A search for extended line emission from broad absorption line QSOs

Randal C. Telfer; Gerard A. Kriss; Zlatan Tsvetanov

doi:10.1086/316821

A search for extended line emission from broad absorption line QSOs

Randal C. Telfer^*, Gerard A. Kriss, Zlatan Tsvetanov

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We have obtained Hubble Space Telescope NICMOS snapshot images of 10 broad absorption line (BAL) QSOs and four radio-quiet non-BAL QSOs to search for extended narrow-line regions. For each object, we obtained an image in the F160W filter and a narrowband image in either Hα, Hβ, or [O II]. We find no detections of extended narrow-line emission in the sample. We generate simulated images of QSOs with extended narrow-line regions to place limits on the amount of flux that may be present, and we conclude that BAL QSOs cannot be more than several times brighter in extended emission than typical type 2 active galactic nuclei. Spatially unresolved Hα emission is detected in all nine objects observed in this line, which we attribute to broad Ha emission. The five detected BAL QSOs have derived Ha equivalent widths that are larger than those of the four non-BAL QSOs by a factor of ∼2 on average. This may point to an intrinsic difference between the rest-frame optical spectral properties of BAL and non-BAL QSOs.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2363-2372
Number of pages	10
Journal	Astronomical Journal
Volume	120
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/316821
Publication status	Published - Nov 2000
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Quasars: absorption lines
Quasars: emission lines
Quasars: general

Access to Document

10.1086/316821

Cite this

@article{92444fa4b3de448b8af294937e780ecc,

title = "A search for extended line emission from broad absorption line QSOs",

abstract = "We have obtained Hubble Space Telescope NICMOS snapshot images of 10 broad absorption line (BAL) QSOs and four radio-quiet non-BAL QSOs to search for extended narrow-line regions. For each object, we obtained an image in the F160W filter and a narrowband image in either Hα, Hβ, or [O II]. We find no detections of extended narrow-line emission in the sample. We generate simulated images of QSOs with extended narrow-line regions to place limits on the amount of flux that may be present, and we conclude that BAL QSOs cannot be more than several times brighter in extended emission than typical type 2 active galactic nuclei. Spatially unresolved Hα emission is detected in all nine objects observed in this line, which we attribute to broad Ha emission. The five detected BAL QSOs have derived Ha equivalent widths that are larger than those of the four non-BAL QSOs by a factor of ∼2 on average. This may point to an intrinsic difference between the rest-frame optical spectral properties of BAL and non-BAL QSOs.",

keywords = "Quasars: absorption lines, Quasars: emission lines, Quasars: general",

author = "Telfer, \{Randal C.\} and Kriss, \{Gerard A.\} and Zlatan Tsvetanov",

year = "2000",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1086/316821",

language = "English",

volume = "120",

pages = "2363--2372",

journal = "Astronomical Journal",

issn = "0004-6256",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

number = "5",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A search for extended line emission from broad absorption line QSOs

AU - Telfer, Randal C.

AU - Kriss, Gerard A.

AU - Tsvetanov, Zlatan

PY - 2000/11

Y1 - 2000/11

N2 - We have obtained Hubble Space Telescope NICMOS snapshot images of 10 broad absorption line (BAL) QSOs and four radio-quiet non-BAL QSOs to search for extended narrow-line regions. For each object, we obtained an image in the F160W filter and a narrowband image in either Hα, Hβ, or [O II]. We find no detections of extended narrow-line emission in the sample. We generate simulated images of QSOs with extended narrow-line regions to place limits on the amount of flux that may be present, and we conclude that BAL QSOs cannot be more than several times brighter in extended emission than typical type 2 active galactic nuclei. Spatially unresolved Hα emission is detected in all nine objects observed in this line, which we attribute to broad Ha emission. The five detected BAL QSOs have derived Ha equivalent widths that are larger than those of the four non-BAL QSOs by a factor of ∼2 on average. This may point to an intrinsic difference between the rest-frame optical spectral properties of BAL and non-BAL QSOs.

AB - We have obtained Hubble Space Telescope NICMOS snapshot images of 10 broad absorption line (BAL) QSOs and four radio-quiet non-BAL QSOs to search for extended narrow-line regions. For each object, we obtained an image in the F160W filter and a narrowband image in either Hα, Hβ, or [O II]. We find no detections of extended narrow-line emission in the sample. We generate simulated images of QSOs with extended narrow-line regions to place limits on the amount of flux that may be present, and we conclude that BAL QSOs cannot be more than several times brighter in extended emission than typical type 2 active galactic nuclei. Spatially unresolved Hα emission is detected in all nine objects observed in this line, which we attribute to broad Ha emission. The five detected BAL QSOs have derived Ha equivalent widths that are larger than those of the four non-BAL QSOs by a factor of ∼2 on average. This may point to an intrinsic difference between the rest-frame optical spectral properties of BAL and non-BAL QSOs.

KW - Quasars: absorption lines

KW - Quasars: emission lines

KW - Quasars: general

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0040193729

U2 - 10.1086/316821

DO - 10.1086/316821

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0040193729

SN - 0004-6256

VL - 120

SP - 2363

EP - 2372

JO - Astronomical Journal

JF - Astronomical Journal

IS - 5

ER -

A search for extended line emission from broad absorption line QSOs

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this