Open AccessWeighing black holes with warm absorbers
Author(s) -
Morales R.,
Fabian A.C.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2002.04951.x
Subject(s) - physics , quasar , astrophysics , active galactic nucleus , galaxy , radiative transfer , black hole (networking) , absorption (acoustics) , astronomy , gravitation , outflow , intermediate mass black hole , spin flip , optics , computer network , routing protocol , routing (electronic design automation) , meteorology , computer science , link state routing protocol
We present a new technique for determining an upper limit for the mass of the black hole in active galactic nuclei showing warm absorption features. The method relies on the balance of radiative and gravitational forces acting on outflowing warm absorber clouds. It has been applied to six objects: five Seyfert 1 galaxies: IC 4329a, MCG‐6‐30‐15, NGC 3516, NGC 4051 and NGC 5548; and one radio‐quiet quasar: MR 2251‐178. We discuss our result in comparison with other methods. The procedure could also be applied to any other radiatively driven optically thin outflow in which the spectral band covering the major absorption is directly observed.