We report the results of reverberation mapping of three bright Seyfert galaxies, Mrk 79, NGC 3227, and Mrk 841, from a campaign conducted from 2016 December to 2017 May with the Wyoming Infrared ...Observatory (WIRO) 2.3 m telescope. All three of these targets have shown asymmetric broad Hβ emission lines in the past, although their emission lines were relatively symmetric during our observations. We measured Hβ time lags for all three targets and estimated masses of their black holes-for the first time in the case of Mrk 841. For Mrk 79 and NGC 3227, the data are of sufficient quality to resolve distinct time lags as a function of velocity and to compute two-dimensional velocity-delay maps. Mrk 79 shows smaller time lags for high-velocity gas, but the distribution is not symmetric, and its complex velocity-delay map could result from the combination of both inflowing and outflowing Hβ emitting disks that may be part of a single larger structure. NGC 3227 shows the largest time lags for blueshifted gas, and the two-dimensional velocity-delay map suggests a disk with some inflow. We compare our results with previous work and find evidence for different time lags despite similar luminosities, as well as evolving broad-line region structures.
Abstract
In this third paper of the series reporting on the reverberation mapping campaign of active galactic nuclei with asymmetric H
β
emission-line profiles, we present results for 15 ...Palomar–Green quasars using spectra obtained between the end of 2016–2021 May. This campaign combines long time spans with relatively high cadence. For eight objects, both the time lags obtained from the entire light curves and the measurements from individual observing seasons are provided. Reverberation mapping of nine of our targets has been attempted for the first time, while the results for six others can be compared with previous campaigns. We measure the H
β
time lags over periods of years and estimate their black hole masses. The long duration of the campaign enables us to investigate their broad-line region (BLR) geometry and kinematics for different years by using velocity-resolved lags, which demonstrate signatures of diverse BLR geometry and kinematics. The BLR geometry and kinematics of individual objects are discussed. In this sample, the BLR kinematics of Keplerian/virialized motion and inflow is more common than that of outflow.
ABSTRACT
We report the results of long-term reverberation mapping campaigns of the nearby active galactic nuclei (AGNs) NGC 4151, spanning from 1994 to 2022, based on archived observations of the ...FAST Spectrograph Publicly Archived Programs and our new observations with the 2.3 m telescope at the Wyoming Infrared Observatory. We reduce and calibrate all the spectra in a consistent way, and derive light curves of the broad H β line and 5100 Å continuum. Continuum light curves are also constructed using public archival photometric data to increase sampling cadences. We subtract the host galaxy contamination using Hubble Space Telescope imaging to correct fluxes of the calibrated light curves. Utilizing the long-term archival photometric data, we complete the absolute flux-calibration of the AGN continuum. We find that the H β time delays are correlated with the 5100 Å luminosities as $\tau _{\rm H\beta }\propto L_{5100}^{0.46\pm 0.16}$. This is remarkably consistent with Bentz et al. (2013)’s global size–luminosity relationship of AGNs. Moreover, the data sets for five of the seasons allow us to obtain the velocity-resolved delays of the H β line, showing diverse structures (outflows, inflows, and discs). Combining our results with previous independent measurements, we find the measured dynamics of the H β broad-line region (BLR) are possibly related to the long-term trend of the luminosity. There is also a possible additional ∼1.86 yr time lag between the variation in BLR radius and luminosity. These results suggest that dynamical changes in the BLR may be driven by the effects of radiation pressure.
We report first-time reverberation mapping results for 14 AGNs from the
ongoing Monitoring AGNs with H$\beta$ Asymmetry campaign (MAHA). These results
utilize optical spectra obtained with the Long ...Slit Spectrograph on the Wyoming
Infrared 2.3m Telescope between 2017 November-2023 May. MAHA combines
long-duration monitoring with high cadence. We report results from multiple
observing seasons for 9 of the 14 objects. These results include H$\beta$ time
lags, supermassive black hole masses, and velocity-resolved time lags. The
velocity-resolved lags allow us to investigate the kinematics of the broad-line
region.
We report the results of long-term reverberation mapping (RM) campaigns of the nearby active galactic nuclei (AGN) NGC 4151, spanning from 1994 to 2022, based on archived observations of the FAST ...Spectrograph Publicly Archived Programs and our new observations with the 2.3m telescope at the Wyoming Infrared Observatory. We reduce and calibrate all the spectra in a consistent way, and derive light curves of the broad H\(\beta\) line and 5100\,Å continuum. Continuum light curves are also constructed using public archival photometric data to increase sampling cadences. We subtract the host galaxy contamination using {\it HST} imaging to correct fluxes of the calibrated light curves. Utilizing the long-term archival photometric data, we complete the absolute flux-calibration of the AGN continuum. We find that the H\(\beta\) time delays are correlated with the 5100\,Å luminosities as \(\tau_{\rm H\beta}\propto L_{5100}^{0.46\pm0.16}\). This is remarkably consistent with Bentz et al. (2013)'s global size-luminosity relationship of AGNs. Moreover, the data sets for five of the seasons allow us to obtain the velocity-resolved delays of the H\(\beta\) line, showing diverse structures (outflows, inflows and disks). Combining our results with previous independent measurements, we find the measured dynamics of the H\(\beta\) broad-line region (BLR) are possibly related to the long-term trend of the luminosity. There is also a possible additional \(\sim\)1.86 years time lag between the variation in BLR radius and luminosity. These results suggest that dynamical changes in the BLR may be driven by the effects of radiation pressure.
In this third paper of the series reporting on the reverberation mapping (RM)
campaign of active galactic nuclei with asymmetric H$\beta$ emission-line
profiles, we present results for 15 ...Palomar-Green (PG) quasars using spectra
obtained between the end of 2016 to May 2021. This campaign combines long time
spans with relatively high cadence. For 8 objects, both the time lags obtained
from the entire light curves and the measurements from individual observing
seasons are provided. Reverberation mapping of 9 of our targets has been
attempted for the first time, while the results for 6 others can be compared
with previous campaigns. We measure the H$\beta$ time lags over periods of
years and estimate their black hole masses. The long duration of the campaign
enables us to investigate their broad line region (BLR) geometry and kinematics
for different years by using velocity-resolved lags, which demonstrate
signatures of diverse BLR geometry and kinematics. The BLR geometry and
kinematics of individual objects are discussed. In this sample, the BLR
kinematics of Keplerian/virialized motion and inflow is more common than
outflow.
We report the results of reverberation mapping three bright Seyfert galaxies, Mrk 79, NGC 3227, and Mrk 841, from a campaign conducted from December 2016 to May 2017 with the Wyoming Infrared ...Observatory (WIRO) 2.3-meter telescope. All three of these targets have shown asymmetric broad H\(\beta\) emission lines in the past, although their emission lines were relatively symmetric during our observations. We measured H\beta\ time lags for all three targets and estimated masses of their black holes -- for the first time in the case of Mrk 841. For Mrk 79 and NGC 3227, the data are of sufficient quality to resolve distinct time lags as a function of velocity and to compute two-dimensional velocity-delay maps. Mrk 79 shows smaller time lags for high-velocity gas but the distribution is not symmetric, and its complex velocity-delay map could result from the combination of both inflowing and outflowing H\beta\ emitting disks that may be part of a single larger structure. NGC 3227 shows the largest time lags for blueshifted gas and the two-dimensional velocity-delay map suggests a disk with some inflow. We compare our results with previous work and find evidence for different time lags despite similar luminosities, as well as evolving broad line region structures.
We present the first results from the ongoing, intensive, multi-wavelength monitoring program of the luminous Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 817. While this AGN was, in part, selected for its historically ...unobscured nature, we discovered that the X-ray spectrum is highly absorbed, and there are new blueshifted, broad and narrow UV absorption lines, which suggest that a dust-free, ionized obscurer located at the inner broad line region partially covers the central source. Despite the obscuration, we measure UV and optical continuum reverberation lags consistent with a centrally illuminated Shakura-Sunyaev thin accretion disk, and measure reverberation lags associated with the optical broad line region, as expected. However, in the first 55 days of the campaign, when the obscuration was becoming most extreme, we observe a de-coupling of the UV continuum and the UV broad emission line variability. The correlation recovers in the next 42 days of the campaign, as Mrk 817 enters a less obscured state. The short CIV and Ly alpha lags suggest that the accretion disk extends beyond the UV broad line region.
We report first-time reverberation mapping results for 14 AGNs from the ongoing Monitoring AGNs with H\(\beta\) Asymmetry campaign (MAHA). These results utilize optical spectra obtained with the Long ...Slit Spectrograph on the Wyoming Infrared 2.3m Telescope between 2017 November-2023 May. MAHA combines long-duration monitoring with high cadence. We report results from multiple observing seasons for 9 of the 14 objects. These results include H\(\beta\) time lags, supermassive black hole masses, and velocity-resolved time lags. The velocity-resolved lags allow us to investigate the kinematics of the broad-line region.
In this third paper of the series reporting on the reverberation mapping (RM) campaign of active galactic nuclei with asymmetric H\(\beta\) emission-line profiles, we present results for 15 ...Palomar-Green (PG) quasars using spectra obtained between the end of 2016 to May 2021. This campaign combines long time spans with relatively high cadence. For 8 objects, both the time lags obtained from the entire light curves and the measurements from individual observing seasons are provided. Reverberation mapping of 9 of our targets has been attempted for the first time, while the results for 6 others can be compared with previous campaigns. We measure the H\(\beta\) time lags over periods of years and estimate their black hole masses. The long duration of the campaign enables us to investigate their broad line region (BLR) geometry and kinematics for different years by using velocity-resolved lags, which demonstrate signatures of diverse BLR geometry and kinematics. The BLR geometry and kinematics of individual objects are discussed. In this sample, the BLR kinematics of Keplerian/virialized motion and inflow is more common than outflow.
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