Stellar Velocity Field in the Central Region of NGC 1068

We present the velocity field of the stars in the central 25″ × 22″ of NGC 1068 derived from 2-D spectroscopy of the Ca II triplet. A preliminary analysis provides evidence for two distinct stellar systems in the centre of NGC 1068. In the outer regions (say r > 10″), the mean stellar velocity field seems coupled to those of the ionized and molecular gas, indicating aproximately regular rotation with the kinematic minor axis at PA ~ 0°. However, in the inner region, the stars are rotating, whereas the ionized gas is outflowing in the NE-SW direction probably due to the effects of the nuclear activity, and the molecular gas is responding to the bar potential. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Dynamics of the Nuclear Outflow in NGC 1068

A short survey is presented of dynamical (and thermodynamical) issues relevant to outflows in Seyfert galaxies like NGC 1068. Numerical simulations incorporating both realistic radiative heating and cooling, and angular momentum, show that the fraction of injected gas which escapes in a wind is very sensitive to both the injection pressure and the gas's angular momentum. Radiation pressure acting through a variety of atomic opacity processes may also be important. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Ringberg Standards for NGC 1068

At the end of three days' spirited discussion of the type 2 Seyfert galaxy NGC 1068, what do we think we understand about this object? New observations -- particularly in the infrared and radio -- are helping to resolve old problems, while drawing attention to new ones. It appears that NGC 1068 is a relatively normal spiral galaxy in which large-scale gravitational disturbances are funneling matter into the nucleus. A collimated outflow disturbs the interstellar medium out to kiloparsec scales, but the nucleus itself is hidden behind an opaque screen. Radio observations have now pierced the screen, and suggest that at the center of it all, a 10-20 million solar mass black hole is accreting at close to its Eddington limit.     

The X-ray Emission of NGC 1068

This paper summarises the X-ray properties of NGC 1068 from the observers perspective and reports new observations with the ROSAT HRI. Below ? 2 keV, the spectrum is steep and probably represents thermal emission from gas with temperature kT ? 0.1 - 0.6 keV. Above ? 2 keV, the spectrum is much flatter and may be described by a power-law with energy index α ? 0.3. Images with the ROSAT HRI reveal that about half the X-ray flux in the 0.1 - 2.4 keV band is extended on scales > 5″ (360 pc). Recent ROSAT PSPC observations of starburst galaxies show integrated soft X-ray spectra which are very similar to that of NGC 1068 below 2 keV. The spatially extended, steep, soft X-ray emission of NGC 1068 probably originates through thermal emission from a hot wind driven by the disk starburst, the Seyfert nucleus or a combination of the two. On the other hand, the hard emission above 2 keV is almost certainly dominated by the Seyfert nucleus.     

ISO-SWS Observations of NGC 1068

We present a first analysis of 2.4-45μm spectra of NGC 1068 obtained with the Short Wavelength Spectrometer SWS on board the Infrared Space Observatory ISO. The measured fine-structure line fluxes can be fit successfully by a simple photoionization model invoking an EUV bump in the ionizing continuum, similar to the case of the Circinus galaxy. Difference are observed between the [OIV] 26μm NLR line profile and optical NLR line profiles which may indicate significant extinction to part of the NLR. We detect pure rotational transitions of molecular hydrogen that must be emitted by molecular gas spanning a wide range of temperatures. The unusual strength of the fundamental S(0) 28μm rotational transition is evidence for a large (> 1.5 × 109 M⊙) gas mass at temperatures nea r 100 K. Either most of the gas in the circumnuclear region of NGC 1068 is warm or previous molecular mass estimates based on CO observations were too low. Strong mid-infrared continuum from the circumnuclear warm dust is prominent in our spectrum. The weak PAH emission detected at the edges of the 9.7μm silicate absorption should be considered in interpretations of the silicate feature. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Evidence for Absorption in NGC 1068

We present evidence that interstellar absorption is responsible for producing much of the complex morphology seen in the inner few arcseconds of NGC 1068. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

HI Observations of NGC 1068

Neutral hydrogen is an important tracer of galactic dynamics. Hence, observations of the detailed structure and kinematics of HI are vital in order to determine the relationship between AGN and their host galaxy. We describe high resolution VLA emission line observations of NGC 1068 at about 600 pc linear resolution and 5.2 km s-1 velocity resolution. We present the HI morphology of this Seyfert galaxy and discuss its peculiar rotation curve and speculate how its shape might be related to the Seyfert activity. Related to this, we will highlight the pronounced HI ring within which the tightly wound CO spiral arms are found, and discuss the high, up to 55 km s-1, velocity dispersions which are found there. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The optical variability of the Seyfert galaxies NGC 4051 and NGC 1068

The optical (BV) monitoring data for the Seyfert galaxies NGC 4051 and NGC 1068 are presented in this paper. NGC 4051 showed a variation of 0.43 mag in 21 minutes in B band from its bright nucleus, and the nucleus of NGC 1068 exhibited a variability of 0.46 mag in B band in a timescale of 1.8 hours. These results argued that the optical emission from the nuclei of the two Seyfert galaxies could be dominated by the nonthermal radiation. The data in this paper, however, are only marginal evidence on the rapid optical variability of these two Seyferts, and further monitoring is needed to confirm this type of variability.     

Variability in the Nucleus of NGC 1068

The near-infrared output of the nucleus of NGC 1068 increased by a factor of two over the 18 years between 1976 and 1994 and has recently started to decline. It is not clear whether this event has been the response of an extended dusty region to a single outburst in the central engine or is the result of a continuous change in its XUV output. The integrated energy of the event amounts to well over 1052 erg and thus cannot be due to a single supernova. The variable part of the infrared flux from NGC 1068, observed through an aperture of constant diameter, is found to have a constant spectral shape. Comparison with similar data from other Seyfert galaxies shows that the variable infrared component in NGC 1068 is reddened by about 20 mag in Av if the emission mechanism is similar in all cases. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Clumpy Structure and Polarization in NGC 1068

The polarization map from the HST archival data of the imaging polarimetry for NGC 1068 is analyzed. In the HST images, the central few arcsecond region seems to consist of several clumps, and if we extract the polarization of the clumps separately, the viewing angle of each clump can be determined. This enables us to have a three-dimensional view of this central region. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

High-Resolution Near-Infrared Observations of NGC 1068

We present near-infrared observations of NGC 1068 obtained with the SHARP camera at the ESO 3.5 m telescope, and with SHARP II attached to the COME-ON+ adaptive optics system at the ESO 3.6 m telescope. From the SHARP observations we obtain a K band image of the stellar bar with 0.″4 resolution, and an upper limit to the size of the nuclear K band source of 0.″05 (3.5 pc). The adaptive optics observations are used to determine the position of the infrared nucleus with respect to the visible continuum. The centroid of the 5000 to 9000 Å continuum is displaced 0.″23 ± 0.″10 to the east and 0.″41 ± 0.″10 to the north of the K bank peak.     

Ultraviolet Lines and Gas Composition in NGC 1068

Recent ultraviolet and X-ray observations suggest that the Fe/O ratio in the NLR gas in NGC 1068 is abnormally high. The X-ray analysis, which is presented elsewhere, suggests a large Fe/H and the data shown and discussed here, in particular the extremely weak O III] λ1663 line, argue for small O/N and O/C. Models to support this claim are shown and discussed. They include improved reddening estimates, dusty and dust-free calculations, and abnormal abundances. The anomalous composition makes NGC 1068 unique among Seyfert galaxies and an unusual laboratory for investigating metal enrichment and depletion.     

Kinematics and Mass Modelling of NGC 1068

We present the kinematics of the ionized gas over the inner 140″ (10 kpc) from observations with the HIFI Fabry-Perot interferometer. There is clear evidence for density wave streaming and bar-driven streaming across the field, with bi-symmetric arms that penetrate to within 200 pc of the nucleus. CO maps show linear structures along (although slightly offset from) the bar consistent with a strong shock. Along the spiral arms which encircle the bar, the H II regions lie downstream of the CO gas in the rest frame of the bar, as do the dust lanes, only if the gas outruns the stellar bar. As a first step towards understanding the details of the gas kinematics, and attempting to determine the mass inflow rate towards the nucleus, we build a mass model for the central disk constrained by near-infrared images. We plan to use this model as gravitational background potential for hydrodynamical simulations of the gas response to the bar. Comparing these with the data presented should enable us to constrain various quantities such as pattern speed, stellar mass-to-light ratio, central mass concentration, and gas fueling rate. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

基于ALMA高分辨率的多谱线数据对 NGC 1068核区中物理性质的研究

利用ALMA干涉阵望远镜(Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array)的高分辨(～0.2′′–0.7′′)的多谱线数据,包括CO (1-0)、CO (2-1)、CO (3-2)、HCN (1-0)、HCO⁺(1-0)、 HCN (3-2)、 HCO⁺(3-2)、HCN (4-3)和HCO+(4-3),并结合连续谱数据对近邻星系NGC 1068核区的物理性质进行了研究.速度积分强度图显示核周盘(CircumNuclear Disk, CND)呈现不对称的环状结构,尺度～300 pc.各分子谱线均显示, CND上的东发射结(E-knot)比西发射结(W-knot)有着更强的发射,且E-knot处表现出的分子气体的速度比W-knot更高.致密分子气体含量占比(用HCN或HCO⁺不同转动跃迁线与CO (1-0)的积分强度比值表示),以及致密分子气体比值(HCN/HCO⁺)均在CND的东部表现出更高的值,意味着CND东部和西部有着不同的物理环境或化学组成. CO ...     

The circumnuclear X-ray reflectors in NGC 1068 and the Circinus galaxy

The ASCA and BeppoSAX spectra of the Circinus galaxy and NGC 1068 are analysed and compared with photoionization models based on cloudy . In the case of Circinus, a single, mildly ionized reflector can account for the line spectrum, while in NGC 1068 at least three different reflectors (with different ionization states) are needed. We suggest that the reflector in Circinus and the low ionized one in NGC 1068 are the inner and visible part of the material responsible for the X-ray absorption. With this assumption, we estimate for the inner radius of the absorber a value of 0.2 pc for Circinus and of a few parsecs for NGC 1068.     

X-ray Spectroscopy of the Scattered Emission in NGC 1068

We discuss the iron K line complex in NGC 1068. The line complex basically consists of three components, as previously reported. A new analysis of the ASCA data shows that cold reflection appears to dominate the observed X-ray emission above 4 keV based on the detection of ‘Compton shoulder’, a weak red wing of the 6.4 keV fluorescence iron K line, and a very flat continuum. The other two weaker lines at higher energies can be identified with FeXXV and FeXXVI and suggest an highly ionized X-ray mirror as well, although the line energies are systematically lower than those expected from the resonant lines, consistent with a redshift by 1.5%. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Origin of the Coronal Line Emission in NGC1068

We present recent observations of several near infrared emission lines of highly ionized (IP ? 100eV) species in NGC1068 which appear to be emitted predominantly within the NE ionization cone; peak at ? 30pc from the nucleus and are blueshifted by ? 300 km s-1 relative to the systemic velocity. The blueshift is the same as that observed for the better known Fe coronal lines in the visible and the absence of red-shifted components in the less extincted infrared lines suggests that any emission in the counter-cone to the SW is intrinsically faint rather than heavily obscured. Following a review of the possible ionization mechanisms and comparison of the line ratios with recent models we conclude that the coronal emission arises predominantly in outflowing gas photoionized by the EUV continuum of the AGN.