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First results from the lick AGN monitoring project: The mass of the black hole in ARP 151

  • Misty C. Bentz
  • , Jonelle L. Walsh
  • , Aaron J. Barth
  • , Nairn Baliber
  • , Nicola Bennert
  • , Gabriela Canalizo
  • , Alexei V. Filippenko
  • , Mohan Ganeshalingam
  • , Elinor L. Gates
  • , Jenny E. Greene
  • , Marton G. Hidas
  • , Kyle D. Hiner
  • , Nicholas Lee
  • , Weidong Li
  • , Matthew A. Malkan
  • , Takeo Minezaki
  • , Frank J.D. Serduke
  • , Joshua H. Shiode
  • , Jeffrey M. Silverman
  • , Thea N. Steele
  • Daniel Stern, Rachel A. Street, Carol E. Thornton, Tommaso Treu, Xiaofeng Wang, Jong Hak Woo, Yuzuru Yoshiill

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We have recently completed a 64 night spectroscopic monitoring campaign at the Lick Observatory 3 m Shane telescope with the aim of measuring the masses of the black holes in 13 nearby (z<0.05) Seyfert 1 galaxies with expected masses in the range-106-107 M⊙. We present here the first results from this project-the mass of the central black hole in Arp 151. Strong variability throughout the campaign led to an exceptionally clean Hβ lag measurement in this object of 4.25+0.68-0.66 days in the observed frame. Coupled with the width of the Hβ emission line in the variable spectrum, we determine a black hole mass of (7.1 ± 1.2) × 106 M⊙, assuming the Onken et al. normalization for reverberation-based virial masses. We also find velocity-resolved lag information within the Hβ emission line which clearly shows infalling gas in the Hβ-emitting region. Further detailed analysis may lead to a full model of the geometry and kinematics of broad line region gas around the central black hole in Arp 151.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)L21-L24
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume689
Issue number1 PART 2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2008

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

Keywords

  • Galaxies: Individual (Arp 151)
  • Galaxies: Nuclei
  • Galaxies: Seyfert
  • Galaxies: active

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