Echelle spectroscopy of the Seyfert 1 galaxy Markarian 231.
Abstract
High-resolution (about 10 km/s) echelle spectroscopy of the sodium D lines of absorption-line systems I and II, present in the spectrum of the Seyfert 1 galaxy Markarian 231, is presented. The features show the shape, displacement, and extent in velocity space characteristics of broad absorption-line QSOs (BAL QSOs). The nature of the absorption features indicates that the BAL QSO mechanism which accelerates the gas in high-luminosity objects is operating in Mrk 231. Since the host galaxy of Mrk 231 is not highly inclined to the line of sight, the BAL QSO phenomenon is not restricted solely to galaxies with edge-on orientations. It is shown that the absorbing gas contains both H II regions which give rise to the He I lambda 3889 feature and neutral zones where the Na(0) and Ca(+) absorptions originate. From the He I, Na(0), and Ca(+) absorptions, a density of about 1000, a column density of about 10 to the 22nd, and a distance from the nucleus of more than 150 pc for that gas are calculated.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- January 1985
- DOI:
- 10.1086/162818
- Bibcode:
- 1985ApJ...288..531R
- Keywords:
-
- Astronomical Spectroscopy;
- D Lines;
- Seyfert Galaxies;
- Absorption Spectra;
- Emission Spectra;
- Hydrogen;
- Spiral Galaxies;
- Astrophysics