Optical continuum emission of active galactic nuclei

Journal Article · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Publ. Astron. Soc. Pac.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/131735· OSTI ID:5386229

Odell, S L

General properties of active galactic nuclei (AGN) in the optical band, and distinctions among the various classes of AGN's, are considered. Synchrotron radiation accounts for the optical emissions from blazers, and may also be responsible for the steep infrared and/or flat ultraviolet continua from nonblazer AGN's. Thermal emission from an opaque accretion disk might produce the flat ultraviolet emission observed in many nonblazer AGN's. Infrared thermal reradiation by dust is present in some less luminous AGN's, and other optical continuum processes are probably not important. Outstanding issues related to the optical continuum of AGN's include the origin of the optical continua in nonblazer AGN's, evidence for accretion-disk emission, the role of dust, and reasons for differences among the AGN's. No existing model accounts quantitatively for all AGN phenomena, including the effects of ambient gas, dust, and orientation. 62 references.

• Research Organization: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ., Blacksburg
• OSTI ID: 5386229
• Journal Information: Publ. Astron. Soc. Pac.; (United States), Journal Name: Publ. Astron. Soc. Pac.; (United States) Vol. 98; ISSN PASPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640103* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Quasi-Stellar
Radio
& X-Ray Sources-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ACCRETION DISKS
BASIC INTERACTIONS
COMPTON EFFECT
COSMIC DUST
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
DUSTS
ELASTIC SCATTERING
ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERACTIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMISSION SPECTRA
GALAXIES
GALAXY NUCLEI
INTERACTIONS
PLASMA
QUASARS
RADIATIONS
RADIO GALAXIES
RELATIVISTIC PLASMA
SCATTERING
SEYFERT GALAXIES
SPECTRA
THERMAL RADIATION
VISIBLE SPECTRA