Statistical evidence for accretion disks in active galactic nuclei

Details Statistical evidence for accretion disks in active galactic nuclei Statistical evidence for accretion disks in active galactic nuclei

Jul 1993

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1993apj...411..103c&link_type=abstract

Astrophysical Journal, Part 1 (ISSN 0004-637X), vol. 411, no. 1, p. 103-107.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Accretion Disks, Active Galactic Nuclei, Color-Magnitude Diagram, Red Shift, Statistical Analysis, Cataclysmic Variables, Gravitational Effects, Pre-Main Sequence Stars, T Tauri Stars, X Ray Binaries

Scientific paper

Measured U-B colors and B-magnitudes are good indicators of the shape and strength of thermal continuum spectra of AGN over a limited range of redshifts, z = 0.4-0.75. The distribution of colors and magnitudes of a sample of 207 quasars is investigated. It is found that AGN occupy a well-defined region of the color-magnitude plane defined by a low color limit and a magnitude-dependent high color limit. These limits are inherent in the quasar distribution and are not artificially introduced by survey selection effects or any known correlation between nonthermal spectral components and magnitude. Colors and magnitudes expected for thin accretion disks are calculated for a distribution of accretion rates and central masses. It is found that the standard thin accretion disk model accurately replicates the observed quasar color-magnitude distribution, and that the low and high color cutoffs are determined by the Eddington limit and a maximum central mass of about 10 exp 9.5 solar masses, respectively. This result provides new evidence that accretion disks are the primary power source in AGN.

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