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Abstract
We conduct a multiwavelength continuum variability study of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 to investigate the temperature structure of its accretion disk. The 19 overlapping continuum light curves (1158 Å to 9157 Å) combine simultaneous Hubble Space Telescope, Swift, and ground-based observations over a 180 day period from 2014 January to July. Light-curve variability is interpreted as the reverberation response of the accretion disk to irradiation by a central time-varying point source. Our model yields the disk inclination i = 36° ± 10°, temperature T1 =(44 ± 6) x 103 K at 1 light day from the black hole, and a temperature–radius slope (T α r-α) of α = 0.99 ± 0.03. We also infer the driving light curve and find that it correlates poorly with both the hard and soft X-ray light curves, suggesting that the X-rays alone may not drive the ultraviolet and optical variability over the observing period. We also decompose the light curves into bright, faint, and mean accretion-disk spectra. These spectra lie below that expected for a standard blackbody accretion disk accreting at L/LEdd=0.1.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 65 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
| Volume | 835 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 18 Jan 2017 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 20 Jan 2017 |
Keywords
- Accretion
- Accretion disks
- Galaxies: active
- Galaxies: individual (NGC 5548)
- Galaxies: nuclei
- Galaxies: Seyfert
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Dive into the research topics of 'Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Project. VI. reverberating disk models for NGC 5548'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
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Astrophysics at St Andrews:2012 - 2014: Astrophysics at St Andrews: 2012 - 2014
Horne, K. (PI)
Science & Technology Facilities Council
1/10/11 → 31/03/12
Project: Standard
Profiles
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Keith Horne
- School of Physics and Astronomy - Emeritus Professor
- St Andrews Centre for Exoplanet Science
Person: Emeritus Professor
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