EGRET活动星系核的VLBI观测研究

EGRET空间望远镜已检测到66颗高置信度的γ射线活动星系核，这些活动星系核都是射电强的，具有很高的光度，迅速的光学变化，有相当的比例是视超光速源，对γ射线 活动星系核的研究是目前世界上最活跃的前沿课题之一，为了完备EGRET活动是系统核的射电观测图像样本，以便进行更可信的统计研究，对一些缺少射电图像观测的EGRET活动量的核进行了多历元的VLBI和VLA的观测研究，得到了它们的射电结构图像。     

星系磁场的射电观测方法

本文主要介绍星系磁场的观测方法，认为射电连续谱的多波段偏振观测可以很好地描绘出星系磁场的总体特和分布结构。     

由对FRⅡ射电星系的X射线观测试预言射电噪活动星系核的X射线喷流

在早期的文章中，基于耀变体（Blazar)的知识，我们预言了在射电噪活动星系核（AGN）中心10kpc范围内X射线喷流的存在。钱得拉（Chandra)卫星最近对低功率射电星系的X射线观测与我们的预言相一致。在本文中我们研究了kpc尺度喷流中的电子加速，并建议通过对强的FRⅡ射电星系中所预言的X射线喷流的钱得拉卫星的X射线的观测，来研究红的耀变体中的康普顿冷却以及在内部致密喷流和大尺度延伸喷流间环境的不同。以上的研究可以进一步检验我们的关于射电噪活动星系核中kpc尺度X射线喷流的模型。     

X射线选射电噪活动星系核的多波段性质(英文)

基于被ROSAT全天区巡天观测和射电 4.85GHz巡天观测同时探测到的活动星系核的大样本 ,研究了X射线选的射电噪活动星系核的多波段性质 .通过分析该样本中的活动星系核的宽波段能量分布 ,确认了来自射电、光学和X射线波段的辐射光度之间的显著相关性 .这种相关性对于类星体、赛弗特、蝎虎座天体和射电星系是有区别的 .同时 ,探讨了从光学到X射线波段之间的谱指数与红移以及 50 0 0 和 4.85GHz处的单色光度的相关性     

EGRET检测到的γ射线活动星系核的射电图像

研究表明活动星系核的高能γ射线辐射和低频射电辐射有着某些内在的联系。ＥＧＲＥＴ已检测到６６ 颗可信度很高的活动星系核。而这些高能的活动星系核有部分缺少足够的射电图象观测。为研究这些河外剧变源的射电辐射性质及致密结构,并研究活动量系核射电喷流弯曲与高能辐射的内在联系。我们利用国际欧洲ＶＬＢＩ网,英国的ＭＥＲＬＩＮ 和美国的ＶＬＡ对近２０ 颗γ射线活动星系核进行了观测。本文给出部分高能γ射线活动星系核在８ ．５ＧＨｚ的ＶＬＡ 观测图象。     

星系团PKS 0745-191中射电气体与X射线气体的相互作用

利用星系团PKS 0745—191中心区域的Chandra数据,研究了在中心星系的西边且沿着射电结构而分布的一团明亮X射线气体的性质,发现这团气体是低温而高密的;另由射电观测计算发现射电气体在中心星系的西边压强梯度要大于东边,这说明那团 X射线冷气体与射电气体之间存在相互作用．该冷气体可能是由射电浮力泡从中心星系带出;或者是外围冷气体受到了射电气体的支撑及扰动而形成．进一步,假设气体处在压强重力平衡状态,计算了中心区域的X射线气体的体积占有率为b=0．69±0．28,并且讨论了射电气体所包含的相对论性粒子的性质以及射电气体膨胀对冷流的影响．     

X线选射电噪活动星系核的多波段性质

基于被ROSAT全天区巡天观测和射电4．85GHz巡天观测同时探测到的活动星系核的大样本,研究了X射线选的射电噪活动星系核的多波段性质．通过分析该样本中的活动星系核的宽波段能量分布,确认了来自射电、光学和X射线波段的辐射光度之间的显著相关性．这种相关性对于类星体、赛弗特、蝎虎座天体和射电星系是有区别的．同时,探讨了从光学到X射线波段之间的谱指数与红移以及5000A和4．85GHz处的单色光度的相关性．     

星系团的射电研究进展

我们从四个方面综述星系闭的射电研究进展。首先介绍了星系闭中的分立射电源，特别是ｃＤ星系研究的一些最新进展和结果。继而介绍了星系闭中射电晕的分类、目前的观测结果和理论解释。星闭中的磁场主要由射电研究得出，在本文中对此也作了适当的介绍和讨论。最后还简介了在星系闭射观测中发现的ｒｅｌｉｃ射电源。     

活动星系核连续谱辐射

连续谱辐射是研究活动星系核结构主要手段之一，谱型，光变，偏振是表征连续谱性质的最主要内容，活动星系是的最主要特征是几乎覆盖了整个电磁波波段，且有着大幅度和快速时标的光变，主要评述了活动星系核从射电到γ射线的全波段性质，观测对活动星系结构核的物理限制及现存的物理模型和解释，并指出了将来的课题。     

BL Lac天体和FR-I射电星系的统一模型(Ⅰ)

从射电结构的角度评述了BLLac天体和FR-I射电星系的统一模型的最新进展，内容包括射电结构、延展射电光度（Pext）、最大角尺度（LAS）、射电核主导系数（f）的比较以及对相对论聚束的测试。最新的射电观测资料表明XBLs是介于FR-I和RBLs之间的过渡型天体，这为BLLac天体是聚束的FR-I射电星系提供了一个很好的证据。     

黑洞自转和类星体喷流射电辐射的相关性

利用Ｂｌａｎｄｆｏｒｄ－Ｚｎａｊｅｋ过程,得出了黑洞自转与活动星系核射电噪度的关系.在假设ＡＧＮ喷流的射电功率主要来自于所提取的黑洞旋转能量后,根据Ｆａｌｃｋｅ和Ｂｉｅｒ－ｍａｎｎ提出的喷流－吸积盘耦合机制,估算了ＡＧＮ喷流的最大射电辐射功率．通过与ＰＧ类星体样本中强射电源观测结果的比较,进一步证实强射电类星体除了其喷流方向与视向的夹角很小外,其中心的超大质量黑洞很可能是自转很快的旋转黑洞．     

The estimations of four basic parameters for gamma-ray loud blazars

The method used in our previous papers is adopted to estimate four basic pa-rameters (the central black hole mass (M), the boosting factor (or Doppler factor) (δ), the (d)) for 59 γ-ray loud blazars (20 BL Lacertae objects and 39 fiat spectrum radio quasars).The central black hole masses estimated for this sample are in a range of from 107 M⊙to 109 M⊙. In the case of black hole mass, there is no clear difference between BL Lacertae objects and flat spectrum radio quasars, which is consistent with the previous results sug-gesting that the central black hole masses do not play an important role in the evolutionary sequence of blazars.     

Noise characteristics of full-disc helioseismic observations made by resonant scattering spectrometers

We report monitoring observations of 20 high-luminosity active galactic nuclei (AGN), 12 of which are radio-quiet quasars (RQQs). Intranight optical variability (INOV) was detected for 13 of the 20 objects, including 5 RQQs. The variations are distinctly stronger and more frequent for blazars than for the other AGN classes. By combining these data with results obtained earlier in our programme, we have formed an enlarged sample consisting of 9 BL Lacs, 19 RQQs and 11 lobe-dominated radio-loud quasars (RLQs). The moderate level of rapid optical variability found for both RQQs and radio lobe-dominated quasars (LDQs) argues against a direct link between INOV and radio loudness. We supplemented the present observations of 3 BL Lacs with additional data from the literature. In this extended sample of 12 well observed BL Lacs, stronger INOV is found for the EGRET detected subset.     

Evolutionary unification in composite active galactic nuclei

In this paper, we present an evolutionary unification scenario, involving supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and starbursts (SBs) with outflow (OF), that seems capable of explaining most of the observational properties (of at least part) of active galactic nuclei (AGN).
The scenario includes a nuclear/circumnuclear SB closely associated with the AGN where the narrow-line region (NLR), broad-line region (BLR) and broad absorption line (BAL) region are produced in part by the OF process with shells and in compact supernova remnants (cSNRs).
The OF process in BAL quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) with extreme infrared (IR) and Fe  ii emission is studied. In addition, the Fe  ii problem regarding the BLR of AGN is analysed. The correlations between the BAL, IR emission, Fe  ii intensity and the intrinsic properties of the AGN are not clearly understood. We suggest here that the behaviour of the BAL, IR and Fe  ii emission in AGN can be understood within an evolutionary and composite model for AGN.
In our model, strong BAL systems and Fe  ii emission are present (and intense) in young IR objects. Parameters like the BALs, IR emission, Fe  ii /Hβ intensity ratio, Fe  ii equivalent width (EW), broad-line width, [O  iii ]λ5007-Å intensity and width, NLR size, X-ray spectral slope in radio quiet (RQ) AGN plus lobe separation, and lobe to core intensity ratio in radio loud (RL) AGN are proposed to be fundamentally time-dependent variables inside time-scales of the order of 10⁸ yr. Orientation/obscuration effects take the role of a second parameter providing the segregation between Seyfert 1/Seyfert 2 galaxies (Sy1/Sy2) and broad-/narrow-line radio galaxies (BLRG/NLRG).     

The ages of quasar host galaxies

We present the results of fitting deep off-nuclear optical spectra of radio-quiet quasars, radio-loud quasars and radio galaxies at z ≃0.2 with evolutionary synthesis models of galaxy evolution. Our aim was to determine the age of the dynamically dominant stellar populations in the host galaxies of these three classes of powerful active galactic nuclei (AGN). Some of our spectra display residual nuclear contamination at the shortest wavelengths, but the detailed quality of the fits longward of the 4000-Å break provides unequivocal proof, if further proof were needed, that quasars lie in massive galaxies with (at least at z ≃0.2) evolved stellar populations. By fitting a two-component model we have separated the very blue (starburst and/or AGN contamination) from the redder underlying spectral energy distribution, and find that the hosts of all three classes of AGN are dominated by old stars of age 8–14 Gyr. If the blue component is attributed to young stars, we find that, at most, 1 per cent of the visible baryonic mass of these galaxies is involved in star formation activity at the epoch of observation, at least over the region sampled by our spectroscopic observations. These results strongly support the conclusion reached by McLure et al. that the host galaxies of luminous quasars are massive ellipticals which have formed by the epoch of peak quasar activity at z ≃2.5.     

Early results from the Chandra X-ray observatory

We present some early results on AGN from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, highlighting high resolution spectroscopy using the High Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer (HETGS). The quasar PKS 0637–752 was found to have a very bright X-ray jet whose shape is remarkably similar to that of the radio jet on a size scale of 100 kpc, but the X-ray emission is still inexplicably bright. Two BL Lac objects, PKS 2155–304 and Mrk 421, observed with the spectrometer were found to have no strong absorption or emission features. Other radio loud AGN observed with the HETGS show simple power law spectra without obvious features.     

HST imaging of radio galaxies at z=0.2: a comparison with quasar hosts and normal ellipticals

We summarise the results of our recently completed HST R-band study of low-redshift (0.1<z<0.25) FRII radio galaxies along with the host galaxies of quasars of similar redshifts. We find that, like radio galaxies, the hosts of radio-loud quasars and all but the least luminous radio-quiet quasars are massive elliptical galaxies with relatively large scalelengths (≃10 kpc) and luminosities (>2L*). Indeed the quasar hosts are essentially indistinguishable from the radio galaxies in our sample. Apart from the nuclear activity there is little to distinguish the AGN hosts from inactive massive elliptical galaxies.     

Radio constraints on the volume filling factors of AGN winds

The calculation of mass outflow rates of active galactic nuclei (AGN) winds is of great importance in understanding the role that such winds play in AGN-galaxy feedback processes. The mass outflow rates are, however, difficult to estimate since the volume filling factors of the winds are unknown. In this paper, we use constraints imposed by the observed radio emission to obtain upper limits to the volume filling factors of wind components in certain nearby AGN. We do this by predicting the 1.4 GHz radio flux densities emitted by those components, assuming a uniform wind, and then comparing these with the observed flux densities for each AGN at this frequency. We find that the upper limits to the volume filling factors are in the range of  10⁻⁴–0.5  .     

A comparative HST imaging study of the host galaxies of radio-quiet quasars, radio-loud quasars and radio galaxies – I

We present the first results from a major HST WFPC2 imaging study aimed at providing the first statistically meaningful comparison of the morphologies, luminosities, scalelengths and colours of the host galaxies of radio-quiet quasars, radio-loud quasars and radio galaxies. We describe the design of this study and present the images that have been obtained for the first half of our 33-source sample. We find that the hosts of all three classes of luminous AGN are massive elliptical galaxies, with scalelengths ≃10 kpc, and R − K colours consistent with mature stellar populations. Most importantly, this is first unambiguous evidence that, just like radio-loud quasars, essentially all radio-quiet quasars brighter than M _R =−24 reside in massive ellipticals. This result removes the possibility that radio 'loudness' is directly linked to host galaxy morphology, but is however in excellent accord with the black hole/spheroid mass correlation recently highlighted by Magorrian et al. We apply the relations given by Magorrian et al. to infer the expected Eddington luminosity of the putative black hole at the centre of each of the spheroidal host galaxies we have uncovered. Comparison with the actual nuclear R -band luminosities suggests that the black holes in most of these galaxies are radiating at a few per cent of the Eddington luminosity; the brightest host galaxies in our low- z sample are capable of hosting quasars with M _R ≃− 28, comparable to the most luminous quasars at z ≃3. Finally, we discuss our host-derived black hole masses in the context of the radio luminosity:black hole mass correlation recently uncovered for nearby galaxies by Franceschini et al., and consider the resulting implications for the physical origin of radio loudness.     

Optical,UV, and X-ray clues to the nature of narrow-line AGNs

AGNs with narrow Balmer lines show various extreme properties. In particular, rapid X-ray variability, steep X-ray spectra, peculiar optical and UV line ratios, and possibly peculiar line profiles. Since all these phenomena occur together they are likely to be related to one specific underlying physical parameter. I review recent evidence, based on HST imaging of low z quasars, which suggests that the Hβ line width and continuum luminosity of quasars provide a reasonably accurate estimate of the black hole mass. This implies that narrow-line AGN have relatively low black hole masses, and thus high L/L_Edd, as independently suggested based on their steep X-ray spectra. I present additional evidence suggesting that the X-ray variability and the radio loudness are primarily driven by the black hole mass. The high mass inflow rate into the core of narrow-line AGNs may produce a denser and more enriched BLR, a high column radiation pressure driven outflow, and a smaller illumination angle for the NLR, as suggested by the observed emission line properties. Narrow-line AGNs may thus provide important clues for understanding the rich overall phenomenology of AGNs.