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arXiv 0704.0547astro-ph
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Spitzer IRS观测的活动星系核中红外精细结构线比:环面消光的证据

Mid-Infrared Fine Structure Line Ratios in Active Galactic Nuclei Observed with Spitzer IRS: Evidence for Extinction by the Torus

R. P. Dudik, J. C. Weingartner, S. Satyapal, J. Fischer, C. C. Dudley, B. O'Halloran

摘要:

本文首次系统地研究了用Spitzer红外光谱仪观测到的41个Ⅰ型和Ⅱ型活动星系核(AGN)中的[NeV](14 μ m/24 μ m)和[SIII](18 μ m/33 μ m)红外线通量比。大多数的星系都检测到[NeV]线的观测[NeV]线通量比符合或低于理论低密度极限,根据计算使用目前可用的碰撞强度和忽略吸收和受激发射。我们发现,2型活动星系核的线通量比低于1型活动星系核,所有线通量比低于低密度极限的星系都是2型活动星系核。我们认为,差分红外消光[NeV]发射区域由于灰尘在模糊的环面是负责的比率低于低密度极限,我们建议,该比率可能是一个示踪剂的环面的倾斜角,我们的视线。因为气体的温度、消光量、吸收和受激发射对谱线比的影响都是未知的,所以我们无法确定与样品中物体的[NeV]谱线通量比相关的电子密度。我们还发现,在我们的样本中,来自星系的[SIII]发射是扩展的,主要起源于恒星形成区。由于来自低电离物质的辐射是扩展的,任何使用从不同大小的狭缝中获得的这些物质的线通量比的分析对大多数附近的星系都是无效的。

英文摘要:

We present the first systematic investigation of the [NeV] (14um/24um) and [SIII] (18um/33um) infrared line flux ratios, traditionally used to estimate the density of the ionized gas, in a sample of 41 Type 1 and Type 2 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) observed with the Infrared Spectrograph on board Spitzer. The majority of galaxies with both [NeV] lines detected have observed [NeV] line flux ratios consistent with or below the theoretical low density limit, based on calculations using currently available collision strengths and ignoring absorption and stimulated emission. We find that Type 2 AGNs have lower line flux ratios than Type 1 AGNs and that all of the galaxies with line flux ratios below the low density limit are Type 2 AGNs. We argue that differential infrared extinction to the [NeV] emitting region due to dust in the obscuring torus is responsible for the ratios below the low density limit and we suggest that the ratio may be a tracer of the inclination angle of the torus to our line of sight. Because the temperature of the gas, the amount of extinction, and the effect of absorption and stimulated emission on the line ratios are all unknown, we are not able to determine the electron densities associated with the [NeV] line flux ratios for the objects in our sample. We also find that the [SIII] emission from the galaxies in our sample is extended and originates primarily in star forming regions. Since the emission from low-ionization species is extended, any analysis using line flux ratios from such species obtained from slits of different sizes is invalid for most nearby galaxies.

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