Large-Scale Outflows in Edge-on Seyfert Galaxies. I. Optical Emission-Line Imaging and Optical Spectroscopy
Abstract
We have launched a search for large-scale (>1 kpc) minor axis outflows in edge-on Seyfert galaxies in order to assess their frequency of occurrence and to study their properties. Here we present optical continuum and Hα + [N II] line images and/or minor axis long-slit spectra of 22 edge-on Seyfert galaxies. Six of these galaxies show at least one of the following: (i) bi-symmetric Hα halos extending along the minor axis, (ii) bright emission-line complexes at distances > 4 kpc (in projection) out of the disk, and (iii) double-peaked emission- line profiles from the gas along the minor axis, suggesting that a windblown bubble is present. Our results indicate that > 1/4 of Seyfert galaxies have good evidence for minor axis galactic outflows. Kinetic luminosities of the galactic outflows in our sample Seyfert galaxies are ~10^40^-10^42^ ergs s^-1^, assuming all the observed minor axis emission is produced by the outflow. These values are, in general, ~0.1 as large as those well-studied cases of superwinds in starburst galaxies (Heckman, Armus, & Miley 1990). However, far-infrared luminosities of our sample Seyfert galaxies are also ~0.1 as large. Both starburst-driven superwinds and wide-angled outflows from the active galactic nucleus are possible explanations for the observed large-scale outflows.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
- Pub Date:
- July 1996
- DOI:
- 10.1086/192307
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/9512169
- Bibcode:
- 1996ApJS..105...75C
- Keywords:
-
- GALAXIES: COOLING FLOWS;
- GALAXIES: ISM;
- GALAXIES: KINEMATICS AND DYNAMICS;
- GALAXIES: SEYFERT;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 34 pages (text and tables) AASTEX, figures available from colbert@stsci.edu, ApJ Supp., June 1996