arXiv subjects

Xiao-Bo Dong

Publications and source records attributed to Xiao-Bo Dong.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

A New Sample of $\sim$ 100 Intermediate-mass Black Holes Reaching $z \approx 1$

We present a systematic search for intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) active galactic nuclei (AGNs) at $0.5 < z \lesssim 1$ using DESI DR1 spectroscopy.We identify 98 broad-line IMBH AGNs with black hole masses $M_\mathrm{BH}<10^6$ $M_{\odot}$ through quantitative spectral decomposition and broad-H$β$ selection. This sample spans $M_\mathrm{BH}=10^{5.5}-10^{6.0}$ $M_{\odot}$ and Eddington ratios from 1.2 to 9.0 extending systematic IMBH AGN searches to intermediate redshift. Compared with a consistently selected $z<0.6$ IMBH sample, the $0.5<z<1$ sources reach higher broad-H$β$ luminosities and substantially higher Eddington ratios, indicating more extreme accretion states at earlier cosmic times. They also show broader [O III] profiles and stronger blueshifted wing components, with these kinematic differences persisting after matching in black hole mass and Eddington ratio. These results reveal two distinct signatures of evolution among IMBH AGNs at $z<1$: ability of IMBHs to reach increasingly extreme accretion states toward higher redshift, and systematic changes in their ionized-gas kinematics. The former demonstrates that rapid, including super-Eddington, growth of IMBHs can persist to relatively late cosmic times, while the latter may indicate evolution in the ionized-gas environment and associated outflow activity of actively growing IMBHs. Together, these findings provide new constraints on the evolutionary pathways of IMBHs at $z<1$, and show that seed-mass black holes can continue to undergo rapid growth well after the cosmic dawn.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

A Sample of Active Galactic Nuclei with Intermediate-mass Black Holes Extended to $z \approx$ 0.6

We present a sample of 930 intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with black hole masses of $M_\mathrm{BH} \leqslant 2 \times 10^{6}$ M$_{\odot}$, uniformly selected from the Seventeenth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, based on the detection of broad H$α$ or H$β$ emission lines. Taking advantage of the wide wavelength coverage of BOSS/eBOSS spectroscopy, our sample extends the redshift coverage of low-$z$ IMBH AGNs to $z\leqslant0.57$, significantly improving upon previous studies that where generally limited to $z\leqslant0.35$. This sample encompasses black hole masses from $10^{4.0}$ to $10^{6.3}$ M$_{\odot}$, with Eddington ratios ranging from 0.01 to 1.9. Among the $z>0.3$ subset, 24 sources exhibit detectable broad Mg II $λ\lambda2796,2803$ emission lines, including eight confirmed by independent DESI spectra. A preliminary analysis reveals a marked decline in both the maximum accretion rate ($L/L_\mathrm{Edd}$) and broad H$α$ luminosity with decreasing redshift, possibly reflecting a cosmic evolution of accretion activity at the low-mass end, akin to the ``downsizing'' evolutionary trend seen in high-mass AGNs.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

A Uniformly Selected Sample of Low-mass Black Holes in Seyfert 1 Galaxies. III. Radio sources from the SKA pathfinders and beyond

Occupying the intermediate-mass regime of the accretion--jet parameter space, radio continuum emission from active galactic nuclei with black hole mass M_BH <~ 10^6 Msun (low-mass AGNs) is a valuable probe to the physics of relativistic jets. Yet the number of low-mass AGNs with radio detection is rather limited so far (~ 40 in total). In this work we make two efforts to search for radio counterparts for the largest sample of optically selected low-mass AGNs. First, we collect counterparts from the recent data releases of SKA pathfinders such as LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS). Additionally, we deeply mine in Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters (FIRST), fitting the FIRST images of the optical AGNs with an elaborate procedure optimized to detect faint radio sources. We have obtained 151 radio sources (mainly from the SKA pathfinders), including 102 new reliable sources (S/N >= 5) and 23 new candidates (3.5 <= S/N < 5). The majority of these new sources (119 of 125) have flux densities lower than the threshold of the official FIRST catalog. The new sources have rest-frame 20 cm power (P_20cm) from 1.98 x 10^20 to 1.29 x 10^23 W/Hz. For low-z Seyfert galaxies P_20cm correlates with M_BH intrinsically and positively, yet only marginally with Eddington ratio L/L_EDD. In terms of the logN--logS relation for the expanding Universe, the limiting flux density for the completeness of our LoTSS sources turns out to be 0.45 mJy at 1.4 GHz; i.e., complete to such a flux-density level that is four times deeper than the official FIRST catalog.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

An update of the catalog of radial velocity standard stars from the APOGEE DR17

We present an updated catalog of 46,753 radial velocity (RV) standard stars selected from the APOGEE DR17. These stars cover the Northern and Southern Hemispheres almost evenly, with 62% being red giants and 38% being main-sequence stars. These RV standard stars are stable on a baseline longer than 200 days (54% longer than one year and 10% longer than five years) with a median stability better than 215 m s$^{-1}$. The average observation number of those stars are 5 and each observation is required to have spectral-to-noise-ratio (SNR) greater than 50 and RV measurement error smaller than 500 m s$^{-1}$. Based on the new APOGEE RV standard star catalog, we have checked the RV zero points (RVZPs) for current large-scale stellar spectroscopic surveys including RAVE, LAMOST, GALAH and Gaia. By carefully analysis, we estimate their mean RVZP to be $+0.149$ km s$^{-1}$, $+4.574$ km s$^{-1}$ (for LRS), $-0.031$ km s$^{-1}$ and $+0.014$ km s$^{-1}$, respectively, for the four surveys. In the RAVE, LAMOST (for MRS), GALAH and Gaia surveys, RVZP exhibits systematic trend with stellar parameters (mainly [Fe/H], $T_{\rm{eff}}$, log $g$, $G_{\rm{BP}}-G_{\rm{RP}}$ and $G_{\rm{RVS}}$). The corrections of those small but clear RVZPs are of vital importances for these massive spectroscopic surveys in various studies that require extremely high radial velocity accuracies.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2023

On the origins of extreme velocity stars as revealed by large-scale Galactic surveys

We assemble a large sample of 12,784 high-velocity stars with total velocity $\it{V}_{\rm{GSR}}\ge {\rm 300}$ km s$^{-1}$, selected from RAVE DR5, SDSS DR12, LAMOST DR8, APOGEE DR16, GALAH DR2, and $Gaia$ EDR3. In this sample, 52 are marginally hypervelocity star (HVS) candidates that have $\it{V}_{\rm{GSR}}$ exceeding their local escape velocities within $2σ$ confidence levels, 40 of which are discovered for the first time. All candidates are metal-poor, late-type halo stars, significantly different from the previous identified HVSs, which are largely massive early-type stars, discovered by extreme radial velocity. This finding suggests that our newly identified HVS candidates are ejected by different mechanisms from the previous population. To investigate their origins, for 547 extreme velocity stars with ${V}_{\rm{GSR}}\ge0.8V_{\rm{esc}}$, we reconstruct their backward-integrated trajectories in the Galactic potential. According to the orbital analysis, no candidates are found to be definitely ejected from the Galactic-center (GC), while 8 metal-poor extreme velocity stars are found to have a closest distance to the GC within 1kpc. Intriguingly, 15 extreme velocity stars (including 2 HVS candidates) are found to have experienced close encounters with the Sagittarius dSph, suggesting that they originated from this dSph. This hypothesis is supported by an analysis of the [$α$/Fe]--[Fe/H] diagram. From a preliminary analysis of all the 547 extreme velocity stars, we propose a general picture: Star ejection from Galactic subsystems such as dwarf galaxies and globular clusters can be an important channel to produce extreme velocity stars or even HVSs, particularly the metal-poor late-type halo population.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

How Close Dark Matter Halos and MOND Are to Each Other: Three-Dimensional Tests Based on Gaia DR2

Aiming at discriminating different gravitational potential models of the Milky Way, we perform tests based on the kinematic data powered by the Gaia DR2 astrometry, over a large range of $(R,z)$ locations. Invoking the complete form of Jeans equations that admit three integrals of motion, we use the independent $R$- and $z$-directional equations as two discriminators ($T_R$ and $T_z$). We apply the formula for spatial distributions of radial and vertical velocity dispersions proposed by Binney et al., and successfully extend it to azimuthal components, $σ_θ(R,z)$ and $V_θ(R,z)$; the analytic form avoids the numerical artifacts caused by numerical differentiation in Jeans-equations calculation given the limited spatial resolutions of observations, and more importantly reduces the impact of kinematic substructures in the Galactic disk. It turns out that whereas the current kinematic data are able to reject Moffat's Modified Gravity (let alone the Newtonian baryon-only model), Milgrom's MOND is still not rejected. In fact, both the carefully calibrated fiducial model invoking a spherical dark matter (DM) halo and MOND are equally consistent with the data at almost all spatial locations (except that probably both have respective problems at low-$|z|$ locations), no matter which a tracer population or which a meaningful density profile is used. Because there is no free parameter at all in the quasi-linear MOND model we use, and the baryonic parameters are actually fine-tuned in the DM context, such an effective equivalence is surprising, and might be calling forth a transcending synthesis of the two paradigms.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

Searching for pulsars with phase characteristics

We present a method by using the phase characteristics of radio observation data for pulsar search and candidate identification. The phase characteristics are relations between the pulsar signal and the phase correction in the frequency-domain, and we regard it as a new search diagnostic characteristic. Based on the phase characteristics, a search method is presented: calculating DM (dispersion measure) -- frequency data to select candidate frequencies, and then confirming of candidates by using the broadband characteristics of pulsar signals. Based on this method, we performed a search test on short observation data of M15 and M71, which were observed by Five-hundred-meter Aperture spherical radio Telescope (FAST), and some of the Galactic Plane Pulsar Snapshot survey (GPPS) data. Results show that it can get similar search results to PRESTO (PulsaR Exploration and Search TOolkit) while having a faster processing speed.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2021

Local Active Galactic Nuclei with Large Broad-Hα Variability Reside in Red Galaxies

Inspired by our serendipitous discovery of six AGNs with varying broad-Halpha fluxes over years out of our searching for intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs), we conduct a systematic investigation of changing-look (CL) and large-variability AGNs. We collect all the CL AGNs at z<0.15 and the reverberation mapped AGNs with strongly variable broad Halpha, and perform careful decomposition fittings to both their images and spectra. We find two observational facts: (1) The host galaxies of local CL and large-variability AGNs, mainly being Seyferts, are in the red (gas-poor) tail of the general Seyfert galaxy population. (2) In contrast, there is a significant trend that their more luminous counterparts namely CL and extremely variable quasars (CLQs and EVQs) are different: CLQs are generally in blue galaxies; in terms of the diagram of SFR and M* local CL Seyfert galaxies are located in the green valley, whereas CLQ hosts are in the star-forming main sequence. We propose explanations for those strongly variable Seyferts and quasars, respectively, under the thought that accretion disks broadly depend on nuclear fueling modes. Local large-variability and CL Seyferts are in nuclear famine mode, where cold-gas clumps can be formed stochastically in the fueling flow, and their episodic infall produces sharp peaks in the accretion-rate curve. CLQs and EVQs are in feast fueling mode, which may account for both their preference to blue galaxies and their variability pattern (high-amplitude tail of the continuous distribution). Lastly, we propose a new thinking: to search for IMBHs by optical variability in red galaxies.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

A comprehensive and uniform sample of broad-line active galactic nuclei from the SDSS DR7

A new, complete sample of 14,584 broad-line AGNs at $z<0.35$ is presented, which are uncovered homogeneously from the complete database of galaxies and quasars observed spectroscopically in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Seventh Data Release. The stellar continuum is properly removed for each spectrum with significant host absorption line features, and careful analyses of the emission-line spectra, particularly in the H$\rm α$ and H$\rm β$ wavebands, are carried out. The broad Balmer emission line, particularly, H$\rm α$, is used to indicate the presence of an AGN. The broad H$\rm α$ lines have luminosities in a range of $10^{38.5}$-$10^{44.3}$ erg s$^{-1}$, and line widths (FWHMs) of 500-34,000 km s$^{-1}$. The virial black hole masses, estimated from the broad line measurements, span a range of $10^{5.1}$-$10^{10.3}$ $M_\odot$, and the Eddington ratios vary from $-3.3$ to $1.3$ in logarithmic scale. Other quantities such as multi-wavelength photometric properties and flags denoting peculiar line profiles are also included in this catalog. We describe the construction of this catalog and briefly discuss its properties. The catalog is publicly available online. This homogeneously selected AGN catalog, along with the accurately measured spectral parameters, provide the most updated, largest AGN sample data, which will enable further comprehensive investigations of the properties of the AGN population in the low-redshift universe.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2018

Low-mass Active Galactic Nuclei on the Fundamental Plane of Black Hole Activity

It is widely known that in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and black hole X-ray binaries (BHXBs), there is a tight correlation among their radio luminosity ($L_R$), X-ray luminosity ($L_X$) and BH mass ($\mbh$), the so-called `fundamental plane' (FP) of BH activity. Yet the supporting data are very limited in the $\mbh$ regime between stellar mass (i.e., BHXBs) and 10$^{6.5}$\,\msun\ (namely, the lower bound of supermassive BHs in common AGNs). In this work, we developed a new method to measure the 1.4 GHz flux directly from the images of the VLA FIRST survey, and apply it to the type-1 low-mass AGNs in the \cite{2012ApJ...755..167D} sample. As a result, we obtained 19 new low-mass AGNs for FP research with both \mbh\ estimates ($\mbh \approx 10^{5.5-6.5}$\,\msun), reliable X-ray measurements, and (candidate) radio detections, tripling the number of such candidate sources in the literature.Most (if not all) of the low-mass AGNs follow the standard radio/X-ray correlation and the universal FP relation fitted with the combined dataset of BHXBs and supermassive AGNs by \citet{2009ApJ...706..404G}; the consistency in the radio/X-ray correlation slope among those accretion systems supports the picture that the accretion and ejection (jet) processes are quite similar in all accretion systems of different \mbh. In view of the FP relation, we speculate that the radio loudness $\mathcal{R}$ (i.e., the luminosity ratio of the jet to the accretion disk) of AGNs depends not only on Eddington ratio, but probably also on \mbh.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2018

A Uniformly Selected Sample of Low-Mass Black Holes in Seyfert 1 Galaxies. II. The SDSS DR7 Sample

A new sample of 204 low-mass black holes (LMBHs) in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is presented with black hole masses in the range of (1-20) * 10^5 M_sun. The AGNs are selected from a systematic search among galaxies in the Seventh Data Release (DR 7) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), and careful analyses of their optical spectra and precise measurement of spectral parameters. Combining them with our previous sample selected from the SDSS DR 4 makes it the largest LMBH sample so far, totaling over 500 objects. Some of the statistical properties of the combined LMBH AGN sample are briefly discussed, in the context of exploring the low-mass end of the AGN population. Their X-ray luminosities follow the extension of the previously known correlation with the [O III] luminosity. The effective optical-to-X-ray spectral indices α_OX, albeit with a large scatter, are broadly consistent with the extension of the relation with the near-UV luminosity L_2500Å. Interestingly, a correlation of α_OX with black hole mass is also found in the sense that α_OX is statistically flatter (stronger X-ray relative to optical) for lower black hole mass. Only 26 objects, mostly radio loud, were detected in radio at 20 cm in the FIRST survey, giving a radio loud fraction of 4%. The host galaxies of LMBHs have stellar masses in the range of 10^8.8-10^12.4 M_sun and optical colors typical of Sbc spirals. They are dominated by young stellar populations that seem to have undergone a continuous star formation history.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2017

A Ringed Dwarf LINER 1 Galaxy Hosting an Intermediate-mass Black Hole with Large-scale Rotation-like Hα Emission

We report the discovery of a 20-kpc-sized Hα emission in SDSS J083803.68+540642.0, a ringed dwarf galaxy (M$_V$ = -17.89 mag) hosting an accreting intermediate-mass black hole at z=0.02957. Analysis of the HST images indicates that it is an early-type galaxy with a featureless low-surface brightness disk (μ0 = 20.39 mag arcsec$^{-2}$ in the V band) and a prominent, relatively red bulge (V - I = 2.03, Re = 0.28 kpc or 0."48) that accounts for ~81% of the total light in the I band. A circumgalactic ring of a diameter 16 kpc is also detected, with a disperse shape on its south side. The optical emission lines reveal the nucleus to be a broad-line LINER. Our MMT longslit observation indicates that the kinematics of the extended Hα emission is consistent with a rotational gaseous disk, with a mean blueshifted velocity of 162 km s$^{-1}$ and mean redshifted velocity of 86 km s$^{-1}$ . According to our photoionization calculations, the large-scale Hα emission is unlikely to be powered by the central nucleus or by hot evolved (post-AGB) stars interspersed in the old stellar populations, but by in situ star formation; this is vindicated by the line-ratio diagnostic of the extended emission. We propose that both the ring and large-scale Hα-emitting gas are created by the tidal accretion in a collision-and then merger-with a gas-rich galaxy of a comparable mass.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2016

Dependence of the broad Fe K$α$ line on the physical parameters of AGN

In this paper, the dependence of the broad Fe K$α$ line on the physical parameters of AGN, such as the black hole mass $M_{BH}$, accretion rate (equivalently represented by Eddington ratio $λ_{Edd}$), and optical classification, is investigated by applying the X-ray spectra stacking method to a large sample of AGN which have well measured optical parameters. A broad line feature is detected ($>3σ$) in the stacked spectra of the high $λ_{Edd}$ sub-sample ($\logλ_{Edd}>-0.9$). The profile of the broad line can be well fitted with relativistic broad line model, with the line energy consistent with highly ionized Fe K$α$ line (i.e. Fe xxvi). A model consisting of multiple narrow lines cannot be ruled out, however. We found hints that the Fe K line becomes broader as the $λ_{Edd}$ increases. No broad line feature is shown in the sub-sample of broad-line Seyfert 1 (BLS1) galaxies and in the full sample, while a broad line might be present, though at low significance, in the sub-sample of narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxies. We find no strong dependence of the broad line on black hole masses. Our results indicate that the detection/properties of the broad Fe K$α$ line may strongly depend on $λ_{Edd}$, which can be explained if the ionization state and/or truncation radius of the accretion disc changes with $λ_{Edd}$. The non-detection of the broad line in the BLS1 sub-sample can be explained if the the average EW of the relativistic Fe K$α$ line is weak or/and the fraction of sources with relativistic Fe K$α$ line is small in BLS1 galaxies.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

X-ray spectral and temporal analysis of Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxy Was 61

We present an analysis of spectrum and variability of the bright reddened narrow line Seyfert 1 galaxy Was~61 using 90 ks archival {\it XMM-Newton} data. The X-ray spectrum in 0.2-10 keV can be characterized by an absorbed power-law plus soft excess and an Fe K$α$ emission line. The power-law spectral index remains constant during the flux variation. The absorbing material is mildly ionized, with a column density of 3.2$\times$10$^{21}$ cm$^{-2}$, and does not appear to vary during the period of the X-ray observation. If the same material causes the optical reddening (E(B-V)$\simeq$0.6 mag), it must be located outside the narrow line region with a dust-to-gas ratio similar to the average Galactic value. We detect significant variations of the Fe K$α$ line during the observational period. A broad Fe K$α$ line at $\simeq$6.7 keV with a width of $\sim$0.6 keV is detected in the low flux segment of the first 40 ks exposure, and is absent in the spectra of other segments; a narrow Fe K$α$ emission line $\sim$6.4 keV with a width of $\sim$0.1 keV is observed in the subsequent 20 ks segment, which has a count rate of 35% higher and is in the next day. We believe this is due to the change in geometry and kinematics of the X-ray emitting corona. The temperature and flux of soft X-ray excess appear to correlate with the flux of the hard power-law component. Comptonization of disc photons by a warm and optically thick inner disk is preferred to interpret the soft excess, rather than the ionized reflection.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2015

On the Black Hole Mass---X-ray Excess Variance Scaling Relation for Active Galactic Nuclei in the Low-mass Regime

Recent studies of active galactic nuclei (AGN) found a statistical inverse linear scaling between the X-ray normalized excess variance $σ_{\rm rms}^2$ (variability amplitude) and the black hole mass spanning over $M_{\rm BH}=10^6- 10^9\ M_{\odot}$. Being suggested to have a small scatter, this scaling relation may provide a novel method to estimate the black hole mass of AGN. However, a question arises as to whether this relation can be extended to the low-mass regime below $\sim10^6\ M_{\odot}$. If confirmed, it would provide an efficient tool to search for AGN with low-mass black holes using X-ray variability. This paper presents a study of the X-ray excess variances for a sample of AGN with black hole masses in the range of $10^5- 10^6\ M_{\odot}$ observed with {\it XMM-Newton} and {\it ROSAT}, including data both from the archives and from newly preformed observations. It is found that the relation is no longer a simple extrapolation of the linear scaling; instead, the relation starts to flatten at $\sim10^6\ M_{\odot}$ toward lower masses. Our result is consistent with the recent finding of \citet{L15}. Such a flattening of the $M_{\rm BH}-σ_{\rm rms}^2$ relation is actually expected from the shape of the power spectrum density of AGN, whose break frequency is inversely scaled with the mass of black holes.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2013

Connection Between Mid-Infrared Emission Properties and Narrow Line Region Outflows in Type 1 Active Galactic Nuclei

The location of warm dust producing the Mid-infrared (MIR) emission in Type 1 Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) is complex and not yet fully known. We explore this problem by studying how the MIR covering factor (CF_{MIR} =L_{MIR}/L_{bol}) correlates with the fundamental parameters of AGN accretion process (such as L_{bol}, black hole mass MBH, and Eddington ratio L/LEdd) and the properties of narrow emission lines (as represented by [O III] 5007), using large data sets derived from the Sloan Digital Sky Spectroscopic Survey (SDSS) and the Wide Infrared Sky Survey (WISE). Firstly we find that the luminosity of the [O III] wing component (Lwing) correlates more tightly with the continuum luminosity (L5100) than the luminosity of the line core component (Lcore) does, which is in line with our previous conclusion that the wing component, generally blueshifted, originates from the polar outflows in the inner narrow-line region (NLR). We then find that the MIR CF shows the strongest correlation with Lwing/L_{bol} rather than with Lcore/L_{bol} or the above fundamental AGN parameters, and the correlation becomes stronger as the infrared wavelength increases. We also confirm the anti-correlations of CF_{MIR} with L_{bol} and MBH, and the lack of dependence of CF_{MIR} on the Eddington ratio. These results suggest that a large fraction of the warm dust producing MIR emission in AGNs is likely embedded in polar outflows in the NLR instead of in the torus.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

The Baldwin effect in the narrow emission lines of AGNs

The anti-correlations between the equivalent widths of emission lines and the continuum luminosity in AGNs, known as the Baldwin effect are well established for broad lines, but are less well studied for narrow lines. In this paper we explore the Baldwin effect of narrow emission lines over a wide range of ionization levels and critical densities using a large sample of broad-line, radio-quiet AGNs taken from Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 4. These type1 AGNs span three orders of magnitude in continuum luminosity. We show that most narrow lines show a similar Baldwin effect slope of about -0.2 while the significant deviations of the slopes for [NII] 6583, [OII] 3727, [NeV] 3425, and the narrow component of Ha can be explained by the influence of metallicity, star-formation contamination and possibly by difference in the shape of the UV-optical continuum. The slopes do not show any correlation with either the ionization potential or the critical density. We show that a combination of 50% variations in continuum near 5100A and a log-normal distribution of observed luminosity can naturally reproduce a constant Baldwin effect slope of -0.2 for all narrow lines. The variations of the continuum could be due to variability, intrinsic anisotropic emission, or an inclination effect.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

Rapid Infrared Variability of Three Radio-loud Narrow-line Seyfert 1 Galaxies: A View from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer

Using newly released data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, we report the discovery of rapid infrared variability in three radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLS1s) selected from the 23 sources in the sample of Yuan et al. (2008). J0849+5108 and J0948+0022 clearly show intraday variability, while J1505+0326 has a longer measurable time scale within 180 days. Their variability amplitudes, corrected for measurement errors, are $\sim 0.1-0.2$ mag. The detection of intraday variability restricts the size of the infrared-emitting region to $\sim 10^{-3}$ pc, significantly smaller than the scale of the torus but consistent with the base of a jet. The three variable sources are exceptionally radio-loud, have the highest radio brightness temperature among the whole sample, and all show detected $γ$-ray emission in Fermi/LAT observations. Their spectral energy distributions resemble those of low-energy-peaked blazars, with a synchrotron peak around infrared wavelengths. This result strongly confirms the view that at least some radio-loud NLS1s are blazars with a relativistic jet close to our line of sight. The beamed synchrotron emission from the jet contributes significantly to and probably dominates the spectra in the infrared and even optical bands.

astro-ph.HE↗