Active Galactic Nuclei

Venue: J.H. Oort Building 431

When:
Thursdays 13.45-15.30
13 Sept - 20 Dec
Except Nov 29
Sept 20?

Contacts
Huub Rttgering rottgeri@strw.leidenuniv.nl
David Raban raban@strw.leidenuniv.nl

Email list
Examination
30 %: Every week an assignment: 1-2 hours work (max!)
20 %: Mini-symposium as last lecture
50 %: Oral exam
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Literature+background
Quasars and Active Galactic Nuclei - A.K. Kembhavi &
J.V.Narlikar, Cambridge Univ. Press, 1999 (KN)
Active Galactic Nuclei - J.H. Krolik, Princeton Series in
Astrophysics, 1999
An Introduction to Active Galactic Nuclei - Bradley M.
Peterson, Cambridge Univ. Press, 1997
Active Galactic Nuclei - I. Robson, John Wiley Sons, 1996
Background courses:
Required: Sterrenstelsels, Radiative Processes,
Handy: Large scale structure and galaxy formation, General relativity,
Interstellar matter, Cosmology
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Kroliks alternative titles

Radio Galaxies are from Venus, Quasars are from Mars
Rid Yourself of Codependency on Active Galactic Nuclei: A
Twelve-Step Approach
You'll Never Eat Lunch in this Cosmos Again: Accreting Black
Holes in Active Galactic Nuclei
Every Galaxy Can: Building Self-Esteem in Your Galaxy by
Growing Supermassive Black Holes
The Angel in the Black Hole: Otherworldly Spiritual
Adventures with Relativistic Jets and Advection-Dominated
Accretion in Active Galactic Nuclei
Paws in the Black Hole: Your Pet and Active Galactic Nuclei
The Monster (or the Monkey) in the Middle: Black Holes in
Galactic Nuclei
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Observable Universe
More than 100 billion galaxies, with variety of
morphologies (spirals, ellipticals)
Large amounts of dark matter of unknown
constitution

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Active galaxies
Definition
galaxies have an active nucleus:emission at all wavelengths
originating in a very small nuclear region (< pc)
Characteristics

Extended radio emission on very large scales

Jets
Bright optical spike
Narrow and broad emission lines
X-rays
Variability

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Questions
How did galaxies form?
What determines the present structure of
galaxies?
What is the role of dark matter?
Why are some galaxies `active''?
How and when did black holes form?
Is their a connections between the
formation and evolution of black holes and
galaxies?
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Today

History
Taxonomy
Building blocks
Unification
Number densities and two important results

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History

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KN, chapter 1
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 Pioneering work by Karl Jansky in the 1930s

and Grote Reber in 1940s
Scientists and engineers involved in Worldwar II build dishes radio interferometers in
Cambridge, Jodrell bank, Sydney and Parkes
1953: delineating structure of cygnus A and its
identification
Beginning 1960s: first reliable catalogues of
radio sources with a few hundred entries
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Measerements
with the Jodrell
bank linked
interferometer

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3C273

Beginning 1960s: first reliable catalogues of radio sources with a few

hundred entries
3C273: 273rd object (ordered by right ascension) of the Third Cambridge
Catalog of Radio Sources (3C).
1963: Accurate positions were obtained using lunar occultation by Cyril
Hazard at the Parkes Radio Telescope.
The radio source was quickly associated with an optical counterpart, an
unresolved 13th magnitude stellar object. Because of their star-like
appearances, these powerful radio sources came to be called, for lack of a
better term, quasi-stellar radio objects. This was soon shortened to
"quasar."
1963: The first spectrum of 3C273 was obtained by Maarten Schmidt
using the Palomar 200" telescope. Schmidt puzzled over the photographic
spectrum for months before he recognized that the strong, broad emission
lines in the star were the familiar hydrogen-Balmer series, but redshifted
by 15%. It was not the 15% redshift that had puzzled Schmidt, galaxies
were already known with much larger redshifts, but rather the brightness
of 3C273. 3C273 was a thousand times brighter than even a very
luminous galaxy would appear at a distance of 2 billion light years,
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3C 273
The "First" Quasar

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The nearest Quasar: 2C273

X-ray image
(Chandra satellite)
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Enormous luminosities
L = flux * 4 R2 = 1012 Lsun = 100 * Milky way

Lsun = 4x1026 W

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Quasar variability down to light minutes!

energy from small volume

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Energy crises!
Too much light production in too small volume
Petrol
efficiency 10-10 : out
Nuclear reaction efficiency 0.01 : out
Gravity
efficiency 0.1 : yes
Conclusion: energy comes from gas falling towards
a super massive star of a million solar masses
(Hoyle and Fowler 1963) or a black hole!
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Twinkle, twinkle, quasi-star,

Biggest puzzle from afar.
How unlike the other ones,
Brighter than a trillion Suns.
Twinkle, twinkle, quasi-star,
How I wonder what you are!
George Gamow

Horrid quasar Near or far,

This truth to you I must confess:
My heart for you is full of hate
O super star,
Imploded gas,
Exploded trash,
You glowing speck upon a plate,
Of Einstein's world you've made a mess!
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Jesse Greenstein
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Taxonomy

See P. Chapter 2, KN, 9.1-9.3

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Nomenclature
In the past 60 years, many types of `active' galaxies discovered, sometimes in different
wavelength regimes:
-optical
-radio
-near-IR
-X-rays
Result: a large number of (confusing) observationally based classes, some of which
overlap.
Important: distinguish between defining properties and subsequently measured
properties and physical interpretations.
BL Lacs
Radio galaxies
-broad line (FR2)
-narrow line (FR1 and FR2)

Seyferts
-Type 1
-Type 2

Quasars
-radioloud
-radioquiet
-OVV (optically violently variable)

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Seyfert galaxies
1943, Carl Seyfert: certain nearby spiral galaxies
have very bright, pinpoint nuclei and unusual
spectra with very strong, often broad, emission
lines
Most if not all
Seyfert galaxies
are in spirals
Seyfert galaxy NGC 7742
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap981023.html
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Seyfert I galaxies

Observational characteristics
High surface brightness nuclei
Permitted lines of H, He I, He II, Fe II with widths up to 104 km/s
High density gas electron density ne ~ 109 cm -3

Forbidden lines (e.g. [OIII]) much narrower: up to 103 km/s

Low density gas: electron density ne ~ 103 - 106 cm -3

Estimated size of broad-line region 1 pc (BLR)

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Seyfert II galaxies

Only narrow lines observed

Estimated size of narrow-line region 10-103 pc (NLR)

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Seyferts versus quasars

QSOs are the more luminous counter parts of
seyferts
QSO: Nuclear magnitudes M_B < -21.5

Identification
QSOs: unresolved at ~ 1 arcsec scales
Seyferts: well resolved and identified with spirals

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Osterbrock defined intermediate classes

Seyferts 1.5, 1.8, 1.9

There are cases where on time scales of

years the broad lines have disappeared

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Radio Galaxies

Mid-1950s: powerful radio sources are frequently associated with giant

elliptical galaxies.
First radio galaxy identified was Cygnus A
Intense beams or jets, moving with highly-relativistic speeds are
transporting the electrons and magnetic field out to the radio lobes.
The radio lobes are believed to be produced when the jets ram into
intergalactic gas clouds. The radio emission is due to synchrotron
emission and comes principally from giant radio lobes, well outside the
visible portions of the galaxy, sometimes extending up to 1 Mpc.
The jets can end in hotspots, intensity maxima at the extremities of the
lobes. They have typical linear sizes of 1 kpc. Location where the jet hits
the ambient medium
Frequently there is also a radio core, coincident with the galaxy nucleus.

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Cygnus A

Cygnus A
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Basis of radio classification

1. Morphological classification

Lobe dominated

FR I
FR II

Core Dominated
Peculiar

Tailed radio sources

2. Spectral classification

Flat spectrum radio sources

Steep spectrum radio sources

3. Variability

BL lac objects/Optically violently variable (OVV) quasars

4. Optical spectra
Narrow-line radio galaxies
Broad-line radio galaxies (cf Seyfert I and qso)
Feature less (link to blazars)
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1. Lobe dominated Radio galaxies

- Symmetric giant emission lobes, extending to Mpc scales
- Host galaxy often elliptical (cf. Seyferts)
Two classes:
Fanaroff-Riley class II
- morphological definition: edge-brightened lobes
- invariably have high luminosities, P>1042 erg/s
- steepest spectrum emission in inner region
Fanaroff-Riley class I
- morphological definition: edge-darkened lobes
- lower-luminosity
- smooth, continuous turbulent double-sided jets
- steepest spectrum emission in outer region

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FR I
FR I: M84
VLA: 4.9 GHz
Laing and Bridle 1989

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FR II: 3C175
VLA at 4.9 GHz Bridle et al. 1994

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2. Core-dominated radio sources

- strong radio emission from compact core
- flat radio spectra
- single-sided jet
- milli-arcsec/pc scale jets observed with VLBI techniques
- often superluminal motion

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VLBI observations of Core dominated radio sources (Lister et al 2001)

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3. Tailed radio sources: Morphology due to movement galaxy through (cluster) gas

VLA observations of NGC 1265:

AGN-1: HR-2007 Odea and Owen Astrophysical Journal, vol. 301, Feb. 15, 1986, p. 841-859.

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3. Variable radio sources

BL Lacs objects
-Named after the proto-type
-rapid and large variability
- m > 0.1 in a day
- featureless optical spectrum
- power-law continuum
- high polarization
- superluminal motion on VLBI scales
- Interpretation: viewed along the jet

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Subclass: Optically violently variable (OVV) quasars

- BL lacs with with strong broad and narrow lines
Blazars: a class consisting of BL Lacs and OVVs

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Eachus and Liller 1975

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Summary of properties

Broadband: comparable luminosity in infrared, optical and X-ray bands

Table from Krolik, page 20
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Starburst galaxies
Since the mid-1970s astronomers have known that some galaxies go through intense
bursts of star formation, producing large numbers of luminous young stars and
related supernovae. Astronomers have dubbed these "Starburst Galaxies". The
immensely successful Infrared Astronomical Satellite, launched in 1983, showed
that starbursts may be a common mode of evolution for galaxies and that
starbursts may be intensely luminous, emitting quasar-like amounts of energy at
infrared wavelengths.

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The Circinus Galaxy

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Antenna nebulae
HST

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Ultraluminous IRAS galaxies (ULIRGS)

IRAS discovered galaxies radiating > 1012 L in infrared
as numerous as AGNs
Dust-enshrouded AGN, or a starburst
surrounded by much dust
Activity triggered by a merger?

ULIRG at z=0.174 observed with HST: Lbol 1013 L

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ULIRG at z=0.174 observed with HST: Lbol 1013 L

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Building blocks

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AGN at different scales

from 1 Mpc to 10-4 pc

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Building
blocks

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Unification

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Unification
Definition: the underlying physical principle to
relate classes classes of AGN
Principles
Orientation
Time evolution
Black hole mass
Black hole spin
Availability of fuel
Interaction ambient medium
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Unification I
Radio observations: Radio loud <-> quiet
Physics: massive BH

Spectroscopy: Narrow-line - broad line - featureless

Physics: orientation

Optical Images: Dominance AGN over galaxy

Physics: degree central activity -> mass BH + Food

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1.

Morphological classification

Lobe dominated

FR I

FR II
Jet-power - spin black hole (?)

Unification

Core Dominated
Doppler boosting and/or age

Peculiar

Tailed radio sources

Interaction with ambient cluster medium

2.

Spectral classification

3.

Variability

4.

Flat spectrum radio sources

Synchrotron self absorption in young/compact objects
Steep spectrum radio sources
BL lac objects/Optically violently variable (OVV) quasars
Viewing directly into core

Optical spectra

Narrow-line radio galaxies

Broad-line radio galaxies (cf Seyfert I and qso)
Feature less (link to blazars)
Observed properties dependent on viewing direction due to a torus of dust

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Number density and

three important results

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Local number density

5-10 % of quasars
are radio loud

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AGN epoch

2DF quasars
Boyle etal 2000

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(triangles).
respectively.

Blackhole mass ~ Galaxy mass

Adams et al. 2001

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Radio galaxy feedback

Energy deposited by powerful radio galaxies
seems to
stop star formation in massive galaxies so that
they become red and
not too massive.
heat up cooling gas
in clusters

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Influence of radio source 3C84

on structure of X-ray gas in the
associated cluster as observed
with the Chandra X-ray satellite
(Fabian et 2006)

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Formation and evolution of galaxies and AGN

A linked process ?
Galaxy formation is governed by
merging of galaxies
gas cooling and subsequent star formation
Do these process also lead black hole growth and AGN
activity?

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Questions
When do the first AGN form?
Why are there are a factor 1000 more powerful
AGN at z=2 than at z=0 ?
What is the relation between galaxy formation and
the AGN phenomenon?
Why are powerful radio galaxies always hosted by
ellipticals?
Does every galaxy have a BH?
What is the physics of AGN? accretion process?
jet formation?
How are the various classes of AGN related?
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Overview lecture course

1. Sept 13
2. Sept 20
3. Sept 27
4. Oct 4
5. Oct 11
6. Oct 18
7. Oct 25
8. Nov 1
9. Nov 8
10. Nov 15
11. Nov 22
12. Dec 6
13. Dec 13

Introduction
Surveys, continuum radiative processes
radiative process (cont.)
Central engine: overall energy budget, BH observations
Black hole physics/GR
Spherical accretion
Accretion disks
Tori
Core/jets/lobes
AGN emission line regions
Unification
Formation and evolution, link to galaxy formation
Mini-symposium

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Literature
Peterson, chap. 1+2
Krolik, par. 1.3
Kembhavi and Narlikar: par 1.1, 1.2,1.4+1.5, page
214-222
Background:
R. Antonucci, Annual review of astronomy and
astrophysics. Vol. 31 (A94-12726 02-90), p. 473-521
C. Magan Urry and P. Padovani, Publications of the
Astronomical Society of the Pacific, v.107, p.803

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Assignment - one page !

For your object,
look up its classification
give a brief description
include a nice image and/or spectrum
give 5 relevant parameters (think of distance, size,
luminosity, orientation, type of galaxy, star formation
rate, mass black hole etc.)
discuss how studies of this object contributed to our
general understanding of astrophysics
Open questions related to this object
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Objects

NGC1068
3C48
Cygnus A
3C273
Circinus
4C41.17
NGC4151
Centaurus A
MCG-6-30-15
NGC 4261
NGC 315
NGC6251

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3C236
3C465
OPJ 287
3C449
NGC 1265
3C449
1138-262
NGC 1566
NGC 5252
3C321
NGC 1566

Next week well

discuss who had the
largest, most
luminous, most
distant etc. Object
For help come and
see David Raban

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