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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

X-rays as the dominant excitation mechanism of [Fe II] and H-2 emission lines in active galaxies

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Author(s):
Dors, Jr., Oli L. [1] ; Riffel, Rogemar A. [2] ; Cardaci, Monica V. [3, 4] ; Haegele, Guillermo F. [4, 3] ; Krabbe, Angela C. [1] ; Perez-Montero, Enrique [5] ; Rodrigues, Irapuan [1]
Total Authors: 7
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Vale Paraiba, BR-12244000 Sao Jose Dos Campos, SP - Brazil
[2] Univ Fed Santa Maria, BR-97105900 Santa Maria, RS - Brazil
[3] Univ Nacl La Plata, Fac Ciencias Astron & Geofis, RA-1900 La Plata - Argentina
[4] Univ Autonoma Madrid, Dept Fis Teor, E-28049 Madrid - Spain
[5] Inst Astrofis Andalucia CSIC, Granada 18080 - Spain
Total Affiliations: 5
Document type: Journal article
Source: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society; v. 422, n. 1, p. 252-260, MAY 2012.
Web of Science Citations: 18
Abstract

We investigate the excitation mechanisms of near-infrared {[}Fe II] and H-2 emission lines observed in active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We built a photoionization model grid considering a two-component continuum: one component accounts for the `big bump' component peaking at 1 Ryd and another represents the X-ray source that dominates the continuum emission at high energies. Photoionization models considering as ionizing source a spectral energy distribution obtained from photometric data of Seyert 2 Mrk 1066 taken from the literature were considered. Results of these models were compared with a large sample of observational long-slit and Integral field Unit (IFU) spectroscopy data of the nuclear region for a sample of active objects. We found that the correlation between the observational {[}Fe II]lambda 1.2570 mu m/Pa beta and H-2 lambda 2.1218 mu m/Br gamma is well reproduced by our models, as are the relationships that involve the H-2 emission-line ratios observed in the spectroscopic data. We conclude that heating by X-rays produced by active nuclei can be considered a common and very important mechanism of excitation of {[}Fe II] and H-2. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 10/01490-3 - Interacting galaxies: effects in the stellar population and the physical properties of the ionized gas
Grantee:Angela Cristina Krabbe
Support type: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
FAPESP's process: 09/14787-7 - Physical properties of star formation regions in circumnuclear rings and in (U)LIRGs
Grantee:Oli Luiz Dors Junior
Support type: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants