2000ApJ...545L..27C -
Astrophys. J., 545, L27-L30 (2000/December-2)
Space telescope imaging spectrograph echelle observations of NGC 4151: variable ionization of the intrinsic UV absorbers.
CRENSHAW D.M., KRAEMER S.B., HUTCHINGS J.B., DANKS A.C., GULL T.R., KAISER M.E., NELSON C.H. and WEISTROP D.
Abstract (from CDS):
We present echelle observations of the intrinsic UV absorption lines in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151; these observations were obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph aboard the Hubble Space Telescope on 1999 July 19. The UV-continuum flux at 1450 Å decreased by factor of about 4 over the previous 2 years, and there was a corresponding dramatic increase in the column densities of the low-ionization absorption lines (e.g., Si II, Fe II, and Al II), presumably as a result of a decrease in the ionizing continuum. In addition to the absorption lines seen in previous low states, we identify a large number of Fe II absorption lines that arise from metastable levels as high as 4.1 eV above the ground state, indicating high densities (>106 cm–3). We find that the transient absorption feature in the blue wing of the broad C IV emission, seen in a Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph spectrum and thought to be a high-velocity C IV component, is actually a Si II fine-structure absorption line at a radial velocity of -560 km.s–1 (relative to systemic). We also demonstrate that the ``satellite'' emission lines of C IV found in IUE spectra are actually regions of unabsorbed continuum plus broad emission that become prominent when the UV continuum of NGC 4151 is in a low state.
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Journal keyword(s):
Galaxies: Individual: NGC Number: NGC 4151 - Galaxies: Seyfert
Simbad objects:
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