The size of the narrow-line-emitting region in the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 from emission-line variability

B. M. Peterson; K. D. Denney; G. De Rosa; C. J. Grier; R. W. Pogge; M. C. Bentz; C. S. Kochanek; M. Vestergaard; E. Kilerci-Eser; E. Dalla Bontà; S. Ciroi

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/779/2/109

The size of the narrow-line-emitting region in the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 from emission-line variability

B. M. Peterson, K. D. Denney, G. De Rosa, C. J. Grier, R. W. Pogge, M. C. Bentz, C. S. Kochanek, M. Vestergaard, E. Kilerci-Eser, E. Dalla Bontà, S. Ciroi

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108 Scopus citations

Abstract

The narrow [O III] λλ4959, 5007 emission-line fluxes in the spectrum of the well-studied Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 are shown to vary with time. From this we show that the narrow-line-emitting region has a radius of only 1-3 pc and is denser (n e 10⁵ cm^-3) than previously supposed. The [O III] line width is consistent with virial motions at this radius given previous determinations of the black hole mass. Since the [O III] emission-line flux is usually assumed to be constant and is therefore used to calibrate spectroscopic monitoring data, the variability has ramifications for the long-term secular variations of continuum and emission-line fluxes, though it has no effect on shorter-term reverberation studies. We present corrected optical continuum and broad Hβ emission-line light curves for the period 1988-2008.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	109
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	779
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/779/2/109
State	Published - Dec 20 2013
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

galaxies: Seyfert
galaxies: active
galaxies: individual (NGC 5548)
galaxies: nuclei
quasars: emission lines

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1088/0004-637X/779/2/109

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Peterson, B. M., Denney, K. D., De Rosa, G., Grier, C. J., Pogge, R. W., Bentz, M. C., Kochanek, C. S., Vestergaard, M., Kilerci-Eser, E., Dalla Bontà, E., & Ciroi, S. (2013). The size of the narrow-line-emitting region in the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 from emission-line variability. Astrophysical Journal, 779(2), Article 109. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/779/2/109

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title = "The size of the narrow-line-emitting region in the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 from emission-line variability",

abstract = "The narrow [O III] λλ4959, 5007 emission-line fluxes in the spectrum of the well-studied Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 are shown to vary with time. From this we show that the narrow-line-emitting region has a radius of only 1-3 pc and is denser (n e 105 cm-3) than previously supposed. The [O III] line width is consistent with virial motions at this radius given previous determinations of the black hole mass. Since the [O III] emission-line flux is usually assumed to be constant and is therefore used to calibrate spectroscopic monitoring data, the variability has ramifications for the long-term secular variations of continuum and emission-line fluxes, though it has no effect on shorter-term reverberation studies. We present corrected optical continuum and broad Hβ emission-line light curves for the period 1988-2008.",

keywords = "galaxies: Seyfert, galaxies: active, galaxies: individual (NGC 5548), galaxies: nuclei, quasars: emission lines",

author = "Peterson, {B. M.} and Denney, {K. D.} and {De Rosa}, G. and Grier, {C. J.} and Pogge, {R. W.} and Bentz, {M. C.} and Kochanek, {C. S.} and M. Vestergaard and E. Kilerci-Eser and {Dalla Bont{\`a}}, E. and S. Ciroi",

year = "2013",

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doi = "10.1088/0004-637X/779/2/109",

language = "English (US)",

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AU - Peterson, B. M.

AU - Denney, K. D.

AU - De Rosa, G.

AU - Grier, C. J.

AU - Pogge, R. W.

AU - Bentz, M. C.

AU - Kochanek, C. S.

AU - Vestergaard, M.

AU - Kilerci-Eser, E.

AU - Dalla Bontà, E.

AU - Ciroi, S.

PY - 2013/12/20

Y1 - 2013/12/20

N2 - The narrow [O III] λλ4959, 5007 emission-line fluxes in the spectrum of the well-studied Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 are shown to vary with time. From this we show that the narrow-line-emitting region has a radius of only 1-3 pc and is denser (n e 105 cm-3) than previously supposed. The [O III] line width is consistent with virial motions at this radius given previous determinations of the black hole mass. Since the [O III] emission-line flux is usually assumed to be constant and is therefore used to calibrate spectroscopic monitoring data, the variability has ramifications for the long-term secular variations of continuum and emission-line fluxes, though it has no effect on shorter-term reverberation studies. We present corrected optical continuum and broad Hβ emission-line light curves for the period 1988-2008.

AB - The narrow [O III] λλ4959, 5007 emission-line fluxes in the spectrum of the well-studied Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 are shown to vary with time. From this we show that the narrow-line-emitting region has a radius of only 1-3 pc and is denser (n e 105 cm-3) than previously supposed. The [O III] line width is consistent with virial motions at this radius given previous determinations of the black hole mass. Since the [O III] emission-line flux is usually assumed to be constant and is therefore used to calibrate spectroscopic monitoring data, the variability has ramifications for the long-term secular variations of continuum and emission-line fluxes, though it has no effect on shorter-term reverberation studies. We present corrected optical continuum and broad Hβ emission-line light curves for the period 1988-2008.

KW - galaxies: Seyfert

KW - galaxies: active

KW - galaxies: individual (NGC 5548)

KW - galaxies: nuclei

KW - quasars: emission lines

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VL - 779

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

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ER -

The size of the narrow-line-emitting region in the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 from emission-line variability

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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Long-term monitoring of NGC 5548

Cite this

The size of the narrow-line-emitting region in the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 from emission-line variability

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Datasets

Long-term monitoring of NGC 5548

Cite this