Using the Gemini North telescope, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, operated by NSF's NOIRLab, astronomers have detected for the first time evidence of the presence of an accretion disk within the active galactic nucleus of galaxy III Zw 002. Using two rare and peculiar near-infrared emission lines, these observations place firm limits on the size of the galaxy's accretion disk and shed new light on its geometry and behavior.
Nothing can evoke an existential perspective-spiral quite like looking at an image of a galaxy. At first glance, these sublime structures may appear rather serene. But in fact the center of many galaxies is a turbulent environment containing an actively feeding supermassive black hole. Orbiting these incomprehensibly dense objects are swirling accretion disks of gas and dust, which feed the black hole and emit copious amounts of energy all along the electromagnetic spectrum - from high-energy gamma rays and X-rays, through visible light, to infrared and radio waves.
Studying accretion disks can enhance astronomers' understanding of black holes and the evolution of their host galaxies. Most accretion disks, however, are impossible to directly image because of their extreme distances and relatively small sizes. Instead, astronomers use the spectra of light emitted from within the disk to characterize its size and behavior.
Using this approach, astronomers using the Gemini North telescope, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, operated by NSF's NOIRLab, have made the first detection ever of two near-infrared emission lines in the accretion disk of the galaxy III Zw 002, placing a new limit on the size of these magnificent structures.
To understand these observations, let's first lay some groundwork by discussing what emission lines are and what they tell us about the regions around supermassive black holes.
As stated earlier, accretion disks are exceedingly difficult to image directly, with only two sources having been imaged thanks to the high angular-resolution capability of the Event Horizon Telescope. So, barring access to a global network of radio telescopes, how do astronomers know when a supermassive black hole has a disk around it? It turns out that evidence of an accretion disk can be found in a specific pattern of the broad emission lines called a double-peaked profile.
Because the disk is rotating, the gas on one side is moving away from the observer, while the gas on the other side is moving towards the observer. These relative motions stretch and squeeze emission lines to longer and shorter wavelengths respectively. What results is a broadened line with two distinct peaks, one originating from each side of the rapidly spinning disk.
These double-peaked profiles are a rare phenomenon since their occurrence is limited to sources that can be observed nearly face-on. In the few sources in which it has been observed, the double peak has been found in the H-alpha and H-beta lines - two emission lines from hydrogen atoms that appear in the visible wavelength range.
Originating from the inner region of the broad line region near the supermassive black hole, these lines provide no evidence about how big the accretion disk is in its entirety. But recent observations in the near-infrared have revealed a region of the outer broad line region that has never been seen before.
Denimara Dias dos Santos, a PhD student at the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais in Brazil and lead author of the paper, in collaboration with Alberto Rodriguez-Ardila, Swayamtrupta Panda and Murilo Marinello, researchers at the Laboratorio Nacional
de Astrofisica in Brazil, has made the first unambiguous detection of two near-infrared double-peaked profiles in the broad line region of III Zw 002.
The Paschen-alpha (hydrogen) line originates in the inner region of the broad line region, and the O I (neutral oxygen) line originates in the outskirts of the broad line region, a region that has never been observed before. These are the first double-peaked profiles to be found in the near-infrared, and they emerged unexpectedly during observations with the Gemini Near-Infrared Spectrograph (GNIRS).
2003 observations of III Zw 002 in the visible revealed evidence of an accretion disk, and a 2012 study found similar results. In 2021, Rodriguez-Ardila and his team set out to supplement these findings with observations in the near-infrared using GNIRS, which is capable of observing the entire near-infrared spectrum (800-2500 nanometers) all in one go. Other instruments require the user to switch between multiple filters to cover the same range, which can be time consuming and can potentially introduce uncertainty as atmospheric conditions and calibrations change between observations.
Because GNIRS is capable of making simultaneous observations across multiple bands of light, the team was able to capture a single clean, consistently calibrated spectrum in which multiple double-peaked profiles were revealed.
"We didn't know previously that III Zw 002 had this double peaked profile, but when we reduced the data we saw the double peak very clearly," said Rodriguez-Ardila. "In fact, we reduced the data many times thinking it could be a mistake, but every time we saw the same exciting result."
These observations not only confirm the theorized presence of an accretion disk, but also advance astronomer's understanding of the broad line region.
"For the first time, the detection of such double peaked profiles puts firm constraints on the geometry of a region that is otherwise not possible to resolve," said Rodriguez-Ardila. "And we now have clear evidence of the feeding process and the inner structure of an active galaxy."
By comparing these observations with existing disk models, the team was able to extract parameters that provide a clearer picture of III Zw 002's supermassive black hole and broad line region.
The model indicates that the Paschen-alpha line originates at a radius of 16.77 light-days (the distance light travels in one Earth day as measured from the supermassive black hole), and the O I line originates at a radius of 18.86 light-days.
It also predicts that the outer radius of the broad line region is 52.43 light-days. The model also indicates that III Zw 002's broad line region has an inclination angle of 18 degrees with respect to observers on Earth, and the supermassive black hole at its center is 400-900 million times the mass of our Sun.
"This discovery gives us valuable insights into the structure and behavior of the broad line region in this particular galaxy, shedding light on the fascinating phenomena happening around supermassive black holes in active galaxies," said Rodriguez-Ardila.
Following this discovery, Dias dos Santos, Rodriguez-Ardila, Panda and Marinello are now monitoring III Zw 002, as its accretion disk is expected to follow a precession pattern around the supermassive black hole. They want to see how the line profiles change with time, since precession causes different intensities in the blue and red peaks. So far, the model remains consistent with their observations. These results also open up the possibility of using near-i
nfrared detection to study other AGNs.
Josie Fenske is a science communicator at NSF's NOIRLab. She has a background in astrophysics and a master's degree in journalism from New York University.
Research Report:First Observation of a Double-peaked O i Emission in the Near-infrared Spectrum of an Active Galaxy
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Analyst Summary
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This article examines the first-ever detection of two near infrared emission lines in the accretion disk of galaxy III Zw 00
2. Using the Gemini North telescope, operated by NSFs NOIRLab, astronomers placed a new limit on the size of these structures. Accretion disks are essential to understanding how galaxies evolve over cosmic time, and this discovery provides important insights into their behavior. The emission lines detected in the accretion disk give astronomers important information on the size and behavior of the disk. These observations are of particular interest to defense industry analysts, stock market analysts, and general industry analysts as they provide insight into the behavior of accretion disks and the evolution of galaxies. Comparison to Significant Events and Trends in the Space and Defense Industry:
This article is particularly significant as it marks the first-ever detection of two near infrared emission lines in the accretion disk of galaxy III Zw 00
2. This discovery provides astronomers with important information on the size and behavior of the disk. Over the past 25 years, there have been significant events and trends in the space and defense industry, such as the launch of the first private space mission in 2001, the development of reusable rockets, and the continued use of satellite technology for communication, navigation, and surveillance. Analysts can use this article to gain insight into the behavior of accretion disks and the evolution of galaxies, which can help inform future trends in the space and defense industry. Investigative
Question:
- 1. How will this discovery enhance our understanding of accretion disks and their behavior?
- 2. What implications does this discovery have for the space and defense industry?
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Could this discovery help inform the development of new technologies or innovations in the space and defense industry? 4. What other galaxies could benefit from further investigation using similar techniques?
5. How could this discovery be used to better understand the evolution of galaxies over cosmic time?
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