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Ionization mechanisms in jet-dominated Seyferts: A detailed case study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 November 2004

D. J. Rosario ,
M. Whittle ,
J. D. Silverman ,
A. S. Wilson  and
C. H. Nelson
D. J. Rosario
Affiliation:
Astronomy Department, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
M. Whittle
Affiliation:
Astronomy Department, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
J. D. Silverman
Affiliation:
Astronomy Department, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
A. S. Wilson
Affiliation:
Astronomy Department, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
C. H. Nelson
Affiliation:
Physics and Astronomy, Drake University, Des Moines, IA 50311-4505, USA
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Abstract

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For the past 10 years there has been an active debate over whether fast shocks play an important role in ionizing emission line regions in Seyfert galaxies. To investigate this claim, we have studied the Seyfert 2 galaxy Mkn 78, using HST UV/optical images and spectroscopy. Since Mkn 78 provides the archetypal jet-driven bipolar velocity field, if shocks are important anywhere they should be important in this object. Having mapped the emission line fluxes and velocity field, we first compare the ionization conditions to standard photoionization and shock models. We find coherent variations of ionization consistent with photoionization model sequences which combine optically thick and thin gas, but are inconsistent with either autoionizing shock models or photoionization models of just optically thick gas. Furthermore, we find absolutely no link between the ionization of the gas and its kinematic state, while we do find a simple decline of ionization degree with radius. We feel this object provides the strongest case to date against the importance of shock related ionization in Seyferts.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

Type
ORAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 2004 , Issue IAUS222 , March 2004 , pp. 287 - 290
Copyright
© 2004 International Astronomical Union