Hubble Space Telescope Observations of Nearby Type 1 Quasars. I. Characterisation of the Extended [O III] 5007Å Emission

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Main Authors: Falcão, Anna Trindade, Kraemer, S. B., Fischer, T. C., Schmitt, H. R., Feuillet, L., Crenshaw, D. M., Revalski, M., Maksym, W. P., Vestergaard, M., Elvis, M., Gaskell, C. M., Ho, L. C., Netzer, H., Storchi-Bergmann, T., Turner, T. J., Ward, M. J.
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Published: 2024
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author Falcão, Anna Trindade
Kraemer, S. B.
Fischer, T. C.
Schmitt, H. R.
Feuillet, L.
Crenshaw, D. M.
Revalski, M.
Maksym, W. P.
Vestergaard, M.
Elvis, M.
Gaskell, C. M.
Ho, L. C.
Netzer, H.
Storchi-Bergmann, T.
Turner, T. J.
Ward, M. J.
author_facet Falcão, Anna Trindade
Kraemer, S. B.
Fischer, T. C.
Schmitt, H. R.
Feuillet, L.
Crenshaw, D. M.
Revalski, M.
Maksym, W. P.
Vestergaard, M.
Elvis, M.
Gaskell, C. M.
Ho, L. C.
Netzer, H.
Storchi-Bergmann, T.
Turner, T. J.
Ward, M. J.
contents We use the Hubble Space Telescope to analyse the extended [O III] 5007A emission in seven bright radio-quiet type 1 quasars (QSO1s), focusing on the morphology and physical conditions of their extended Narrow-Line Regions (NLRs). We find NLRs extending 3-9 kpc, with four quasars showing roughly symmetrical structures (b/a=1.2-1.5) and three displaying asymmetric NLRs (b/a=2.4-5.6). When included with type 1 and type 2 AGNs from previous studies, the sizes of the extended [O III] regions scale with luminosity as $R[O III] \sim L[O III]^{0.5}$, consistent with photoionisation. However, when analysed separately, type 1s exhibit a steeper slope ($γ=0.57\pm0.05$) compared to type 2 AGNs ($γ=0.48\pm0.02$). We use photoionisation modeling to estimate the maximum NLRs sizes, assuming a minimum ionisation parameter of $\log(U) = -3$, an ionising luminosity based on the $L[O III]$-derived bolometric luminosity, and a minimum gas number density $n_H \sim 100\,\text{cm}^{-3}$, assuming that molecular clouds provide a reservoir for the ionised gas. The derived sizes agree well with direct measurements for a sample of type 2 quasars, but are underestimated for the current sample of QSO1s. A better agreement is obtained for the QSO1s using bolometric luminosities derived from the 5100A continuum luminosity. Radial mass profiles for the QSO1s show significant extended mass in all cases, but with less [O III]-emitting gas near the central AGN compared to QSO2s. This may suggest that the QSO1s are in a later evolutionary stage than QSO2s, further past the blow-out stage.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2410_16053
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Hubble Space Telescope Observations of Nearby Type 1 Quasars. I. Characterisation of the Extended [O III] 5007Å Emission
Falcão, Anna Trindade
Kraemer, S. B.
Fischer, T. C.
Schmitt, H. R.
Feuillet, L.
Crenshaw, D. M.
Revalski, M.
Maksym, W. P.
Vestergaard, M.
Elvis, M.
Gaskell, C. M.
Ho, L. C.
Netzer, H.
Storchi-Bergmann, T.
Turner, T. J.
Ward, M. J.
Astrophysics of Galaxies
We use the Hubble Space Telescope to analyse the extended [O III] 5007A emission in seven bright radio-quiet type 1 quasars (QSO1s), focusing on the morphology and physical conditions of their extended Narrow-Line Regions (NLRs). We find NLRs extending 3-9 kpc, with four quasars showing roughly symmetrical structures (b/a=1.2-1.5) and three displaying asymmetric NLRs (b/a=2.4-5.6). When included with type 1 and type 2 AGNs from previous studies, the sizes of the extended [O III] regions scale with luminosity as $R[O III] \sim L[O III]^{0.5}$, consistent with photoionisation. However, when analysed separately, type 1s exhibit a steeper slope ($γ=0.57\pm0.05$) compared to type 2 AGNs ($γ=0.48\pm0.02$). We use photoionisation modeling to estimate the maximum NLRs sizes, assuming a minimum ionisation parameter of $\log(U) = -3$, an ionising luminosity based on the $L[O III]$-derived bolometric luminosity, and a minimum gas number density $n_H \sim 100\,\text{cm}^{-3}$, assuming that molecular clouds provide a reservoir for the ionised gas. The derived sizes agree well with direct measurements for a sample of type 2 quasars, but are underestimated for the current sample of QSO1s. A better agreement is obtained for the QSO1s using bolometric luminosities derived from the 5100A continuum luminosity. Radial mass profiles for the QSO1s show significant extended mass in all cases, but with less [O III]-emitting gas near the central AGN compared to QSO2s. This may suggest that the QSO1s are in a later evolutionary stage than QSO2s, further past the blow-out stage.
title Hubble Space Telescope Observations of Nearby Type 1 Quasars. I. Characterisation of the Extended [O III] 5007Å Emission
topic Astrophysics of Galaxies
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.16053