-PEAKED EMITTER

Journal Article · Wed Jan 20 04:00:00 EST 2010 · Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/709/1/L39; COUNTRY OF INPUT: INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA)· OSTI ID:21301391

Chornock, R; Bloom, J S; Cenko, S B; Filippenko, A V; Silverman, J M ^[1]; Hicks, M D; Lawrence, K J ^[2]; Mendez, A J; Rafelski, M

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1. Department of Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3411 (United States)
2. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, JPL MS 183-501, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States)

The quasar SDSS J153636.22+044127.0, exhibiting peculiar broad emission-line profiles with multiple components, was proposed as a candidate sub-parsec binary supermassive black hole system. More recently, imaging revealed two spatially distinct sources, leading some to suggest that the system was a quasar pair separated by {approx}5 kpc. We present Palomar and Keck optical spectra of this system from which we identify a third velocity component to the emission lines. We argue that the system is more likely an unusual member of the class of active galactic nuclei known as 'double-peaked emitters' than a sub-parsec black hole binary or quasar pair. We find no significant velocity evolution of the two main peaks over the course of 0.95 yr, with a 3{sigma} upper limit on any secular change of 70 km s{sup -1} yr{sup -1}. We also find that the three velocity components of the emission lines are spatially coincident to within 0.''015 along the slit, apparently ruling out the double-quasar hypothesis.

• OSTI ID: 21301391
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Letters Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 709; ISSN 2041-8205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
ACCRETION DISKS
BLACK HOLES
EMISSION
GALAXY NUCLEI
QUASARS