The ionization mechanism for gas in the nuclei of NGC 1052 and NGC 4278

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy

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Astronomical Spectroscopy, Galactic Nuclei, Galactic Radiation, Gas Ionization, Active Galactic Nuclei, Active Galaxies, Emission Spectra, Oxygen Spectra, Photoionization, Ultraviolet Astronomy, Wavelengths

Scientific paper

Photographic image-tube spectra at a resolution of 2.5 A in the blue have been obtained for the nuclei of the active elliptical galaxies NGC 1052 and NGC 4278 and for several emission-free galaxy nuclei using the University of Hawaii 2.24 m telescope at the Mauna Kea Observatory. The purpose of this study was to determine the ionization mechanism for low-ionization active galactic nuclei. A search for the diagnostic forbidden emission line O III 4363 in NGC 1052 yields a lower limit of 47 to the ratio forbidden O III (5007 + 4959)/4363, which implies a temperature for the forbidden O III-emitting gas less than 17,600 K. This temperature is incompatible with shock ionization, and it is concluded that the nuclear gas in NGC 1052, the prototype low-ionization active nucleus, is photoionized by a nonstellar UV continuum. A similar analysis for NGC 4278 yields a lower limit of 21 to the ratio forbidden O III (5007 + 4959)/4363 and an electron temperature less than 30,300 K.

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