On the Nature of Black Hole Recoil Candidate Quasar SDSSJ092712.65+294344.0
Abstract
SDSSJ092712.65+294344.0 has been proposed as a candidate supermassive black hole ejected at high speed from the host galactic nucleus by gravitational radiation recoil. This is based on a blueshift of 2650 km/s of the broad emission lines (``b-system'') relative to the narrow emission lines (``r-system'') presumed to reflect the galaxy velocity. New observations with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) confirm the essential features of the spectrum. We note a third redshift system (``i-system''), characterized by weak, narrow emission lines of [O III] and [O II] at an intermediate velocity 900 km/s redward of the broad line velocity . The Ca K line from galactic starlight may be present in the spectrum of J0927+29 at a velocity similar to the i-system. If the i-system represents the QSO host galaxy or a merging companion, then the r-system presumably is a chance superposition. This likelihood is enhanced by the apparent presence of a cluster of galaxies at the location of J0927+29 and by photoionization arguments that constrain the age of the system in the recoil picture.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #213
- Pub Date:
- January 2009
- Bibcode:
- 2009AAS...21331604S