J. Clavel

Steps toward determination of the size and structure of the broad-line region in active galactic nuclei. I. An 8 month campaign of monitoring NGC 5548 with IUE

This is an electronic version of an article published in The Astrophysical Journal. Clavel, J. et al. Steps toward determination of the size and structure of the broad-line region in active galactic nuclei. I. An 8 month campaign of monitoring NGC 5548 with IUE. The Astrophysical Journal 366 (1991): 64-81

Multiwavelength Observations of Short-Timescale Variability in NGC 4151. IV. Analysis of Multiwavelength Continuum Variability

For pt.III see ibid., vol.470, no.1, p.349-63 (1996). Combines data from the three preceding papers in order to analyze the multi wave-band variability and spectral energy distribution of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 4151 during the 1993 December monitoring campaign. The source, which was near its peak historical brightness, showed strong, correlated variability at X-ray, ultraviolet, and optical wavelengths. The strongest variations were seen in medium-energy (~1.5 keV) X-rays, with a normalized variability amplitude (NVA) of 24%. Weaker (NVA=6%) variations (uncorrelated with those at lower energies) were seen at soft gamma-ray energies of ~100 keV. No significant variability was seen in softer (0.1-1 keV) X-ray bands. In the ultraviolet/optical regime, the NVA decreased from 9% to 1% as the wavelength increased from 1275 to 6900 Aring. These data do not probe extreme ultraviolet (1200 Aring to 0.1 keV) or hard X-ray (250 keV) variability. The phase differences between variations in different bands were consistent with zero lag, with upper limits of lsim0.15 day between 1275 Aring and the other ultraviolet bands, lsim0.3 day between 1275 Aring and 1.5 keV, and lsim1 day between 1275 and 5125 Aring. These tight limits represent more than an order of magnitude improvement over those determined in previous multi-wave-band AGN monitoring campaigns. The ultraviolet fluctuation power spectra showed no evidence for periodicity, but were instead well fitted with a very steep, red power law (ales-2.5)

Steps toward determination of the size and structure of the broad-line region in active galactic nuclei. IX. Ultraviolet observations of Fairall 9

An 8 month monitoring campaign on the Seyfert 1 galaxy Fairall 9 has been conducted with the International Ultraviolet Explorer in an attempt to obtain reliable estimates of continuum-continuum and continuum-emission-line delays for a high-luminosity active galactic nucleus (AGN). While the results of this campaign are more ambiguous than those of previous monitoring campaigns on lower luminosity sources, we find general agreement with the earlier results: (1) there is no measurable lag between ultraviolet continuum bands, and (2) the measured emission-line time lags are very short. It is especially notable that the Ly? + N V emission-line lag is about 1 order of magnitude smaller than determined from a previous campaign by Clavel, Wamsteker, & Glass (1989) when Fairall 9 was in a more luminous state. In other well-monitored sources, specifically NGC 5548 and NGC 3783, the highest ionization lines are found to respond to continuum variations more rapidly than the lower ionization lines, which suggests a radially ionization-stratified broad-line region. In this case, the results are less certain, since none of the emission-line lags are very well determined. The best-determined emission line lag is Ly? + N V, for which we find that the centroid of the continuum-emission-line cross-correlation function is ?cent ? 14-20 days. We measure a lag ?cent 4 days for He II ?1640; this result is consistent with the ionization-stratification pattern seen in lower luminosity sources, but the relatively large uncertainties in the emission-line lags measured here cannot rule out similar lags for Ly? + N V and He II ?1640 at a high level of significance. We are unable to determine a reliable lag for C IV ?1550, but we note that the profiles of the variable parts of Ly? and C IV ?1550 are not the same, which does not support the hypothesis that the strongest variations in these two lines arise in the same region.

Hot dust on the outskirts of the broad-line region in Fairall 9

The Seyfert galaxy Fairall 9 (F9) has been observed in the far-UV and optical range with the IUE, and at 27 different epochs at J, H, K, and L. The UV continuum underwent dramatic variations, its intensity decreasing by a factor 33 from a maximum in 1978 to a deep minimum in mid-1984. The near-IR and optical fluxes changed by a factor of about three and in the same sense as the UV. The K and L emission are interpreted as thermal radiation from dust lying at about 1 lt-yr from the UV source. The Ly-alpha 1216, C IV 1550, and Mg II 2800 emission-line intensities also vary in the same sense as the UV continuum but with a lag of 155 + or - 45 days. This strongly suggests that the broad-line region (BLR) gas is photoionized and lies inside the dust shell. Strong evidence is presented that the Mg II 2800 line emissivity depends primarily on the density of soft X-ray photons, as postulated in optically thick photoionization models of the BLR. 59 references.

Steps toward determination of the size and structure of the broad-line region in active galactic nuclei. 6: Variability of NGC 3783 from ground-based data

The Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 3783 was intensely monitored in several bands between 1991 December and 1992 August. This paper presents the results from the ground-based observations in the optical and near-IR bands, which complement the data set formed by the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) spectra, discussed elsewhere. Spectroscopic and photometric data from several observatories were combined in order to obtain well-sampled light curves of the continuum and of H(beta). During the campaign the source underwent significant variability. The light curves of the optical continuum and of H(beta) display strong similarities to those obtained with the IUE. The near-IR flux did not vary significantly except for a slight increase at the end of the campaign. The cross-correlation analysis shows that the variations of the optical continuum have a lag of 1 day or less with respect to those of the UV continuum, with an uncertainty of is less than or equal to 4 days. The integrated flux of H(beta) varies with a delay of about 8 days. These results confirm that (1) the continuum variations occur simultaneously or with a very small lag across the entire UV-optical range, as in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 5548; and (2) the emission lines of NGC 3783 respond to ionizing continuum variations with less delay than those of NGC 5548. As observed in NGC 5548, the lag of H(beta) with respect to the continuum is greater than those of the high-ionization lines.

The Variability and Spectrum of NGC 5548 in the Extreme Ultraviolet

We have measured the light curve and spectrum of NGC 5548 obtained with the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) during a period when the galaxy was also intensively monitored with the Hubble Space Telescope, the International Ultraviolet Explorer, and ground-based telescopes. NGC 5548 was observed with EUVE for a total of about 20 days spread over a period of 2 months. The broadband extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light curve showed several factor of 2 variations on 0.5 day timescales and one factor of 4 decrease over 2 days. The normalized variability index was smaller than in the EUVE observation of Mrk 478. Cross-correlation of the EUV light curve with the contemporaneous ultraviolet light curve indicates that the EUV and UV/optical variations are, to within the limitations of these data, simultaneous, although the amplitude in the EUV is twice that in the UV. The shape of the EUVE spectrum is consistent with a gradual steepening from the UV through the soft X-rays. Contrary to reports by others, we do not detect any emission lines in the EUV spectrum that would arise in optically thin spectral models. We believe that the reported line detections were, in fact, due to a low-level fixed pattern in the detector background. Models of the spectrum may be constrained by the time-averaged flux in the broadband detector combined with the weakly constrained spectral shape. A thermal model best describes the EUVE spectrum and its variations.

Reddening, Emission-Line, and Intrinsic Absorption Properties in the Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 Galaxy Arakelian 564*

We use Hubble Space Telescope UV and optical spectra of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxy Ark 564 to investigate its internal reddening and properties of its emission-line and intrinsic UV absorption gas. We find that the extinction curve of Ark 564, derived from a comparison of its UV/optical continuum to that of an unreddened NLS1, lacks a 2200 ? bump and turns up toward the UV at a longer wavelength (4000 ?) than the standard Galactic, LMC, and SMC curves. However, it does not show the extremely steep rise to 1200 ? that characterizes the extinction curve of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 3227. The emission lines and continuum experience the same amount of reddening, indicating the presence of a dust screen that is external to the narrow-line region. Echelle spectra from the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph show intrinsic UV absorption lines due to Ly?, N V, C IV, Si IV, and Si III, centered at a radial velocity of -190 km s-1 (relative to the host galaxy). Photoionization models of the UV absorber indicate that it has a sufficient column (NH = 1.6 ? 1021 cm-2) and is at a sufficient distance from the nucleus (D > 95 pc) to be the source of the dust screen. Thus, Ark 564 contains a dusty lukewarm absorber similar to that seen in NGC 3227.

MULTIWAVELENGTH MONITORING OF THE NARROW-LINE SEYFERT 1 GALAXY ARAKELIAN 564. II. ULTRAVIOLET CONTINUUM AND EMISSION-LINE VARIABILITY

We present results of an intensive 2 month campaign of approximately daily spectrophotometric monitoring of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy (NLS1) Ark 564 with the Hubble Space Telescope. The fractional variability amplitude of the continuum variations between 1365 and 3000 is D6%, about a Ae factor of 3 less than that found in typical Seyfert 1 galaxies over a similar period of time. However, large-amplitude, short timescale —aring behavior is evident, with trough-to-peak —ux changes of about 18% in approximately 3 days. We present evidence for wavelength-dependent continuum time delays, with the variations at 3000 lagging behind those at 1365 by about 1 day. These delays may be Ae Ae interpreted as evidence for a strati—ed continuum reprocessing region, possibly an accretion disk structure. The Ly aj 1216 emission line exhibits —ux variations of about 1% amplitude. These variations lag those at 1365 by days, and combining this with the line width yields a virial black hole mass limit Ae [3 of . We caution that the low-amplitude Ly aj 1216 variations may indicate the bulk of [ 8 ] 106 M _ the emission region is at larger radii. This scenario aUects the veracity of our black hole mass upper limit in an uncertain manner owing to the unknown nature of the gas velocity —eld. Our mass estimate is thus unreliable; however, it is consistent with the independent estimate M D 1 ] 107 of Pounds et al. M _ based on a —uctuation power spectrum analysis of X-ray variability in Ark 564. The black hole mass and 5100 luminosity of Ark 564 are consistent with the hypothesis that, relative to Seyfert 1 galaxies, Ae NLS1s have lower black hole masses and higher accretion rates. Other strong emission lines (e.g., C IV j1549 and He II j1640) are constrained to vary with amplitudes of less than 5%. This low level of emission-line variability is diUerent from most Seyfert 1 galaxies, which characteristically display variations of D10% on similar timescales.

XMM-Newton first-light observations of the Hickson galaxy group 16

This paper presents the XMM-Newton first-light observations of the Hickson-16 compact group of galaxies. Groups are possibly the oldest large-scale structures in the Universe, pre-dating clusters of galaxies, and are highly evolved. This group of small galaxies, at a redshift of 0.0132 (or 80 Mpc) is exceptional in the having the highest concentration of starburst or AGN activity in the nearby Universe. So it is a veritable laboratory for the study of the relationship between galaxy interactions and nuclear activity. Previous optical emission line studies indicated a strong ionising continuum in the galaxies, but its origin, whether from starbursts, or AGN, was unclear. Combined imaging and spectroscopy with the EPIC X-ray CCDs unequivocally reveals a heavily obscured AGN and a separately identified thermal (starburst) plasma, in NGC 835, NGC 833 and NGC 839. NGC 838 shows only starburst thermal emission. Starbursts and AGN can evidently coexist in members of this highly evolved system of merged and merging galaxies, implying a high probability for the formation of AGN as well as starbursts in post-merger galaxies.

The XMM-Newton view of three X-ray weak quasars: Iron emission and strong ionized absorption

We present the analysis of XMM-Newton observations of three X-ray weak quasars: PG 1001+054, PG 1535+547 and PG 2112+059. All objects are absorbed by ionized material showing high column densities, NH = 2.9 × 10 22 cm −2 to NH = 1.9 × 10 23 cm −2 , and ionization parameters, ξ = 147 erg cm s −1 to ξ = 542 erg cm s −1 . The spectra of PG 1535+547 require an additional partial covering by neutral material with a column density of NH ≈ 9 × 10 22 cm −2 at a covering factor of ≈0.96. The spectra of PG 1535+547 show systematic residuals in the energy range from ∼ 4k eV to∼6 keV, which are inconsistent with Kα-fluorescence-emission of neutral or ionized iron under the assumption of a Gaussian line profile. They can be described with a relativistic disk line (Laor) and establish therefore the second X-ray weak quasar with such a spectral characteristic. Our results together with the findings of Brinkmann et al. (2004, A&A, 414, 107) and Piconcelli et al. (2004a, MNRAS, 351, 161), indicate that warm absorbers characterized by high column densities and ionization parameters are typical of X-ray weak quasars. The occurrence of a variable relativistic broad Fe Kα fluorescence line in two out of the five well studied X-ray weak quasars might indicate a second general characteristic of the entire object class. Based on observations obtained with XMM-Newton, an ESA science mission with instruments and contributions directly funded by ESA Member States and NASA.