Spectropolarimetry of NGC 3783 and Mrk 509: Evidence for powerful nuclear winds in Seyfert 1 Galaxies

P Lira; M Kishimoto; R W Goosmann; R Campos; D. Axon; M Elvis; A. Lawrence; B. M. Peterson; A  Robinson

doi:10.1093/mnras/stab1751

Spectropolarimetry of NGC 3783 and Mrk 509: Evidence for powerful nuclear winds in Seyfert 1 Galaxies

P Lira^*, M Kishimoto, R W Goosmann, R Campos, D. Axon, M Elvis, A. Lawrence, B. M. Peterson, A Robinson

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We present results from high signal-to-noise optical spectropolarimetric observations of the Seyfert 1 galaxies NGC 3783 and Mrk 509 in the 3500–7000 Å range. We find complex structure in the polarized emission for both objects. In particular, Position Angle (PA) changes across the Balmer lines show a distinctive ‘M’-shaped profile that had not been observed in this detail before, but could represent a common trait in Seyfert 1 galaxies. In fact, while this shape is observed in all Balmer lines in NGC 3783, Mrk 509 transitions into a ‘M’-shaped PA profile for higher transitions lines. We have modeled the observed profiles using the STOKES radiative transfer code and assuming that the scattering region is co-spatial with the BLR and outflowing. The results give compelling new evidence for the presence of nuclear winds in these two Seyfert 1 galaxies.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	579-593
Number of pages	15
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume	507
Issue number	1
Early online date	23 Jun 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab1751
Publication status	Published - 1 Oct 2021

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title = "Spectropolarimetry of NGC 3783 and Mrk 509: Evidence for powerful nuclear winds in Seyfert 1 Galaxies",

abstract = "We present results from high signal-to-noise optical spectropolarimetric observations of the Seyfert 1 galaxies NGC 3783 and Mrk 509 in the 3500–7000 {\AA} range. We find complex structure in the polarized emission for both objects. In particular, Position Angle (PA) changes across the Balmer lines show a distinctive {\textquoteleft}M{\textquoteright}-shaped profile that had not been observed in this detail before, but could represent a common trait in Seyfert 1 galaxies. In fact, while this shape is observed in all Balmer lines in NGC 3783, Mrk 509 transitions into a {\textquoteleft}M{\textquoteright}-shaped PA profile for higher transitions lines. We have modeled the observed profiles using the STOKES radiative transfer code and assuming that the scattering region is co-spatial with the BLR and outflowing. The results give compelling new evidence for the presence of nuclear winds in these two Seyfert 1 galaxies.",

author = "P Lira and M Kishimoto and Goosmann, {R W} and R Campos and D. Axon and M Elvis and A. Lawrence and Peterson, {B. M.} and A Robinson",

year = "2021",

month = oct,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1093/mnras/stab1751",

language = "English",

volume = "507",

pages = "579--593",

journal = "Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ",

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publisher = "Oxford University Press",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Spectropolarimetry of NGC 3783 and Mrk 509: Evidence for powerful nuclear winds in Seyfert 1 Galaxies

AU - Lira, P

AU - Kishimoto, M

AU - Goosmann, R W

AU - Campos, R

AU - Axon, D.

AU - Elvis, M

AU - Lawrence, A.

AU - Peterson, B. M.

AU - Robinson, A

PY - 2021/10/1

Y1 - 2021/10/1

N2 - We present results from high signal-to-noise optical spectropolarimetric observations of the Seyfert 1 galaxies NGC 3783 and Mrk 509 in the 3500–7000 Å range. We find complex structure in the polarized emission for both objects. In particular, Position Angle (PA) changes across the Balmer lines show a distinctive ‘M’-shaped profile that had not been observed in this detail before, but could represent a common trait in Seyfert 1 galaxies. In fact, while this shape is observed in all Balmer lines in NGC 3783, Mrk 509 transitions into a ‘M’-shaped PA profile for higher transitions lines. We have modeled the observed profiles using the STOKES radiative transfer code and assuming that the scattering region is co-spatial with the BLR and outflowing. The results give compelling new evidence for the presence of nuclear winds in these two Seyfert 1 galaxies.

AB - We present results from high signal-to-noise optical spectropolarimetric observations of the Seyfert 1 galaxies NGC 3783 and Mrk 509 in the 3500–7000 Å range. We find complex structure in the polarized emission for both objects. In particular, Position Angle (PA) changes across the Balmer lines show a distinctive ‘M’-shaped profile that had not been observed in this detail before, but could represent a common trait in Seyfert 1 galaxies. In fact, while this shape is observed in all Balmer lines in NGC 3783, Mrk 509 transitions into a ‘M’-shaped PA profile for higher transitions lines. We have modeled the observed profiles using the STOKES radiative transfer code and assuming that the scattering region is co-spatial with the BLR and outflowing. The results give compelling new evidence for the presence of nuclear winds in these two Seyfert 1 galaxies.

U2 - 10.1093/mnras/stab1751

DO - 10.1093/mnras/stab1751

M3 - Article

SN - 0035-8711

VL - 507

SP - 579

EP - 593

JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

IS - 1

ER -

Spectropolarimetry of NGC 3783 and Mrk 509: Evidence for powerful nuclear winds in Seyfert 1 Galaxies

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