A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä
Spectral analysis of four 'hypervariable' AGN: a microneedle in the haystack?
Tekijät: Bruce A, Lawrence A, MacLeod C, Elvis M, Ward MJ, Collinson JS, Gezari S, Marshall PJ, Lam MC, Kotak R, Inserra C, Polshaw J, Kaiser N, Kudritzki RP, Magnier EA, Waters C
Kustantaja: OXFORD UNIV PRESS
Julkaisuvuosi: 2017
Journal: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Tietokannassa oleva lehden nimi: MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
Lehden akronyymi: MON NOT R ASTRON SOC
Vuosikerta: 467
Numero: 2
Aloitussivu: 1259
Lopetussivu: 1280
Sivujen määrä: 22
ISSN: 0035-8711
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stx168
Rinnakkaistallenteen osoite: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/Publication/38804564
We analyse four extreme active galactic nuclei (AGN) transients to explore the possibility that they are caused by rare, high-amplitude microlensing events. These previously unknown type-I AGN are located in the redshift range 0.6-1.1 and show changes of > 1.5 mag in the g band on a time-scale of similar to years. Multi-epoch optical spectroscopy, from the William Herschel Telescope, shows clear differential variability in the broad line fluxes with respect to the continuum changes and also evolution in the line profiles. In two cases, a simple point-source, point-lens microlensing model provides an excellent match to the long-term variability seen in these objects. For both models, the parameter constraints are consistent with the microlensing being due to an intervening stellar mass object but as yet there is no confirmation of the presence of an intervening galaxy. The models predict a peak amplification of 10.3/13.5 and an Einstein time-scale of 7.5/10.8 yr, respectively. In one case, the data also allow constraints on the size of the C III] emitting region, with some simplifying assumptions, to be similar to 1.0-6.5 light-days and a lower limit on the size of the MgII emitting region to be > 9 light-days (halflight radii). This C III] radius is perhaps surprisingly small. In the remaining two objects, there is spectroscopic evidence for an intervening absorber but the extra structure seen in the light curves requires a more complex lensing scenario to adequately explain.
Ladattava julkaisu This is an electronic reprint of the original article. |  |
