arXiv subjects

D. Michael Crenshaw

Publications and source records attributed to D. Michael Crenshaw.

44 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv1999

Intrinsic Absorption Lines in the Seyfert 1 Galaxy NGC 5548: UV Echelle Spectra from the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph

We present the first observations of a Seyfert galaxy with the echelle gratings on the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS), which provide high-resolution (R = 40,000) coverage of the intrinsic UV absorption lines in NGC 5548. We confirm the presence of five kinematic components of absorption in Lyman-alpha, C IV, and N V at radial velocities of -160 to -1060 km/s with respect to the emission lines, and find an additional Lyman-alpha$ component near the systemic velocity, which probably arises in the interstellar medium of the host galaxy. Compared to GHRS spectra of the N V and C IV absorption obtained ~2 years earlier, the kinematic components have not changed in radial velocity, but the ionic column densities for two components have decreased. We attribute these variations to changes in the total column of gas, but for one component, we cannot rule out changes in the ionization of the gas. We have calculated photoionization models to match the UV column densities from each of the five components associated with the nucleus. In four of the components, the ionization parameters (U = 0.15 - 0.80) and effective hydrogen column densities (N = 6.0 x 10^18 cm^-2 -- 2.8 x 10^20 cm^-2) cannot produce the O VII and O VIII absorption edges seen in the X-ray warm absorber. The remaining component is more highly ionized (U = 2.4, N = 6.5 x 10^21 cm^-2) and our model matches the previously observed X-ray absorption columns. This component is therefore likely to be responsible for the X-ray warm absorber. It also has the highest outflow velocity and showed the largest variations in column density.

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arXiv1999

Physical Conditions in the Emission Line Gas in the Extremely Low Luminosity Seyfert Nucleus of NGC 4395

We have combined Hubble Space Telescope/Faint Object Spectrograph, ground-based, and Infrared Space Observatory spectra of the nucleus of NGC 4395, the least luminous and nearest known type 1 Seyfert galaxy. The spectra show emission lines from a wide range of ionization states and critical densities. We have generated multicomponent photoionization models of both the broad and narrow emission-line regions (BLR and NLR) to investigate the physical conditions in the emission-line gas and test the proposition that the source of ionization is the non-thermal continuum radiation emitted by the central source. We show that, with a minimum of free parameters, the model predictions match the observed emission-line ratios quite well. The elemental abundances appear to be subsolar, with even greater underabundance of nitrogen.From the size of the BLR predicted by the models, we estimate a central mass of a few x 10^5 solar masses, in reasonable agreement with estimates from the stellar kinematics. Finally, our results suggest that the covering factor of the emission-line gas is close to unity, and that the observed UV to X-ray continuum is absorbed by intervening NLR gas. We argue that high covering factor is responsible for the apparent flattening of the Baldwin relation in low luminosity AGN.

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arXiv1998

Intrinsic Absorption Lines in Seyfert 1 Galaxies. I. Ultraviolet Spectra from the Hubble Space Telescope

We present a study of the intrinsic absorption lines in the ultraviolet spectra of Seyfert 1 galaxies. We find that the fraction of Seyfert 1 galaxies that show absorption associated with their active nuclei is more than one-half (10/17), which is much higher than previous estimates (3 - 10%) . There is a one-to-one correspondence between Seyferts that show intrinsic UV absorption and X-ray ``warm absorbers''. The intrinsic UV absorption is generally characterized by high ionization: C IV and N V are seen in all 10 Seyferts with detected absorption (in addition to Ly-alpha), whereas Si IV is present in only four of these Seyferts, and Mg II absorption is only detected in NGC 4151. The absorption lines are blueshifted (or in a few cases at rest) with respect to the narrow emission lines, indicating that the absorbing gas is undergoing net radial outflow. At high resolution, the absorption often splits into distinct kinematic components that show a wide range in widths (20 - 400 km/s FWHM), indicating macroscopic motions (e.g., radial velocity subcomponents or turbulence) within a component. The strong absorption components have cores that are much deeper than the continuum flux levels, indicating that the regions responsible for these components lie completely outside of the broad emission-line regions. The covering factor of the absorbing gas in the line of sight, relative to the total underlying emission, is C > 0.86, on average. The global covering factor, which is the fraction of emission intercepted by the absorber averaged over all lines of sight, is C > 0.5.

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arXiv1998

Physical Conditions in the Inner Narrow-Line Region of the Seyfert 2 Galaxy NGC 1068

The physical conditions in the inner narrow line region (NLR) of the Seyfert 2 galaxy, NGC 1068, are examined using ultraviolet and optical spectra and photoionization models. The spectra are Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Harchive data obtained with the Faint Object Spectrograph (FOS). We selected spectra of four regions, taken through the 0.3" FOS aperture, covering the full FOS 1200A to 6800A waveband. Each region is approximately 20 pc in extent, and all are within 100 pc of the apparent nucleus of NGC 1068. The spectra show similar emission-line ratios from wide range of ionization states for the most abundant elements. After extensive photoionization modeling, we interpret this result as an indication that each region includes a range of gas densities, which we included in the models as separate components. Supersolar abundances were required for several elements to fit the observed emission line ratios. Dust was included in the models but apparently dust to gas fraction varies within these regions. The low ionization lines in these spectra can be best explained as arising in gas that is partially shielded from the ionizing continuum. Although the predicted line ratios from the photoionization models provide a good fit to the observed ratios, it is apparent that the model predictions of electron temperatures in the ionized gas are too low. We interpret this as an indication of additional collisional heating due to shocks and/or energetic particles associated with the radio jet that traverses the NLR of NGC 1068. The density structure within each region may also be the result of compression by the jet.

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arXiv1997

STIS Near Ultraviolet Time-Tagged Spectra of the Crab Pulsar

We present the spectrum and pulse profile of the Crab Pulsar in the near ultraviolet (1600-3200 Angstroms) observed with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) during the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) second Servicing Mission Orbital Verification (SMOV) period. The two-dimensional Near-Ultraviolet Multi-Anode Microchannel Array (NUV MAMA) was used in time-tag mode with a 2 arcsec by 2 arcsec aperture and the low dispersion grating, G230L, to obtain a cube with axes of slit position, wavelength, and time. The observation-derived pulse profile is consistent with radio measurements, and the pulse profile agrees well with previous NUV broadband measurements by the High Speed Photometer. The pulsar spectrum includes the 2200 A dust absorption feature, plus several interstellar absorption lines. Dereddening the spectrum using the Savage-Mathis model with E(B-V)=0.55+- 0.05 leads to a good fit to a power law with slope of -0.3+-0.2. Spectra of the main pulse, the interpulse, and the individual rising and falling edges are similar to the total spectrum within the limits of photon statistics. The pulse profile is stable across the NUV spectral range. Histogram analysis reveals no evidence for the superpulses seen at radio wavelengths. The interstellar absorption line equivalent widths of Mg I, Mg II and FeII are lower than expected based upon the implied HI column density from E(B-V)=0.5. While several explanations are possible, additional studies will be necessary to narrow the options.

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arXiv1997

Resolving the Intrinsic C IV Absorption in the Seyfert 1 Galaxy NGC 3516

We observed the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 3516 with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope, and obtained UV spectra at a resolution of about 20,000 in the redshifted C IV 1549 region. The intrinsic C IV absorption in the core of the broad emission line is resolved for the first time into four distinct kinematic components, which are all blue-shifted relative to the systemic radial velocity of the host galaxy. Two components are narrow (20 and 30 km/sec FWHM) and at small radial velocities (-90 and -30 km/sec respectively), and could arise from the interstellar medium or halo of the host galaxy. The two broad components are centered at radial velocities of -380 and -150 km/sec, have widths of 130 and 210 km/sec (FWHM) respectively, and most likely arise in outflowing gas near the active nucleus. The cores of the broad C IV absorption components are very close to zero intensity, indicating that the absorption regions are extended enough to completely occult the broad C IV emitting region (which is ~9 light days in extent). The total column density of the C IV absorption is substantially larger than that measured by Kriss et al. (1996a) from contemporaneous HUT spectra, but we agree with their conclusion that the UV absorption is too strong to arise primarily from the X-ray warm absorber region. The GHRS observations separated by six months reveal no appreciable changes in the equivalent widths or radial velocities of any of the absorption components. At present, we know of two Seyfert galaxies, NGC 3516 and NGC 4151, with complex multiple absorption zones that can remain stable in column density and velocity field over time scales of months to years.

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arXiv1997

Evidence for a Physically Compact Narrow-Line Region in the Seyfert 1 Galaxy NGC 5548

We have combined HST/FOS and ground-based spectra of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 to study the narrow emission lines over the 1200 -- 10,000 angstrom region. All of the spectra were obtained when the broad emission line and continuum fluxes were at an historic low level, allowing us to accurately determine the contribution of the narrow-line region (NLR) to the emission lines. We have generated multicomponent photoionization models to investigate the relative strength of the high ionization lines compared to those in Seyfert 2 galaxies, and the weakness of the narrow Mg II 2800 line. We present evidence for a high ionization component of NLR gas that is very close to the nucleus (~1 pc). This component must be optically thin to ionizing radiation at the Lyman edge (tau = 2.5) to avoid producing [O I] and Mg II in a partially ionized zone. The very high ionization lines (N V, [Ne V], [Fe VII], [Fe X]) are stronger than the predictions of our standard model, and we show that this may be due to supersolar abundances and/or a ``blue bump'' in the extreme ultraviolet (although recent observations do not support the latter). An outer component of NLR gas (at only ~70 pc from the continuum source) is needed to produce the low ionization lines. We show that the outer component may contain dust, which further reduces the Mg II flux by depletion and by absorption of the resonance photons after multiple scatterings. We show that the majority of the emission in the NLR of NGC 5548 must arise within about ~70 pc from the nucleus. Thus, the NLR in this Seyfert 1 galaxy is very physically compact, compared to the typical NLR in Seyfert 2 galaxies.

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arXiv1997

Far-UV Absorption Lines in the Remnant of SN 1006

We have obtained a far-ultraviolet spectrum (1150 - 1600 Ang.) of a hot subdwarf star behind the remnant of SN 1006 with the Faint Object Spectrograph (FOS) on the Hubble Space Telescope. The high-quality spectrum is used to test previous identifications of the strong absorption features discovered with the International Ultraviolet Explorer. These features have FWHM = 4000 (+/- 300) km/sec and are not at the rest wavelengths of known interstellar lines, as opposed to the broader (8000 km/sec FWHM) Fe II lines from the remnant centered at zero km/sec in near-UV FOS spectra. We confirm that the broad absorption features are principally due to redshifted Si II, Si III, and Si IV lines, which are centered at a radial velocity of 5100 (+/- 200) km/sec. The Si II 1260.4 profile is asymmetric, with a nearly flat core and sharp red wing, unlike the Si II 1526.7 and Si IV 1393.8, 1402.8 profiles. One possible explanation is additional absorption from another species. Previous work has suggested that S II 1250.6, 1253.8, 1259.5 at a radial velocity of 6000 km/sec is responsible, but this would require a sulfur to silicon abundance ratio that is at least a factor of ten higher than expected. Another possible explanation is that the Si II and Si IV profiles are intrinsically different, but this does not explain the symmetric (albeit weaker) Si II 1526.7 profile.

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