A microlensing measurement of the size of the broad emission-line region in the lensed quasar QSO 2237+0305
Abstract
We present spatially resolved spectroscopic images of the gravitationally lensed quasar QSO 2237+0305 taken with the GMOS integral field unit (IFU) on the Gemini North Telescope. These observations have the best spatial resolution of any IFU observations of this object to date, and include the redshifted CIII] and MgII QSO broad lines. Unlike Mediavilla et al. some years ago, we find no evidence for an arc of resolved broad-line emission in either the CIII] or MgII lines.
We calculate the image flux ratios of both the integrated emission lines and the surrounding continua. The flux ratios of the CIII] and MgII emission lines are consistent with each other but differ substantially from their corresponding continuum flux ratios and the radio/mid-infrared flux ratios previously published. We argue that the broad emission-line region must be microlensed and the CIII] and MgII emission regions must be approximately the same size and co-located along the line of sight. Assuming a simple model for the broad emission-line region and the continuum region, we show that the size of the CIII]/MgII broad-line region is ~0.06h1/270 pc and that of the continuum region is <= 0.02h1/270 pc.- Publication:
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Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Pub Date:
- May 2005
- DOI:
- 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2005.08919.x
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/0502396
- Bibcode:
- 2005MNRAS.359..561W
- Keywords:
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- gravitational lensing;
- quasars: emission lines;
- quasars: general;
- quasars: individual: Q2237+0305;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 7 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS