Virial-based methods for estimating active supermassive black hole masses are now commonly used on extremely large spectroscopic quasar catalogs. Most spectral analyses, though, do not pay enough attention to the detailed continuum decomposition. To understand how this affects virial mass estimates, we test the influence of host galaxy light on them, along with a Balmer continuum component. A detailed fit with the new spectroscopic analysis software QSFIT demonstrates that the presence or absence of continuum components does not significantly affect the virial-based results for our sample. Taking a host galaxy component into consideration or not, instead, affects the emission line fitting in a more pronounced way at lower redshifts, where in fact we observe dimmer quasars and more visible host galaxies.

Varisco, L., Sbarrato, T., Calderone, G., Dotti, M. (2018). AGN mass estimates in large spectroscopic surveys: The effect of host galaxy light. ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS, 618, A127 [10.1051/0004-6361/201832655].

AGN mass estimates in large spectroscopic surveys: The effect of host galaxy light

VARISCO, LUDOVICA;Sbarrato, T;Calderone, G;Dotti, M
2018

Abstract

Virial-based methods for estimating active supermassive black hole masses are now commonly used on extremely large spectroscopic quasar catalogs. Most spectral analyses, though, do not pay enough attention to the detailed continuum decomposition. To understand how this affects virial mass estimates, we test the influence of host galaxy light on them, along with a Balmer continuum component. A detailed fit with the new spectroscopic analysis software QSFIT demonstrates that the presence or absence of continuum components does not significantly affect the virial-based results for our sample. Taking a host galaxy component into consideration or not, instead, affects the emission line fitting in a more pronounced way at lower redshifts, where in fact we observe dimmer quasars and more visible host galaxies.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Black hole physics; Galaxies: active; Quasars: general; Quasars: supermassive black holes;
Black hole physics; Galaxies: active; Quasars: general; Quasars: supermassive black holes; Astronomy and Astrophysics; Space and Planetary Science
English
2018
618
A127
32655
open
Varisco, L., Sbarrato, T., Calderone, G., Dotti, M. (2018). AGN mass estimates in large spectroscopic surveys: The effect of host galaxy light. ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS, 618, A127 [10.1051/0004-6361/201832655].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/216837
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