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  • Mrk 1239: a Type-2 Counterpart of Narrow-line Seyfert-1?

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: We present new spectrophotometric and spectropolarimetric observations of Mrk 1239, one of the 8 prototypes that defines type-1 narrow-line Seyfert galaxies (NLS1s). Unlike the other typical NLS1s though, a high degree of polarization ($P\sim$5.6%) and red optical-IR ($g-W_4$ = 12.35) colors suggest that Mrk 1239 is more similar to type-2 active galactic nuclei like NGC 1068. Detailed analysis of spectral energy distribution in the UV-optical-IR yields two components from the nucleus: a direct and transmitted component that is heavily obscured ($E_{B-V} \approx 1.6$), and another indirect and scattered one with mild extinction ($E_{B-V} \sim$ 0.5). Such a two-light-paths scenario is also found in previous reports based on the X-ray data. Comparison of emission lines and the detection of He\,{\footnotesize I}*$\lambda$10830 BAL at [-3000,-1000] km s$^{-1}$ indicates that the obscuring clouds are at physical scale between the sublimation radius and that of the narrow emission line regions. The potential existence of powerful outflows is found as both the obscurer and scatterer are outflowing. Similar to many other type-2s, jet-like structure in the radio band is found in Mrk 1239, perpendicular to the polarization angle, suggesting polar scattering. We argue that Mrk 1239 is very probably a type-2 counterpart of NLS1s. The identification of 1 out of 8 prototype NLS1s as a type-2 counterpart implies that there can be a substantial amount of analogs of Mrk 1239 misidentified as type-1s in the optical band. Properties of these misidentified objects are going to be explored in our future works.

  • B2 0003+38A: a classical flat-spectrum radio quasar hosted by a rotation-dominated galaxy with a peculiar massive outflow

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: We present a detailed analysis of the single-slit optical spectrum of the Flat-Spectrum Radio Quasar (FSRQ) B2 0003+38A, taken by the Echellette Spectrograph and Imager (ESI) on the Keck II telescope. This classical low-redshift FSRQ ($z=0.22911$, as measured from the stellar absorption lines) remains underexplored in its emission lines, though its broad-band continuum properties from radio to X-ray is well-studied. After removing the unresolved quasar nucleus and the starlight from the host galaxy, we obtain a spatially-resolved 2-D spectrum, which clearly shows three components, indicating a rotating disk, an extended emission line region (EELR) and an outflow. The bulk of the EELR, with a characteristic mass $M_{\rm EELR}\sim 10^{7}~\rm M_{\odot}$, and redshifted by $v_{\rm EELR}\approx 120$ km s$^{-1}$ with respect to the quasar systemic velocity, shows a one-sided structure stretching to a projected distance of $r_{\rm EELR}\sim 20$ kpc from the nucleus. The rotation curve of the rotating disk is well consistent with that of a typical galactic disk, suggesting that the FSRQ is hosted by a disk galaxy. This conclusion is in accordance with the facts that strong absorption in the HI 21-cm line was previously observed, and that Na I$\lambda\lambda5891,5897$ and Ca II$\lambda\lambda3934,3969$ doublets are detected in the optical ESI spectrum. B2 0003+38A will become the first FSRQ discovered to be hosted by a gas-rich disk galaxy, if this is confirmed by follow-up deep imaging and/or IFU mapping with high spatial resolution. These observations will also help unravel the origin of the EELR.

  • Feeding the Accretion Disk from the Dusty Torus in a Reddened Quasar

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: We present here a detailed analysis of an unusual absorption line system in the quasar SDSS J122826.79+100532.2. The absorption lines in the system have a common redshifted velocity structure starting from $v\sim0$ and extending to $\sim1,000\ \mathrm{km~s}^{-1}$, and are clearly detected in hydrogen Balmer series up to H$\iota$, in metastable neutral helium triplet, and in optical lines of excited states of single ionized iron. We estimated that the absorber has a density $n_{\mathrm{H}}\approx10^{8.4}\ \mathrm{cm}^{-3}$ and an ionization parameter $U\approx10^{-1.2}$, thereupon located it at $r_{\mathrm{abs}}\approx1.5$ pc from the central supermassive black hole. The inferred distance is remarkably similar to the evaporation radius for dust grains $r_{\mathrm{evap}}\approx1$ pc in the quasar. Thus the absorber may be a probe of an inflow starting from the dusty torus and feeding the accretion disk. Both the featureless continuum and the broad emission lines are heavily reddened with $E(B-V)\approx0.66$, in contrast to the narrow emission lines whose reddening is negligible. The dusty medium could be located in between the broad and narrow emission line regions, and possibly be associated with a 'cold' narrow absorption line system detected in \ion{Ca}{2} and \ion{Na}{1} doublets nearly unshifted from the quasar systemic velocity. SDSS J122826.79+100532.2 might represent such a rare case that both the inflow and the torus could be tracked by absorption lines.

  • Transient radio emission from low-redshift galaxies at z<0.3 revealed by VLASS and FIRST surveys

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: We present the discovery of a sample of 18 low-redshift (z5) in the epoch I (2017-2019) observations of Very Large Array Sky Survey (VLASS). All the 18 galaxies have been detected in the epoch II VLASS observations in 2020-2021, for which the radio flux is found to evolve slowly (by a factor of ~40%) over a period of about three years. 15 galaxies have been observed in the Rapid ASKAP Continuum Survey, and a flat or inverted spectral slope between 888 MHz and 3 GHz is found. Based on the Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectra taken before the radio brightening, 14 out of 18 can be classified to be LINERs or normal galaxies with weak or no nuclear activity. Most galaxies are red and massive, with more than half having central black hole masses above 10^8Msun. We find that only one galaxy in our sample displays optical flare lasting for at least two months, and a long decay in the infrared light curve that can be explained as the dust-heated echo emission of central optical flare, such as a stellar tidal disruption event. We discuss several possibilities for the transient radio emission and conclude that it is likely associated with a new-born radio jet triggered by short sporadic fueling of supermassive black hole. Such a scenario can be tested with further multi-frequency radio observations of these sources through measuring their radio flux variability and spectral evolution.

  • Compact and variable radio emission from an active galaxy with supersoft X-ray emission

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: RX J1301.9+2747 is a unique active galaxy with supersoft X-ray spectrum that lacks significant emission at energies above 2 keV. In addition, it is one of few galaxies displaying quasi-periodic X-ray eruptions that recur on a timescale of 13-20 ks. We present multi-epoch radio observations of RX J1301.9+2747 using GMRT, VLA and VLBA. The VLBA imaging at 1.6 GHz reveals a compact radio emission unresolved at a scale of 5x10^7 K. The radio emission is variable by more than a factor of 2.5 over a few days, based on the data taken from VLA monitoring campaigns. The short-term radio variability suggests that the radio emitting region has a size as small as 8x10^{-4} pc, resulting in an even higher brightness temperature of T_b ~10^{12} K. A similar limit on the source size can be obtained if the observed flux variability is not intrinsic and caused by the interstellar scintillation effect. The overall radio spectrum is steep with a time-averaged spectral index alpha=-0.78+/-0.03 between 0.89 GHz and 14 GHz. These observational properties rule out a thermal or star-formation origin of the radio emission, and appear to be consistent with the scenario of episodic jet ejections driven by magnetohydrodynamic process. Simultaneous radio and X-ray monitoring observations down to a cadence of hours are required to test whether the compact and variable radio emission is correlated with the quasi-periodic X-ray eruptions.

  • A Mid-infrared Study of Superluminous Supernovae

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: We present the mid-infrared (MIR) light curves (LC) of 10 superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) at $z<0.12$ based on WISE data at 3.4 and 4.6 $\mu$m. Three of them, including PS15br, SN 2017ens, and SN 2017err show rebrightening which started at 200--400 days and ended at 600--1000 days, indicating the presence of dust. In four of the left seven SLSNe, dust emission was detected with monochromatic luminosities of $10^7\sim10^8\ L_\odot$ at epochs of 100--500 days based on MIR colors $W1-W2\sim1$. Among the three SLSNe which show rebrightening, we further analysed PS15br and SN 2017ens. We modeled the SEDs at 500--700 days, which gives dust temperatures of 600--1100 K, dust masses of $\gtrsim 10^{-2}\ M_\odot$, and luminosities of $10^8\sim10^9$ $L_\odot$. Considering the time delay and the huge amount of energy released, the emitting dust can hardly be pre-existing dust heated whether collisionally by shocks or radiatively by peak SLSN luminosity or shock emission. Instead, it can be newly formed dust additionally heated by the interaction of circum-stellar medium, indicated by features in their spectra and slowly declining bolometric LCs. The dust masses appear to be ten times greater than those formed in normal core-collapse supernovae at similar epochs. Combining with the analysis of SN 2018bsz by Chen et al. (2022), we suggest that SLSNe have higher dust formation efficiency, although future observations are required to reach a final conclusion.

  • Mid-InfraRed Outbursts in Nearby Galaxies (MIRONG). II. Optical Spectroscopic Follow-up

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: Infrared echo has proven to be an effective means to discover transient accretion events of supermassive black holes (SMBHs), such as tidal disruption events (TDEs) and changing-look active galactic nuclei (AGNs), in dusty circumnuclear environments. To explore the dusty populations of SMBH transient events, we have constructed a large sample of Mid-infrared Outbursts in Nearby Galaxies (MIRONG) and performed multiwavelength observations. Here we present the results of multiepoch spectroscopic follow-up observations of a subsample of 54 objects spanning a time scale of 4 yr. Emission-line variability was detected in 22 of them with either emergence or enhancement of broad Balmer emission lines in comparison with pre-outburst spectra. Coronal lines, HeII{\lambda}4686 and Bowen line NIII{\lambda}4640 appeared in the spectra of nine,seven and two sources, respectively. These results suggest that MIRONG is a mixed bag of different transient sources. We have tentatively classified them into different subclass according to their spectral evolution and light curves. Two sources have been in a steady high broad H{\alpha} flux up to the latest observation and might be turn-on AGNs. Broad lines faded out in the remaining sources, indicating a transient ionizing source ignited by TDE or sporadic gas accretion. Thirty-one sources do not show noticeable spectral change with respect to their pre-outburst spectra. They have a statistically redder MIR color and lower MIR luminosity of the outbursts,which are consistent with heavily obscured events.