Bowen fluorescence in a sample of Seyfert nuclei

view Abstract Citations (16) References (35) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Bowen Fluorescence in a Sample of Seyfert Nuclei Schachter, Jonathan ; Filippenko, Alexei V. ; Kahn, Steven M. Abstract We discuss new observations of the O III and N III Bowen fluorescence lines in a sample of two Seyfert 2 nuclei and six Seyfert 1 nuclei with relatively narrow permitted lines. Included are new measurements of O III λλ3133, 3444, which are the two strongest cascades produced in the Bowen process, and possible detections of O III λ3341, a secondary cascade expected to be produced following emission of a λ3133 photon. Our data cover a wide spectral range, from the atmospheric limit at ~ 3100 A out to redward of [S II] λλ6716, 6731. Measurements of the [S II] and [O III] lines are used to estimate densities for the program objects. Using the flux-calibrated spectra and the Bowen yields, together with the derived electron densities, we construct a model spherical Bowen-emitting region. This region, which has a derived radius of 1-10 pc, has a small filling factor (10^-7^ to 10^-3^). The clouds cover the central source, but are optically thin to the soft X-ray continuum emitted at the source. Many (~ 10^10^) clouds, of size, 1-1000 AU, inhabit the emitting region. The total required mass in clouds is ~ 100-10^6^ M_sun_. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: October 1990 DOI: 10.1086/169244 Bibcode: 1990ApJ...362...74S Keywords: Electron Photon Cascades; Galactic Nuclei; Line Spectra; Nitrogen Ions; Oxygen Spectra; Seyfert Galaxies; Binary Stars; Electron Density (Concentration); Neutron Stars; X Ray Sources; Astrophysics; ATOMIC PROCESSES; GALAXIES: NUCLEI; GALAXIES: SEYFERT; LINE FORMATION full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (8) NED (8)