Are Outflows Biasing Single-Epoch CIV Black Hole Mass Estimates?
K. Denney. (2012)cite arxiv:1208.3465Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, submitted to ApJ.
Abstract
We use a combination of reverberation mapping data and single-epoch spectra
of the CIV emission line in a sample of both low and high-redshift active
galactic nuclei (AGNs) to investigate sources of the discrepancies between CIV-
and Hbeta-based single-epoch black hole mass estimates. We find that for all
reverberation mapped sources, there is a component of the line profile that
does not reverberate, and the velocity characteristics of this component vary
from object-to-object. The differing strength and properties of this
non-variable component are responsible for much of the scatter in CIV-based
black hole masses compared to Hbeta masses. The CIV mass bias introduced by
this non-variable component is correlated with the shape of the CIV line,
allowing us to make an empirical correction to the black hole mass estimates.
Using this correction and accounting for other sources of scatter such as poor
data quality and data inhomogeneity reduces the scatter between the CIV and
Hbeta masses in our sample by a factor of ~2, to only ~0.2 dex. We discuss the
possibility that this non-variable CIV component originates in an
orientation-dependent outflow from either the proposed broad line region (BLR)
disk-wind or the intermediate line region (ILR), a high-velocity inner
extension of the narrow line region (NLR).
Description
[1208.3465] Are Outflows Biasing Single-Epoch CIV Black Hole Mass Estimates?
%0 Generic
%1 denney2012outflows
%A Denney, Kelly D.
%D 2012
%K CIV blackhole masses outflows
%T Are Outflows Biasing Single-Epoch CIV Black Hole Mass Estimates?
%U http://arxiv.org/abs/1208.3465
%X We use a combination of reverberation mapping data and single-epoch spectra
of the CIV emission line in a sample of both low and high-redshift active
galactic nuclei (AGNs) to investigate sources of the discrepancies between CIV-
and Hbeta-based single-epoch black hole mass estimates. We find that for all
reverberation mapped sources, there is a component of the line profile that
does not reverberate, and the velocity characteristics of this component vary
from object-to-object. The differing strength and properties of this
non-variable component are responsible for much of the scatter in CIV-based
black hole masses compared to Hbeta masses. The CIV mass bias introduced by
this non-variable component is correlated with the shape of the CIV line,
allowing us to make an empirical correction to the black hole mass estimates.
Using this correction and accounting for other sources of scatter such as poor
data quality and data inhomogeneity reduces the scatter between the CIV and
Hbeta masses in our sample by a factor of ~2, to only ~0.2 dex. We discuss the
possibility that this non-variable CIV component originates in an
orientation-dependent outflow from either the proposed broad line region (BLR)
disk-wind or the intermediate line region (ILR), a high-velocity inner
extension of the narrow line region (NLR).
@misc{denney2012outflows,
abstract = {We use a combination of reverberation mapping data and single-epoch spectra
of the CIV emission line in a sample of both low and high-redshift active
galactic nuclei (AGNs) to investigate sources of the discrepancies between CIV-
and Hbeta-based single-epoch black hole mass estimates. We find that for all
reverberation mapped sources, there is a component of the line profile that
does not reverberate, and the velocity characteristics of this component vary
from object-to-object. The differing strength and properties of this
non-variable component are responsible for much of the scatter in CIV-based
black hole masses compared to Hbeta masses. The CIV mass bias introduced by
this non-variable component is correlated with the shape of the CIV line,
allowing us to make an empirical correction to the black hole mass estimates.
Using this correction and accounting for other sources of scatter such as poor
data quality and data inhomogeneity reduces the scatter between the CIV and
Hbeta masses in our sample by a factor of ~2, to only ~0.2 dex. We discuss the
possibility that this non-variable CIV component originates in an
orientation-dependent outflow from either the proposed broad line region (BLR)
disk-wind or the intermediate line region (ILR), a high-velocity inner
extension of the narrow line region (NLR).},
added-at = {2012-08-20T10:09:15.000+0200},
author = {Denney, Kelly D.},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/28b05cae96c1bf83702496244a9c287ac/miki},
description = {[1208.3465] Are Outflows Biasing Single-Epoch CIV Black Hole Mass Estimates?},
interhash = {9e5f2060af2f64b88c6fa6398b0f7631},
intrahash = {8b05cae96c1bf83702496244a9c287ac},
keywords = {CIV blackhole masses outflows},
note = {cite arxiv:1208.3465Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, submitted to ApJ},
timestamp = {2012-08-20T10:09:15.000+0200},
title = {Are Outflows Biasing Single-Epoch CIV Black Hole Mass Estimates?},
url = {http://arxiv.org/abs/1208.3465},
year = 2012
}