Long-term variability of the Broad Emission Line profiles in AGN

A. I. Shapovalova (1) , Luka C. Popovic (2) , N. G. Bochkarev (3) , A. N. Burenkov (1) , V. H. Chavushyan (4) , Suzy Collin (5) , V. T. Doroshenko (3) , D. Ilic (6) , Andjelka Kovacevic (6)

1 Special Astrophysical Observatory, Russian Academy of Sciences
2 Belgrade Astronomical Observatory
3 SSIA - Shternberg State Institute of Astronomy
4 INAOE - Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica Óptica y Electrónica
5 LUTH (UMR_8102) - Laboratoire Univers et Théories
6 Department of Astronomy, Faculty of Mathematics, University of Belgrade

Results of a long-term monitoring (≳10 years) of the broad line and continuum fluxes of three Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), 3C 390.3, NGC 4151, and NGC 5548, are presented. We analyze the H alpha and H beta profile variations during the monitoring period and study different details (as bumps, absorption bands) which can indicate structural changes in the Broad Line Region (BLR). The BLR dimensions are estimated using the time lags between the continuum and the broad lines flux variations. We find that in the case of 3C 390.3 and NGC 5548 a disk geometry can explain both the broad line profiles and their flux variations, while the BLR of NGC 4151 seems more complex and is probably composed of two or three kinematically different regions.

Domaines: Astrophysique [astro-ph]

A. I. Shapovalova, Luka C. Popovic, N. G. Bochkarev, A. N. Burenkov, V. H. Chavushyan, et al.. Long-term variability of the Broad Emission Line profiles in AGN. New Astronomy Reviews, 2009, 53, pp.191-197. ⟨10.1016/j.newar.2009.08.004⟩. ⟨hal-03732252⟩