Double-peaked line profiles in AGNs - Testing for supermassive binary black holes

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy

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Active Galactic Nuclei, Astronomical Models, Black Holes (Astronomy), H Alpha Line, Line Shape, Balmer Series, Emission Spectra, Interacting Galaxies, Radial Velocity

Scientific paper

One model for double-peaked emission lines in AGNs is the double-lined spectroscopic binary consisting of two black holes, each with its own broad-line region. We are continuing to monitor the H-alpha line profiles of the two AGNs which will provide the most sensitive test of this theory, Arp 102B and 3C 332. The absence of orbital motion can be translated into a lower limit on the mass of the hypothesized binary. As of 1991, we have obtained lower limits of 4 x 10 exp 9 solar masses and 2 x 10 exp 10 solar masses for Arp 102B and 3C 332, respectively, rendering this theory highly unlikely. We cannot rule out the existence of a supermassive binary, but only the model in which the emission-line peaks are attributed to the two different nuclei. Alternatively, long-term monitoring might reveal small-amplitude radial velocity variations due to an unseen companion.

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