Spectral optical monitoring of 3C 390.3 in 1995–2007

Abstract

Context. We present a study of the variability of the broad emission-line parameters of 3C390.3, an active galaxy with the doublepeaked emission-line profiles. We give a detailed analysis of the variation in the broad Hα and Hβ emission-line profiles, the ratios, and the Balmer decrement of different line segments. Aims. We explore the disk structure with an investigation of the variability of the broad-line profiles. This is assumed to emit the broad double-peaked Hβ and Hα emission lines in the spectrum of 3C390.3. Methods. We divided the observed spectra into two periods (before and after the outburst in 2002) and separately analyzed the variation in these two periods. First we analyzed the spectral emission-line profiles of the Hα and Hβ lines and measured the peak positions. Then, we divided the lines into several segments and measured the line-segment fluxes. The Balmer decrement variation for the entire Hα and Hβ fluxes and for the line segments was investigated and discussed. Additionally, we modeled the variations in the line parameters with an accretion disk model and compared our modeled line parameter variations with observed ones. Results. We compared the variability in the observed line parameters with the disk model predictions and found that the variation in line profiles and in the line segments corresponds to the emission of a disk-like broad-line region (BLR). But there is probably another additional emission component that contributes to the Hα and Hβ line center. We found that the variation in the line profiles is caused by the variation in the parameters of the disk-like BLR, first of all in the inner (outer) radius, which can well explain the line parameters variations in Period I. The Balmer decrement across the line profile has a bell-like shape and is affected not only by physical processes in the disk, but also by different emitting disk dimension of the Hα and Hβ line. Conclusions. The geometry of the BLR of 3C390.3 seems to be very complex, and inflows/outflows may be present, but evidently the broad-line region with its disk-like geometry is the dominant emitter.

Long-Term Monitoring of the Broad-Line Region Properties in a Selected Sample of AGN

“…We note that the fit is strongly influenced from the one point, the luminous quasar E1821+643, and without that point the relation is consistent with the Bentz et al (2013) result. different. For example, in case of 3C 390.3 it is clear that the BLR is following the accretion disk geometry (Popović et al, 2011), whereas in case of the other double-peak line emitter Arp 102B this is maybe not the case . Also, the Seyfert galaxies NGC 4151 and NGC 5548 could host a binary SMBH with two separate BLR (Bon et al, 2012(Bon et al, , 2016Li et al, 2016), which puts more uncertainty on their mass estimates from reverberation mapping.…”

“…0.42 0.05 ± 0.03 1.6 × 10 8 Shapovalova et al, 2008Shapovalova et al, , 2010bRakić et al, 2017Rakić et al, (1996Rakić et al, -2006 6,110 Shapovalova et al, 2001Shapovalova et al, , 2010aJovanović et al, 2010;Popović et al, 2011Popović et al, (1995Popović et al, -2007 11,900 Shapovalova et al, 2016;Kovačević et al, 2017Kovačević et al, (1990Kovačević et al, -2014 5,610…”

Oscillatory patterns in the light curves of five long-term monitored type 1 active galactic nuclei

“…The topology of correlation map of oscillatory patterns of Arp 102B which we found, can be best explained in the context of the process causing gradual variations which are stable over long monitoring period. In spite of both objects 3C 390.3 and Arp 102B being classified as double-peaked emitters, we have shown that underlying topology of their oscillations mechanisms are quite different, suggesting different physical background (see datailed discussion in Popović et al 2011Popović et al , 2014. Supermassive binary black hole candidates NGC 4151, NGC 5548 and E1821+643.…”

Spectral optical monitoring of a double-peaked emission line AGN Arp 102B

“…These AGNs also often show a variability in the broad emission lines and continuum (see Gezari et al 2007;Flohic & Eracleous 2008;Shapovalova et al 2010;Popović et al 2011;Dietrich et al 2012). The broad-line region (BLR) is close to the central supermassive black hole and may hold fundamental information about the formation and fueling of AGNs.…”