Relations between the IR-UV-X-ray Continuum and Emission Lines for a Large Composite Sample of Narrow Line and Normal Seyfert 1 Galaxies

1 INTRODUCTIONThe broad emission lines, the most important characteristics of active galactic nuclei (AGN),are generally believed to be emitted by photoionized gas in the clouds that are illuminated bythe UV to X-ray continuum radiation of the celltral source (Netzer 1990). The photoionizationmodel is quite successful in explaining the average emission line properties of AGNs using anaverage ionizing continuum. To date, there are two sets of statistical relationships between thecolltin…     

Observational signatures of feedback in QSO absorption spectra

Models for the formation of galaxies and clusters of galaxies require strong feedback in order to explain the observed properties of these systems. We investigate whether such feedback has observational consequences for the intergalactic medium, as probed in absorption towards background quasars. A typical quasar sight-line intersects one protocluster per unit redshift, and significant feedback from forming galaxies or active galactic nuclei, heating the protocluster gas, will result in a large clearing of reduced absorption in the Ly α forest. Such a gap could be detected at redshift ≳3 when the mean opacity is high. Feedback from Lyman-break galaxies in protoclusters can be probed by the absorption lines produced in their winds. Strong feedback from galaxies has a major impact on the number and properties of absorption lines with column densities N _{H  i} ∼10¹⁶ cm⁻². This feedback can be probed with multiple sight-lines and by studying the unsaturated higher order lines of the Lyman series. Galactic winds from dwarf galaxies should break up into clouds, in order not to overproduce the number of absorption lines. These clouds can then coast to large distances.     

QSO pairsacross active galaxies: Evidence of blueshifts?

Several QSO pairs have been reported and their redshifts determined, where the two objects in each pair are locatedacross an active galaxy. The usually accepted explanation of such occurrences is that the pair is ejected from the parent galaxy. Currently interpreted redshifted spectra for both the QSOs imply that both the objects are receding from the observer. However, ejection can occur towards and away from the observer with equal probability. We argue that for a system with two QSOs lyingacross the parent galaxy, ejection should have occurred in opposite directions, whereby one object will be approaching us and the other will be receding from us. The former would exhibit a blueshifted spectrum. We analyse here a sample of four such pairs and show that the observed spectrum of one QSO in each pair can be interpreted as blueshifted. The other exhibits the usual redshifted spectrum. A scenario based on the ‘sling-shot’ mechanism of ejection is presented to explain the occurrences of the pairs in opposite sides of the active galaxies moving in opposite directions.     

Statistical characterization of arsenic contamination in shallow tube wells of western Bangladesh

A regional assessment of the arsenic (As) contamination scenario in shallow tube wells (depth < 150 m) of western Bangladesh is presented. Comparisons are made in light of bulk geological differences (Pleistocene versus Holocene deposits/northwest versus southwest) and As measurement protocols (field kit (FK) versus atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS)). Our As database comprised the following: (1) the nationwide As survey completed in 1999 by the British Geological Survey in collaboration with the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE); and (2) a regional As survey conducted in southwest Bangladesh by the Japan International Cooperation Agency in collaboration with DPHE in 2002. First, we characterize the error structure of the semi‐quantitative FK As measurements using collocated AAS As measurements as reference from a set of 307 wells located in southwest Bangladesh. The depth distribution of As is identified using a very dense cluster of 2963 wells over a 560 km² domain. The probability of the FK method for successful detection of a well sample as unsafe (safe) was found to be 96·9% (34·1%) and 95·2% (80·3%) for the World Health Organization (WHO) and Bangladesh safe limits, respectively. Similarly, the probability of false alarms and false hopes for WHO (Bangladesh) safe limits were found to be 3·1% (4·8%) and 87·5% (19·7%), respectively. The depth at which the highest fraction of wells exceeding a given safe limit occurred could still be inferred correctly by FK measurements. A simple bias adjustment procedure on FK As data did not result in a more accurate characterization of depth distribution of As. This indicated that simple error statistics are inadequate for advancing the utility of FKs; rather, an understanding of the complex and multidimensional error structure is required. Regional anisotropy in the spatial dependence of As for the northwest was found to be stronger than the southwest. The correlation length for As concentration in the east–west direction of northwest Bangladesh (i.e. across major river floodplains) was found to be almost twice (158·80 km) that of the north–south direction (along the major axis of Pleistocene deposits) (78·21 km). For the southwest region, the ratio of east–west to north–south correlation lengths ranged from 1·40 to 1·51. For the northwest region, because it is well known to have the lowest concentrations of As countrywide, knowledge of this anisotropy appears to suggest the need for drilling twice as many remediation deep wells in the proximity of an unsafe shallow well in the north–south direction than in the east–west direction. Findings from this study are potentially useful in setting priority areas for emergency testing, distributing remediation resources equitably and formulating a regional water resources strategy for western Bangladesh. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spectrophotometric discrimination of river dissolved organic matter

There is a need to be able to differentiate the dissolved organic matter (DOM) fraction in river waters. Research in the 1970s and 1980s has attempted to utilize both absorbance and fluorescence to distinguish between DOM fractions in river waters, but both were limited by the available technology. Total organic carbon content has, therefore, been widely used as a standard method of measuring DOM concentration, although it has little power to differentiate DOM fractions. Recent advances in fluorescence spectrophotometry enable rapid and optically precise analysis of DOM. Here, we show how a combination of both fluorescence and absorbance can be used to discriminate statistically between spatial variations of DOM in tributaries in a small catchment of the Ouseburn, NE England. The results of the discriminant analysis suggest that about 70% of the samples can be correctly classified to its tributary. Discriminant function 1 explains 60·8% of the variance in the data and the fulvic‐like fluorescence intensity has the largest absolute correlation within this function; discriminant function 2 explains a further 21·5% of the variance and the fulvic‐like fluorescence emission wavelength has the largest absolute correlation within this function. The discriminant analysis does not correctly classify all tributaries every time, and successfully discriminates between the different tributaries 70% of the time. Occasions when the tributary waters are less well discriminated are due to either episodic pollution events (at two sites) or due to tributaries that have strong seasonal trends in spectrophotometric parameters, which allows the sites to be misclassified. Results suggest that spectrophotometric techniques have considerable potential in the discrimination of DOM in rivers. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.