We present a compilation of properties of the 105,783 quasars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 (DR7) quasar catalog. In this product, we compile continuum and emission line measurements around the Hα, Hβ, Mg II, and C IV regions, as well as other quantities such as radio properties, and flags indicating broad absorption line quasars, disk emitters, etc. We also compile virial black hole mass estimates based on various calibrations. For the fiducial virial mass estimates we use the Vestergaard & Peterson (VP06) calibrations for Hβ and C IV, and our own calibration for Mg II which matches the VP06 Hβ masses on average. We describe the construction of this catalog and discuss its limitations. The catalog and its future updates will be made publicly available online.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0067-0049/194/2/45/pdf

A catalog of quasar properties from sloan digital sky survey data release 7

We present four improved empirical relationships useful for estimating the central black hole mass in nearby AGNs and distant luminous quasars alike using either optical or UV single-epoch spectroscopy. These mass scaling relationships between line widths and luminosity are based on recently improved empirical relationships between the broad-line region size and luminosities in various energy bands and are calibrated to the improved mass measurements of nearby AGNs based on emission-line reverberation mapping. The mass scaling relationship based on the Hβ line luminosity allows mass estimates for low-redshift sources with strong contamination of the optical continuum luminosity by stellar or nonthermal emission, while that based on the C IV λ1549 line dispersion allows mass estimates in cases where only the line dispersion (as opposed to the FWHM) can be reliably determined. We estimate that the absolute uncertainties in masses given by these mass scaling relationships are typically around a factor of 4. We include in an appendix mass estimates for all of the Bright Quasar Survey (PG) quasars for which direct reverberation-based mass measurements are not available.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/500572/pdf

Determining Central Black Hole Masses in Distant Active Galaxies and Quasars. II. Improved Optical and UV Scaling Relationships

A significant fraction of nearby galaxies show evidence of weak nuclear activity unrelated to normal stellar processes. Recent high-resolution, multiwavelength observations indicate that the bulk of this activity derives from black hole accretion with a wide range of accretion rates. The low accretion rates that typify most low-luminosity active galactic nuclei induce significant modifications to their central engine. The broad-line region and obscuring torus disappear in some of the faintest sources, and the optically thick accretion disk transforms into a three-component structure consisting of an inner radiatively inefficient accretion flow, a truncated outer thin disk, and a jet or outflow. The local census of nuclear activity supports the notion that most, perhaps all, bulges host a central supermassive black hole, although the existence of active nuclei in at least some late-type galaxies suggests that a classical bulge is not a prerequisite to seed a nuclear black hole.

/pdf/nuclear-activity-in-nearby-galaxies-1y1oui49by.pdf

Nuclear Activity in Nearby Galaxies

When all thermonuclear sources of energy are exhausted a sufficiently heavy star will collapse. Unless fission due to rotation, the radiation of mass, or the blowing off of mass by radiation, reduce the star's mass to the order of that of the sun, this contraction will continue indefinitely. In the present paper we study the solutions of the gravitational field equations which describe this process. In I, general and qualitative arguments are given on the behavior of the metrical tensor as the contraction progresses: the radius of the star approaches asymptotically its gravitational radius; light from the surface of the star is progressively reddened, and can escape over a progressively narrower range of angles. In II, an analytic solution of the field equations confirming these general arguments is obtained for the case that the pressure within the star can be neglected. The total time of collapse for an observer comoving with the stellar matter is finite, and for this idealized case and typical stellar masses, of the order of a day; an external observer sees the star asymptotically shrinking to its gravitational radius.

On Continued Gravitational Contraction

A stellar spectral flux library of wide spectral coverage and an example of its application are presented. The new library consists of 131 flux-calibrated spectra, encompassing all normal spectral types and luminosity classes at solar abundance, and metal-weak and metal-rich F-K dwarf and G-K giant components. Each library spectrum was formed by combining data from several sources overlapping in wavelength coverage. The SIMBAD database, measured colors, and line strengths were used to check that each input component has closely similar stellar type. The library has complete spectral coverage from 1150 to 10620 Afor all components and to 25000 Afor about half of them, mainly later types of solar abundance. Missing spectral coverage in the infrared currently consists of a smooth energy distribution formed from standard colors for the relevant types. The library is designed to permit inclusion of additional digital spectra, particularly of non-solar abundance stars in the infrared, as they become available. The library spectra are each given as Fl versus l, from 1150 to 25000 Ain steps of 5 A ˚. A program to combine the library spectra in the ratios appropriate to a selected isochrone is described and an example of a spectral component signature of a composite population of solar age and metallicity is illustrated. The library spectra and associated tables are available as text files by remote electronic access.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: A Stellar Spectral Flux Library: 1150 - 25000 A (Pickles 1998)

▪ Abstract Broad emission lines hold fundamental clues about the kinematics and structure of the central regions in AGN. In this article we review the most robust line profile properties and correlations emerging from the best data available. We identify fundamental differences between the profiles of radio-quiet and radio-loud sources as well as differences between the high- and low-ionization lines, especially in the radio-quiet majority of AGN. An Eigenvector 1 correlation space involving FWHM Hβ, W(FeIIopt)/W(Hβ), and the soft X-ray spectral index provides optimal discrimination between all principal AGN types (from narrow-line Seyfert 1 to radio galaxies). Both optical and radio continuum luminosities appear to be uncorrelated with the E1 parameters. We identify two populations of radio-quiet AGN: Population A sources (with FWHM(Hβ) 4000 km s−1, generally strong FeII emission and a soft X-ray excess) show almost no parameter space overlap with radio-loud sources. Population B shows optical properties...

Phenomenology of Broad Emission Lines in Active Galactic Nuclei

Comparative Analysis of the High- and Low-Ionization Lines in the Broad-Line Region of Active Galactic Nuclei

We present the discovery of strong mid-infrared emission lines of molecular hydrogen of apparently high-velocity dispersion (~870 km s-1) originating from a group-wide shock wave in Stephan's Quintet. These Spitzer Space Telescope observations reveal emission lines of molecular hydrogen and little else. This is the first time an almost pure H2 line spectrum has been seen in an extragalactic object. Along with the absence of PAH-dust features and very low excitation ionized gas tracers, the spectra resemble shocked gas seen in Galactic supernova remnants, but on a vast scale. The molecular emission extends over 24 kpc along the X-ray-emitting shock front, but it has 10 times the surface luminosity as the soft X-rays and about one-third the surface luminosity of the IR continuum. We suggest that the powerful H2 emission is generated by the shock wave caused when a high-velocity intruder galaxy collides with filaments of gas in the galaxy group. Our observations suggest a close connection between galaxy-scale shock waves and strong broad H2 emission lines, like those seen in the spectra of ultraluminous infrared galaxies where high-speed collisions between galaxy disks are common.

/pdf/powerful-high-velocity-dispersion-molecular-hydrogen-3tajmcpmp0.pdf

Powerful High-Velocity Dispersion Molecular Hydrogen Associated with an Intergalactic Shock Wave in Stephan’s Quintet

We investigate the radial velocity difference between the ( OIII)��4959,5007 and Hlines for a sample of � 200 low redshift AGN. We identify seven objects showing an (OIII)�5007 blueshift relative to Hwith am- plitude larger than 250 km s −1 (blue "outliers"). These line shifts are found in sources wh ere the broad high ionization lines (e.g. C IV�1549) also show a large systematic blueshift. Such blueshifts occur only in the pop- ulation A region of the Eigenvector 1 parameter domain (that also contains NLSy1 sources). We suggest that (OIII)��4959,5007 blueshifts are also associated with the high ionization outflow originating in these sources. This is a direct kinematic linkage between narrow and broad line emitting gas. Subject headings: quasars: emission lines - quasars: general - galaxies: acti ve

https://arxiv.org/pdf/astro-ph/0207387.pdf

Kinematic linkage between the broad and narrow line emittin g gas in agn

We present composite UV spectra for low redshift Type 1 AGN binned to exploit the information content of the Eigenvector 1 (E1) parameter space. Composite spectra allow a decomposition of the CIV1549 line profile - one of the strongest high-ionization lines. The simplest CIV decomposition into narrow (NLR), broad (BLR) and very broad (VBLR) components suggests that different components have an analog in Hb with two major exceptions. VBLR emission is seen only in population B (FWHM(Hb)>4000 km/s) sources. A blue shifted/asymmetric BLR component is seen only in pop. A (FWHM(Hb)<4000 km/s) HIL such as CIV. The blueshifted component is thought to arise in a wind or outflow. Our analysis suggests that such a wind can only be produced in pop. A (almost all radio-quiet) sources where the accretion rate is relatively high. Comparison between broad UV lines in radio-loud (RL) and radio-quiet (RQ) sources shows few significant differences. Clear evidence is found for a narrow CIV component in most radio-loud sources. We find also some indirect indications that the black hole (BH) spin, rather than BH mass or accretion rate is a key trigger in determining whether an object will be RL or RQ. We find a ten-fold decrease in EW CIV with Eddington ratio (decreasing from ~1 to \~0.01) while NV shows no change. These trends suggest a luminosity-independent "Baldwin effect" where the physical driver may be the Eddington ratio.

https://arxiv.org/pdf/astro-ph/0408334.pdf

Jack W. Sulentic

Papers

Phenomenology of Broad Emission Lines in Active Galactic Nuclei

Comparative Analysis of the High- and Low-Ionization Lines in the Broad-Line Region of Active Galactic Nuclei

Powerful High-Velocity Dispersion Molecular Hydrogen Associated with an Intergalactic Shock Wave in Stephan’s Quintet

Kinematic linkage between the broad and narrow line emittin g gas in agn

Average UV Quasar Spectra in the Context of Eigenvector 1: A Baldwin Effect Governed by Eddington Ratio?