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Title: DETECTION OF THE INTERMEDIATE-WIDTH EMISSION LINE REGION IN QUASAR OI 287 WITH THE BROAD EMISSION LINE REGION OBSCURED BY THE DUSTY TORUS

Abstract

The existence of intermediate-width emission line regions (IELRs) in active galactic nuclei has been discussed for over two decades. A consensus, however, is yet to be arrived at due to the lack of convincing evidence for their detection. We present a detailed analysis of the broadband spectrophotometry of the partially obscured quasar OI 287. The ultraviolet intermediate-width emission lines (IELs) are very prominent, in high contrast to the corresponding broad emission lines (BELs) which are heavily suppressed by dust reddening. Assuming that the IELR is virialized, we estimated its distance to the central black hole to be ∼2.9 pc, similar to the dust sublimation radius of ∼1.3 pc. Photo-ionization calculations suggest that the IELR has a hydrogen density of ∼10{sup 8.8}–10{sup 9.4} cm{sup −3}, within the range of values quoted for the dusty torus near the sublimation radius. Both its inferred location and physical conditions suggest that the IELR originates from the inner surface of the dusty torus. In the spectrum of this quasar, we identified only one narrow absorption-line system associated with the dusty material. With the aid of photo-ionization model calculations, we found that the obscuring material might originate from an outer region of the dusty torus. Wemore » speculate that the dusty torus, which is exposed to the central ionizing source, may produce IELs through photo-ionization processes, as well as obscure BELs as a natural “coronagraph.” Such a “coronagraph” could be found in a large number of partially obscured quasars and may be a useful tool to study IELRs.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ;  [1];  [2]; ; ;  [3]
  1. Department of Astronomy, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China)
  2. Key Laboratory for Research in Galaxies and Cosmology, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 80 Nandan Road, Shanghai 200030 (China)
  3. Polar Research Institute of China, Jinqiao Rd. 451, Shanghai, 200136 (China)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22518802
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 812; Journal Issue: 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; ABSORPTION; BLACK HOLES; COSMIC DUST; DENSITY; DETECTION; EMISSION; GALAXIES; GALAXY NUCLEI; HYDROGEN; PHOTOIONIZATION; QUASARS; SPECTROPHOTOMETRY; SUBLIMATION; ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION

Citation Formats

Li, Zhenzhen, Zhou, Hongyan, Wang, Huiyuan, Liu, Bo, Liu, Wen-Juan, Pan, Xiang, Jiang, Peng, Hao, Lei, Ji, Tuo, Shi, Xiheng, and Zhang, Shaohua. DETECTION OF THE INTERMEDIATE-WIDTH EMISSION LINE REGION IN QUASAR OI 287 WITH THE BROAD EMISSION LINE REGION OBSCURED BY THE DUSTY TORUS. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/812/2/99.
Li, Zhenzhen, Zhou, Hongyan, Wang, Huiyuan, Liu, Bo, Liu, Wen-Juan, Pan, Xiang, Jiang, Peng, Hao, Lei, Ji, Tuo, Shi, Xiheng, & Zhang, Shaohua. DETECTION OF THE INTERMEDIATE-WIDTH EMISSION LINE REGION IN QUASAR OI 287 WITH THE BROAD EMISSION LINE REGION OBSCURED BY THE DUSTY TORUS. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/812/2/99
Li, Zhenzhen, Zhou, Hongyan, Wang, Huiyuan, Liu, Bo, Liu, Wen-Juan, Pan, Xiang, Jiang, Peng, Hao, Lei, Ji, Tuo, Shi, Xiheng, and Zhang, Shaohua. 2015. "DETECTION OF THE INTERMEDIATE-WIDTH EMISSION LINE REGION IN QUASAR OI 287 WITH THE BROAD EMISSION LINE REGION OBSCURED BY THE DUSTY TORUS". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/812/2/99.
@article{osti_22518802,
title = {DETECTION OF THE INTERMEDIATE-WIDTH EMISSION LINE REGION IN QUASAR OI 287 WITH THE BROAD EMISSION LINE REGION OBSCURED BY THE DUSTY TORUS},
author = {Li, Zhenzhen and Zhou, Hongyan and Wang, Huiyuan and Liu, Bo and Liu, Wen-Juan and Pan, Xiang and Jiang, Peng and Hao, Lei and Ji, Tuo and Shi, Xiheng and Zhang, Shaohua},
abstractNote = {The existence of intermediate-width emission line regions (IELRs) in active galactic nuclei has been discussed for over two decades. A consensus, however, is yet to be arrived at due to the lack of convincing evidence for their detection. We present a detailed analysis of the broadband spectrophotometry of the partially obscured quasar OI 287. The ultraviolet intermediate-width emission lines (IELs) are very prominent, in high contrast to the corresponding broad emission lines (BELs) which are heavily suppressed by dust reddening. Assuming that the IELR is virialized, we estimated its distance to the central black hole to be ∼2.9 pc, similar to the dust sublimation radius of ∼1.3 pc. Photo-ionization calculations suggest that the IELR has a hydrogen density of ∼10{sup 8.8}–10{sup 9.4} cm{sup −3}, within the range of values quoted for the dusty torus near the sublimation radius. Both its inferred location and physical conditions suggest that the IELR originates from the inner surface of the dusty torus. In the spectrum of this quasar, we identified only one narrow absorption-line system associated with the dusty material. With the aid of photo-ionization model calculations, we found that the obscuring material might originate from an outer region of the dusty torus. We speculate that the dusty torus, which is exposed to the central ionizing source, may produce IELs through photo-ionization processes, as well as obscure BELs as a natural “coronagraph.” Such a “coronagraph” could be found in a large number of partially obscured quasars and may be a useful tool to study IELRs.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/812/2/99},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22518802}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = 2,
volume = 812,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Oct 20 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Tue Oct 20 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}