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Rapid Variations in the Broad Hβ Profile of the Radio Galaxy 3C 390.3: Possible Evidence for Turbulence in the Accretion Disk

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2016

N. S. Asatrian
Affiliation:
Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory, 378433 Byurakan, Armenia
E.Ye. Khachikian
Affiliation:
Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory, 378433 Byurakan, Armenia
P. Notni
Affiliation:
Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam, An der Sternwarte 16, D-14482 Potsdam, Germany

Extract

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We report on implications for the geometrical and kinematic parameters of BLR gas on the basis of short timescale variability in the broad Hβ profile.

Data on rapid variations have been obtained at the 6-m telescope of the SAO (Asatrian, Khachikian & Notni, 1999). To search for variations in the profile shape, difference spectra (first minus second epoch) were examined. We believe that the structure of the underlying stellar continuum and the atmospheric features do not affect the difference profiles of 3C 390.3 significantly.

Variations occurred simultaneously on the blue and red sides of on a timescale of ~ 1.452 hours and take the form of three narrow, positive and negative small bumps drifting across the line profile in the difference spectrum. The positions of the bumps are −2300, +4700 (negative) and −3700 kms2212;1 (positive).

Type
Part 5. AGN Phenomena
Copyright
Copyright © Astronomical Society of the Pacific 2002

References

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