A Large Systematic Search for Recoiling and Close Supermassive Binary Black Holes

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics – Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

Submitted to the Astrophysical Journal Supplements on 10 June 2011. Version with large figures and full object list at: http

Scientific paper

[ABRIDGED] We have carried out a systematic search for close supermassive black hole binaries among z < 0.7 SDSS quasars Such binaries are predicted by models of supermassive black hole and host galaxy co-evolution, therefore their census and population properties constitute an important test of these models. We used an automatic technique based on spectroscopic principal component analysis to search for broad H-beta lines that are displaced from the rest-frame of the quasar by more than 1,000 km/s This method can also yield candidates for rapidly recoiling black holes. Our search yielded 88 candidates, several of which were previously identified and discussed in the literature. The widths of the broad H-beta lines are typical among quasars but the shifts are extreme. We found a correlation between the peak offset and skewness of the broad H-beta profiles, which suggests that the profiles we have selected share a common physical explanation. The general properties of the narrow emission lines are typical of quasars. We carried out followup spectroscopic observations of 68 objects to search for changes in the peak velocities of the H-beta lines (the time interval in the observer's frame between the original and new observations is 1-10 yr). We measured significant changes in 14 objects, with resulting accelerations between -120 and +120 km/s/yr. We emphasize that interpretation of the offset broad emission lines as signatures of supermassive binaries is subject to many significant caveats. Many more followup observations over a long temporal baseline are needed to characterize the variability pattern of the broad lines and test that this pattern is indeed consistent with orbital motion. The possibility that some of the objects in this sample are rapidly recoiling black holes remains open as the available data do not provide strong constraints for this scenario.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

A Large Systematic Search for Recoiling and Close Supermassive Binary Black Holes does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with A Large Systematic Search for Recoiling and Close Supermassive Binary Black Holes, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and A Large Systematic Search for Recoiling and Close Supermassive Binary Black Holes will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-658484

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.