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arXiv 0709.0925astro-ph
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走向活动星系NGC 4258的新距离:II。向心加速度与螺旋结构的研究

Toward a New Distance to the Active Galaxy NGC 4258: II. Centripetal Accelerations and Investigation of Spiral Structure

E. M. L. Humphreys, M. J. Reid, L. J. Greenhill, J. M. Moran, A. L. Argon

摘要:

我们报告了从1994年到2004年对NGC 4258脉泽光谱分量的51个历元的向心加速度测量结果。这是一系列论文中的第二篇,其目标是确定一个新的几何脉泽距离NGC 4258可能精确到~ 3%。我们测量加速度使用一个正式的分析方法,涉及到多个,高斯分量的微波激射光谱的同时分解为所有的时代。分量通过在参考历元处从其质心速度的线性漂移(加速度)在历元之间耦合。对于高速发射,加速度在-0.7到+0.7公里/秒/年的范围内,表明原点在圆盘中线(垂直于黑洞的视线)的13度范围内。VLBI图像中的高速发射投影位置与来自加速度数据的位置的比较提供了脉泽跟踪真实气体动力学的证据。高速发射加速度不支持与磁盘中的螺旋臂相关联的拖尾激波模型。然而,我们发现加强的证据,在高速发射,波长为0.75质量的空间周期性。这支持了活动星系核吸积盘中密度波导致螺旋结构的建议。低速(系统性)排放的加速度在7.7至8.9公里/秒/年的范围内,这与薄的、扭曲的圆盘与视线相切的行星的排放一致。作为多普勒速度的函数的低速发射的加速度的趋势可能与盘的几何形状和取向,或与螺旋结构的存在。

英文摘要:

We report measurements of centripetal accelerations of maser spectral components of NGC 4258 for 51 epochs spanning 1994 to 2004. This is the second paper of a series, in which the goal is determination of a new geometric maser distance to NGC 4258 accurate to possibly ~3%. We measure accelerations using a formal analysis method that involves simultaneous decomposition of maser spectra for all epochs into multiple, Gaussian components. Components are coupled between epochs by linear drifts (accelerations) from their centroid velocities at a reference epoch. For high-velocity emission, accelerations lie in the range -0.7 to +0.7 km/s/yr indicating an origin within 13 degrees of the disk midline (the perpendicular to the line-of-sight to the black hole). Comparison of high-velocity emission projected positions in VLBI images, with those derived from acceleration data, provides evidence that masers trace real gas dynamics. High-velocity emission accelerations do not support a model of trailing shocks associated with spiral arms in the disk. However, we find strengthened evidence for spatial periodicity in high-velocity emission, of wavelength 0.75 mas. This supports suggestions of spiral structure due to density waves in the nuclear accretion disk of an active galaxy. Accelerations of low-velocity (systemic) emission lie in the range 7.7 to 8.9 km/s/yr, consistent with emission originating from a concavity where the thin, warped disk is tangent to the line-of-sight. A trend in accelerations of low-velocity emission as a function of Doppler velocity may be associated with disk geometry and orientation, or with the presence of spiral structure.

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