Other
Scientific paper
Jan 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010aas...21541108l&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #411.08; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.241
Other
Scientific paper
Optical emission-line flux ratios are commonly used to diagnose the nature of the nuclear activity in galaxies. In recent years, the statistical power of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) has greatly improved our ability to distinguish activity associated with black-hole accretion from that associated with star formation. Using a new, volume-limited sample of nearby galaxies from the SDSS, we have discovered that nuclear emission-line flux ratios depend strongly on the luminosity of the host galaxy. The effect is particularly strong for the [S II]/Hα ratio. Our results indicate that the "maximal starburst” curves used to discriminate active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from star-forming galaxies on line-ratio diagnostic diagrams should be defined in the context of host-galaxy luminosity. Using this approach, we have been able to identify AGN candidates in our sample that otherwise would have been overlooked. Many of these AGN candidates are found in low-mass dwarf galaxies, which are important for investigations into the co-evolution of black holes and their host galaxies.
Eracleous Michael
Langford Amy
Moran Edward C.
Velez D.
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