arXiv subjects

Xue-Guang Zhang

Publications and source records attributed to Xue-Guang Zhang.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

AT2019aalc: An obscured tidal disruption event candidate in an active galactic nucleus revealed by its first flare?

AT2019aalc is considered a repeating tidal disruption event (TDE) candidate occurring in an active galactic nucleus (AGN). In this paper, we highlight previously unnoticed but intriguing features that include a brief optical dimming prior to the rise of the main flare and a significantly lower post-flare luminosity compared to the pre-flare level. By applying a time-dependent obscured TDE model to AT2019aalc, we successfully reproduce its light curves with the tidal disruption of a $1.122_{-0.176}^{+0.246}\rm M_\odot$ main-sequence star by a $1.862_{-0.259}^{+0.255} \times 10^7{\rm M_\odot}$ supermassive black hole (SMBH). Both the pre-flare dimming and the reduced post-flare luminosity are attributed to obscuration of the intrinsic AGN emission. The total energy of the event derived from our fit is $1.24\times10^{51}$ ergs and about 0.2 ${\rm M_\odot}$ of debris mass is accreted by the SMBH. In addition, the $g-r$ color of the net flare in AT2019aalc exhibits a continuous reddening trend during the first flare, consistent with a gradual increase in $E(B-V)$ predicted by the obscured TDE model. These results suggest that AT2019aalc can be considered a second member of the recently proposed class of obscured TDE candidates hosted in AGNs. } \keywords{galaxies: active-galaxies: nuclei-quasars: supermassive black holes-quasars: individual (AT2019aalc)-transients: tidal disruption events.

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arXiv2026

SDSS J153231.80+420342.7: a triple black hole candidate with a close binary black hole

We report a triple black hole candidate with a close binary black hole (BBH) in the blue quasar SDSS J153231.80+420342.7 (=SDSS J1532) at a redshift of 0.209. It shows double-peaked profiles in all narrow emission lines, which can be a signature of a dual AGN. If the double-peaked features are produced by a dual AGN, the estimated physical separation between the two cores is about 3 kpc. Alternative interpretations to the double-peaked profiles involving rotating disk-like narrow line region (NLR) and AGN-driven outflow models are also discussed for the double-peaked features. Besides, SDSS J1532 shows optical quasi-periodic oscillations (QPO) of about 0.6 yr from the ZTF and CSS light curves, with time duration longer than 14 years, which may indicate a binary black hole with about 1 mpc separation. Two alternative explanations, the disk precession and the jet precession models, are also discussed. The current results cannot completely rule out alternative models for the characteristics of spectrum and light curves. As a candidate for triple black hole with two cores in kpc scale and a close BBH in milli-pc scale in SDSS J1532, it may be going through a critical period in its evolution.

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arXiv2025

Time-Dependent obscuration of a tidal disruption event candidate in the active galactic nucleus CSS100217

CSS100217 is considered a peculiar tidal disruption event (TDE) candidate occurring in an active galactic nucleus (AGN). Unlike typical TDEs, where the post-flare luminosity is equal to that pre-flare, CSS100217 decayed to $\sim$ 0.4 magnitudes fainter than its pre-flare V band level. In this manuscript, we propose an obscured TDE model to explain the light curve of CSS100217. Assuming that the time-dependent obscuration, caused by the TDE unbound stellar debris, or by nuclear clouds moving around the supermassive black hole (SMBH), follows a Weibull distribution, we find that the light curve of CSS100217 can be described by the tidal disruption of a $4.6_{-0.9}^{+0.9}{\rm M_\odot}$ main-sequence star by a $3.3_{-0.3}^{+0.3}\times10^7{\rm M_\odot}$ black hole. The total energy of the event derived from our fit is $7.23\times10^{53}$ ergs and about 1.38 ${\rm M_\odot}$ of debris mass is accreted by the central SMBH. The model indicates that the contribution of the host galaxy to the observed pre-flare optical luminosity is not-significant compared to that of the AGN, which is consistent with the results of the spectral analysis. These results suggest that obscuration may play an important role in explaining the unusual TDE-like variability observed in CSS100217.

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arXiv2024

A central tidal disruption event candidate in high redshift quasar SDSS J000118.70+003314.0

We report a high-redshift ($z=1.404$) tidal disruption event (TDE) candidate in SDSS J000118.70+003314.0 (SDSS J0001), which is a quasar with apparent broad Mg~{\sc ii} emission line. The long-term variability in its nine-year photometric $ugriz$-band light curves, obtained from the SDSS Stripe82 and the PHOTOOBJALL databases, can be described by the conventional TDE model. Our results suggest that the TDE is a main-sequence star with mass of $1.905_{-0.009}^{+0.023}{\rm M_\odot}$ tidally disrupted by a black hole (BH) with mass {$6.5_{-2.6}^{+3.5}\times10^7{\rm M_\odot}$}. The BH mass is about 7.5 times smaller than the virial BH mass derived from the broad Mg~{\sc ii} emission line, which can be explained by non-virial dynamic properties of broad emission lines from TDEs debris. Furthermore, we examine the probability that the event results from intrinsic variability of quasars, which is about $0.009\%$, through applications of the DRW/CAR process. Alternative explanations for the event are also discussed, such as the scenarios of dust obscurations, microlensing and accretion. Our results provide clues to support that TDEs could be detectable in broad line quasars as well as in quiescent galaxies, and to indicate the variability of some active galactic nuclei may be partly attributed to central TDEs.

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arXiv2024

Delayed and fast rising radio flares from an optical and X-ray detected tidal disruption event in the center of a dwarf galaxy

AT2018cqh is a unique tidal disruption event (TDE) candidate discovered in a dwarf galaxy. Both the light curve fitting and galaxy scaling relationships suggest a central black hole mass in the range of 5.9 175 days, a flattening lasting about 544 days, and a phase with another steep rise. The rapid rise in radio flux coupled with the slow decay in the X-ray emission points to a delayed launching of outflow, perhaps due to a transition in the accretion state. However, known accretion models can hardly explain the origins of the secondary radio flare that is rising even more rapidly in comparison with the initial one. If confirmed, AT2018cqh would be a rare TDE in a dwarf galaxy exhibiting optical, X-ray and radio flares. We call for continued multi-frequency radio observations to monitor its spectral and temporal evolution, which may help to reveal new physical processes that are not included in standard TDE models.

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arXiv2022

A possible 250-second X-ray quasi-periodicity in the fast blue optical transient AT2018cow

The fast blue optical transients (FBOTs) are a new population of extragalactic transients of unclear physical origin. A variety of mechanisms have been proposed including failed supernova explosion, shock interaction with a dense medium, young magnetar, accretion onto a compact object, and stellar tidal disruption event, but none is conclusive. Here we report the discovery of a possible X-ray quasi-periodicity signal with a period of $\sim$250 second (at a significance level of 99.76%) in the brightest FBOT AT2018cow through the analysis of XMM-Newton/PN data. The signal is independently detected at the same frequency in the average power density spectrum from data taken from the Swift telescope, with observations covering from 6 to 37 days after the optical discovery, though the significance level is lower (94.26%). This suggests that the QPO frequency may be stable over at least 1.1$\times$ 10$^{4}$ cycles. Assuming the $\sim$250 second QPO to be a scaled-down analogue of that typically seen in stellar mass black holes, a black hole mass of $\sim10^{3}-10^{5}$ solar masses could be inferred. The overall X-ray luminosity evolution could be modeled with the stellar tidal disruption by a black hole of $\sim10^4$ solar masses, providing a viable mechanism to produce AT2018cow. Our findings suggest that other bright FBOTs may also harbor intermediate-mass black holes.

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arXiv2022

SDSS J1058+5443: A blue quasar does not have optical/NUV broad emission lines

In the manuscript, the blue quasar SDSS J105816.19+544310.2 (=SDSS J1058+5443) at redshift 0.479 is reported as so-far the best candidate of true type-2 quasar with disappearance of central BLRs. There are so-far no definite conclusions on the very existence of true type-2 AGN, mainly due to detected optical broad emission lines in high quality spectra of some previously classified candidates of true type-2 AGN. Here, not similar as previous reported candidates for true type-2 AGN among narrow emission-line galaxies with weak AGN activities but strong stellar lights, the definite blue quasar SDSS J1058+5443 can be well confirmed as a true type-2 quasar due to apparent quasar-shape blue continuum emissions but apparent loss of both the optical broad Balmer emission lines and the NUV broad Mg~{\sc ii} emission line. Based on different model functions and F-test statistical technique, after considering blue-shifted optical and UV Fe~{\sc ii} emissions, there are no apparent broad optical Balmer emission lines and/or broad NUV Mg~{\sc ii} line, and the confidence level is smaller than 1sigma to support broad optical and NUV emission lines. Moreover, assumed the Virialization assumption to broad line emission clouds, the re-constructed broad emission lines strongly indicate that the probable intrinsic broad emission lines, if there were, cannot be hidden or overwhelmed in the noises of SDSS spectrum of SDSS J1058+5443. Therefore, SDSS J1058+5443, so-far the best and robust candidate of true type-2 quasar, leads to the further clear conclusion on the very existence of true type-2 AGN.

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arXiv2020

The supermassive black hole masses of reverberation-mapped active galactic nuclei

Using different kinds of velocity tracers derived from the broad H$β$ profile (in the mean or rms spectrum) and the corresponding virial factors $f$, the central supermassive black hole (SMBH) masses ($M_{\rm BH}$) are calculated for a compiled sample of 120 reverberation-mapped (RM) AGNs. For its subsample of RM AGNs with measured stellar velocity dispersion ($σ_{\rm \ast}$), the multivariate linear regression technique is used to calibrate the mean value $f$, as well as the variable FWHM-based $f$. It is found that, whether excluding the pseudo-bulges or not, $M_{\rm BH}$ from the H$β$ line dispersion in the mean spectrum ($σ_{\rm Hβ,mean}$) has the smallest offset rms with respect to the $M_{\rm BH}-σ_{\ast}$ relation. For the total sample excluding SDSS-RM AGNs, with respect to $M_{\rm BH}$ from $σ_{\rm \ast}$ or that from the H$β$ line dispersion in the rms spectrum ($σ_{\rm Hβ,rms}$), it is found that we can obtain $M_{\rm BH}$ from the $σ_{\rm Hβ,mean}$ with the smallest offset rms of 0.38 dex or 0.23 dex, respectively. It implies that, with respect to the H$β$ FWHM, we prefer $σ_{\rm Hβ,mean}$ to calculate $M_{\rm BH}$ from the single-epoch spectrum. Using the FWHM-based $f$, we can improve $M_{\rm BH}$ calculation from FWHM(H$β$) and the mean $f$, with a decreased offset rms from 0.52 dex to 0.39 dex with respect to $M_{\rm BH}$ from $σ_{\rm \ast}$ for the subsample of 36 AGNs with $σ_{\rm \ast}$. The value of 0.39 dex is almost the same as that from $σ_{\rm Hβ,mean}$ and the mean $f$.

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arXiv2017

Properties of Narrow line Seyfert 1 galaxies

Narrow line Seyfert 1 (NLSy1) galaxies constitute a class of active galactic nuclei characterized by the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the H$β$ broad emission line < 2000 km/s and the flux ratio of [O III] to H$β$ < 3. Their properties are not well understood since only a few NLSy1 galaxies were known earlier. We have studied various properties of NLSy1 galaxies using an enlarged sample and compared them with the conventional broad-line Seyfert 1 (BLSy1) galaxies. Both the sample of sources have z $\le$ 0.8 and their optical spectra from SDSS-DR12 that are used to derive various physical parameters have a median signal to noise (S/N) ratio >10 per pixel. Strong correlations between the H$β$ and H$α$ emission lines are found both in the FWHM and flux. The nuclear continuum luminosity is found to be strongly correlated with the luminosity of H$β$, H$α$ and [O III] emission lines. The black hole mass in NLSy1 galaxies is lower compared to their broad line counterparts. Compared to BLSy1 galaxies, NLSy1 galaxies have a stronger FeII emission and a higher Eddington ratio that place them in the extreme upper right corner of the $R_{4570}$ - $ξ_{Edd}$ diagram. The distribution of the radio-loudness parameter (R) in NLSy1 galaxies drops rapidly at R > 10 compared to the BLSy1 galaxies that have powerful radio jets. The soft X-ray photon index in NLSy1 galaxies is on average higher (2.9 $\pm$ 0.9) than BLSy1 galaxies (2.4 $\pm$ 0.8). It is anti-correlated with the H$β$ width but correlated with the Fe II strength. NLSy1 galaxies on average have a lower amplitude of optical variability compared to their broad lines counterparts. These results suggest Eddington ratio as the main parameter that drives optical variability in these sources.

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arXiv2017

A Catalog of Narrow Line Seyfert 1 Galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 12

We present a new catalog of narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLSy1) galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 12 (SDSS DR12). This was obtained by a systematic analysis through modeling of the continuum and emission lines of the spectra of all the 68,859 SDSS DR12 objects that are classified as "QSO" by the SDSS spectroscopic pipeline with z < 0.8 and a median signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) > 2 per pixel. This catalog contains a total of 11,101 objects, which is about 5 times larger than the previously known NLSy1 galaxies. Their monochromatic continuum luminosity at 5100 A is found to be strongly correlated with H-beta, H-alpha, and [O III] emission line luminosities. The optical Fe II strength in NLSy1 galaxies is about two times larger than the broad- line Seyfert 1 (BLSy1) galaxies. About 5% of the catalog sources are detected in the FIRST survey. The Eddington ratio (XEdd) of NLSy1 galaxies has an average of log XEdd of -0.34, much higher than -1.03 found for BLSy1 galaxies. Their black hole masses (MBH) have an average of log MBH of 6.9 Msun, which is less than BLSy1 galaxies, which have an average of log MBH of 8.0 Msun. The MBH of NLSy1 galaxies is found to be correlated with their host galaxy velocity dispersion. Our analysis suggests that geometrical effects playing an important role in defining NLSy1 galaxies and their MBH deficit is perhaps due to their lower inclination compared to BLSy1 galaxies.

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arXiv2011

Evidence for Intermediate BLR of Reverberation-Mapped AGN PG 0052+251

In this manuscript, we study properties of BLR of well-known reverberation-mapped AGN, in order to find reliable evidence for intermediate BLR. We firstly check properties of mapped AGN collected from literature in plane of $\sHb^2/\sHa^2$ vs $\RHa/\RHb$. Commonly, virial BH masses based on observed broad H$α$ and H$β$ should be coincident. However, among the mapped objects, PG0052 and NGC4253 are two apparent outliers in the plane of $\sHb^2/\sHa^2$ vs $\RHa/\RHb$, which indicate BLRs of PG0052 and NGC4253 have some special characters. Then based on the 55 public spectra of PG0052, BLR of PG0052 is been carefully studied in detail. We find that line width ratio of total observed broad H$α$ to total observed broad H$β$ is $\sim$0.7, which is much smaller than theoretical/observational value of $\sim$0.9. Furthermore, flux ratio of total broad H$α$ to total broad H$β$ is about 6.8 (Balmer Decrement), which is not one reasonable value for BLUE quasar PG 0052+251. Moreover, properties of line cores based on PCA technique confirm there is one inner broad component and one seriously obscured intermediate broad component in BLR of PG0052. If the seriously obscured intermediate BLR was accepted, properties of PG0052 in the plane of $\sHb^2/\sHa^2$ vs $\RHa/\RHb$ could be well reproduced, which indicates that the intermediate BLR actually is well appropriate to mapped quasar PG 0052+251. Finally, the large distance between inner component of BLR and intermediate component of BLR based on CCF results rejects the possibility that the intermediate component is probably extended part of inner component of BLR.

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arXiv2011

3C390.3: More Stable Evidence for Origination of Double-Peaked Broad Balmer Lines from Accretion Disk Near Central Black Hole

In this manuscript, the structure of broad emission line regions (BLRs) of well-mapping double-peaked emitter (AGN with broad double-peaked low-ionization emission lines) 3C390.3 is studied. Besides the best fitted results for double-peaked broad optical balmer lines of 3C390.3 by theoretical disk model, we try to find another way to further confirm the origination of double-peaked line from accretion disk. Based on the long-period observed spectra in optical band around 1995 collected from AGN WATCH project, the theoretical disk parameters of disk-like BLRs supposed by elliptical accretion disk model (Eracleous et al. 1995) have been well determined. Through the theoretical disk-like BLRs, characters of observed light-curves of broad double-peaked H$α$ of 3C390.3 can be well reproduced based on the reverberation mapping technique. Thus the accretion disk model is preferred as one better model for BLRs of 3C390.3. Furthermore, we can find that different disk parameters should lead to some different results about size of BLRs of 3C390.3 from the one measured through observational data, which indicates the measured disk parameters are significantly valid for 3C390.3. After that, the precession of theoretical elliptical disk-like BLRs being considered, we can find that the expected line profile in 2000 by theoretical model is consistent with the observed line profile by HST around 2000. Based on the results, we can further believe that the origination of broad double-peaked balmer emission lines of 3C390.3 are from accretion disk around central black hole.

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arXiv2008

Emission line activity in type 2 quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

We have compared the optical emission line ratios of type 2 quasars from Zakamska et al. with standard AGN photoionization model predictions, Seyfert 2s, HII galaxies, and narrow line FRII radio galaxies. Moderate to high ionization narrow line radio galaxies and Seyfert 2s are indistinguishable from type 2 quasars based on their optical line ratios. The standard AGN photoionization models, widely discussed for other type 2 AGNs, can reproduce successfully the loci and trends of type 2 quasars in some of the main diagnostic diagrams. These models are not exempt of problems and the discrepancies with the data are the same encountered for other type 2 AGNs. As for these, realistic models must take into account a range of cloud properties, as widely demonstrated in the literature. We also study the possible impact of stellar photoionization.

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arXiv2008

The Correlation Between Spectral Index And Accretion Rate For AGN

In this paper, we present a correlation between the spectral index distribution (SED) and the dimensionless accretion rate defined as $\dot{m}={L_{bol}/L_{Edd}}$ for AGN. This quantity is used as a substitute of the physical accretion rate. We select 193 AGN with both broad H$α$ and broad H$β$, and with absorption lines near MgI$\lambda5175Å$ from SDSS DR4. We determine the spectral index and dimensionless accretion rate after correcting for both host galaxy contribution and internal reddening effects. A correlation is found between the optical spectral index and the dimensionless accretion rate for AGN, including low luminosity AGN ($L_{Hα}<10^{41}{\rm erg\cdot s^{-1}}$ sometimes called "dwarf AGN" (Ho et al. 1997)). The existence of this correlation provides an independent method to estimate the central BH masses for all types of AGN. We also find that there is a different correlation between the spectral index and the BH masses for normal AGN and low luminosity AGN, which is perhaps due to the different accretion modes in these two types of nuclei. This in turn may lead to the different correlations between BH masses and optical continuum luminosity reported previously (Zhang et al. 2007a), which invalidates the application of the empirical relationship found by Kaspi et al. (2000, 2005) to low luminosity AGN in order to determine their BLR sizes.

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arXiv2007

SDSS J1130+0058 an X-shaped Radio Source With Double-Peaked Low-Ionization Emission Lines: A binary Black Hole System?

In this paper we study the object SDSS J1130+0058 which is the only AGN known to have both double-peaked low-ionization broad emission lines, and also X-shaped radio structures. Emission from an accretion disk can reproduce the double-peaked line profile of broad H$α$, but not the radio structure. Under the accretion disk model, the period of the inner emission line region is about 230 years. Using a new method to subtract the stellar component from the data of the SDSS DR4, we obtain an internal reddening factor which is less than previously found. The implied smaller amount of dust disfavors the backflow model for the X-shaped radio structure. The presence of a Binary Black Hole (BBH) system is the most natural way to explain ${\it both}$ the optical and radio properties of this AGN. Under the assumption of the BBH model, we can estimate the BBH system has a separation of less than 0.04 pc with a period less than 59 years, this may pose some problem to the BLRs sizes, still we conclude that the BBH model is favored on the basis of the present limited information.

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arXiv2007

The sizes of BLRs and BH masses of double-peaked broad low-ionization emission line objects

In this paper, the sizes of the BLRs and BH masses of DouBle-Peaked broad low-ionization emission line emitters (dbp emitters) are compared using different methods: virial BH masses vs BH masses from stellar velocity dispersions, the size of BLRs from the continuum luminosity vs the size of BLRs from the accretion disk model. First, the virial BH masses of dbp emitters estimated by the continumm luminosity and line width of broad H$β$ are about six times (a much larger value, if including another dbp emitters, of which the stellar velocity dispersions are traced by the line widths of narrow emission lines) larger than the BH masses estimated from the relation $M_{BH} - σ$ which is a more accurate relation to estimate BH masses. Second, the sizes of the BLRs of dbp emitters estimated by the empirical relation of $R_{BLR} - L_{5100Å}$ are about three times (a much larger value, if including another dbp emitters, of which the stellar velocity dispersions are traced by the line widths of narrow emission lines) larger than the mean flux-weighted sizes of BLRs of dbp emitters estimated by the accretion disk model. The higher electron density of BLRs of dbp emitters would be the main reason which leads to smaller size of BLRs than the predicted value from the continuum luminosity.

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arXiv2006

The properties of optical FeII emission lines of AGN with double-peaked broad emission lines

We study the FeII properties of double-peaked broad low-ionization emission line AGN (dbp emitters) using a sample of 27 dbp emitters from SDSS (DR4), with mean value $σ_{Hα_{B}}\sim3002\pm139{\rm km\cdot s^{-1}}$. Our first result is that the line spectra in the wavelength range from 4100$Å$ to 5800$Å$ can be best fitted by an elliptical accretion disk model, assuming the same double-peaked line profiles for H$β$, FeII, H$γ$ and HeII$\lambda4686Å$ as that of double-peaked broad H$α$ for all the 27 dbp emitters, except the object SDSS J2125-0813 which we have discussed in a previous paper. The best fitted results indicate that the optical FeII emission lines of dbp emitters originate from the same region in the accretion disk where the double-peaked Balmer emission lines originate. Some correlations between FeII emission lines and the other broad emission lines for normal AGN can be confirmed for dbp emitters. However, these results should be taken with caution due to the small number of objects and the bias in selecting strong FeII emitters. We show that for dbp emitters, BH masses seems to have more influence on FeII properties than dimensionless accretion rate. We also find that the dbp emitters in the sample are all radio quiet quasars except one dbp emitter with $R_r> 1$ according to the definition by Ivezi$\rm{\acute{c}}$ et al. (2002) and 6 objects undiscovered by FIRST.

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arXiv2004

Hybrid nature of 0846+51W1: a BL Lac object with a narrow line Seyfert 1 nucleus

We have found a NLS1 nucleus in the extensively studied eruptive BL Lac, 0846+51W1, out of a large sample of NLS1 compiled from the spectroscopic dataset of SDSS DR1. Its optical spectrum can be well decomposed into three components, a power law component from the relativistic jet, a stellar component from the host galaxy, and a component from a typical NLS1 nucleus. The emission line properties of 0846+51W1, FWHM(Hbeta) ~ 1710 km s^-1 and [OIII]5007/Hbeta ~ 0.32 when it was in faint state, fulfil the conventional definition of NLS1. Strong FeII emission is detected in the SDSS spectrum, which is also typical of NLS1s. We try to estimate its central black hole mass using various techniques and find that 0846+51W1 is very likely emitting at a few times 10% L_Edd. We speculate that Seyfert-like nuclei, including NLS1s, might be concealed in a significant fraction of BL Lacs but have not been sufficiently explored due to the fact that, by definition, the optical-UV continuum of such kind of objects are often overwhelmed by the synchrotron emission.

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