Testing the binary black hole paradigm through the Fe Kalpha line profile: application to 3C 273

Details Testing the binary black hole paradigm through the Fe Kalpha line profile: application to 3C 273 Testing the binary black hole paradigm through the Fe Kalpha line profile: application to 3C 273

2003-08-18

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0308300v1

Astrophys.J.596:L31-L34,2003

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Astrophysical Journal Letters, in press. 2 figures, 1 table

Scientific paper

10.1086/379108

We propose the study of long-term variations in the Fe Kalpha line profile as a discriminator for binary black hole (BH) systems. The existence of a binary BH in the center of an active galaxy will produce a particular signature in the evolution of the line profile, as a result of disk precession. This signature is a periodic variation of the position of the blue edge of the profile, accompanied by periodic change of its intensity. We show that detection of the former is clearly within the observational capabilities of planned X-ray missions. Detecting a periodic variation of line profiles would provide the first direct evidence for precessing discs in active galactic nuclei, as opposed to the existing evidence supporting only the precession of jets. We apply these ideas to 3C 273.

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