Journal article
A Common Origin for Quasar Extended Emission-Line Regions and Their Broad-Line Regions
The Astrophysical journal, Vol.664(2), pp.L75-L78
06/20/2007
DOI: 10.1086/520959
Abstract
Astrophys.J. 664L (2007) 75-78 We present a correlation between the presence of luminous extended
emission-line regions (EELRs) and the metallicity of the broad-line regions
(BLRs) of low-redshift quasars. The result is based on ground-based [O III]
5007 narrow-band imaging and Hubble Space Telescope UV spectra of 12 quasars at
0.20 < z < 0.45. Quasars showing luminous EELRs have low-metallicity BLRs (Z <
0.6 Z_Solar), while the remaining quasars show typical metal-rich gas (Z >
Z_Solar). Previous studies have shown that EELRs themselves also have low
metallicities (Z < 0.5 Z_Solar). The correlation between the occurrence of
EELRs and the metallicity of the BLRs, strengthened by the sub-Solar
metallicity in both regions, indicates a common external origin for the gas,
almost certainly from the merger of a gas-rich galaxy. Our results provide the
first direct observational evidence that the gas from a merger can indeed be
driven down to the immediate vicinity (< 1 pc) of the central black hole.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- A Common Origin for Quasar Extended Emission-Line Regions and Their Broad-Line Regions
- Creators
- Hai Fu - University of HawaiiAlan Stockton - University of Hawaii
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Astrophysical journal, Vol.664(2), pp.L75-L78
- DOI
- 10.1086/520959
- ISSN
- 1538-4357
- eISSN
- 1538-4357
- Publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/20/2007
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984199798302771
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