The first spectroscopic IR reverberation programme on Mrk 509
J. A. J. Mitchell, M. J. Ward, D. Kynoch, J. V. Hern’andez Santisteban, K. Horne, J. -U. Pott, J. Esser, P. Mercatoris, C. Packham, G. J. Ferland, A. Lawrence, T. Fischer, A. J. Barth, C. Villforth, H. Winkler
arXiv:2404.06930v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: Near IR spectroscopic reverberation of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) potentially allows the infrared (IR) broad line region (BLR) to be reverberated alongside the disc and dust continua, while the spectra can also reveal details of dust astro-chemistry. Here, we describe results of a short pilot study (17 near-IR spectra over a 183 d period) for Mrk 509. The spectra give a luminosity-weighted dust radius of $langle R_{mathrm{d,lum}} rangle = 186 pm 4$ light-days for blackbody (large grain dust), consistent with previous (photometric) reverberation campaigns, whereas carbon and silicate dust give much larger radii. We develop a method of calibrating spectral data in objects where the narrow lines are extended beyond the slit width. We demonstrate this by showing our resultant photometric band light curves are consistent with previous results, with a hot dust lag at >40 d in the K band, clearly different from the accretion disc response at arXiv:2404.06930v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: Near IR spectroscopic reverberation of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) potentially allows the infrared (IR) broad line region (BLR) to be reverberated alongside the disc and dust continua, while the spectra can also reveal details of dust astro-chemistry. Here, we describe results of a short pilot study (17 near-IR spectra over a 183 d period) for Mrk 509. The spectra give a luminosity-weighted dust radius of $langle R_{mathrm{d,lum}} rangle = 186 pm 4$ light-days for blackbody (large grain dust), consistent with previous (photometric) reverberation campaigns, whereas carbon and silicate dust give much larger radii. We develop a method of calibrating spectral data in objects where the narrow lines are extended beyond the slit width. We demonstrate this by showing our resultant photometric band light curves are consistent with previous results, with a hot dust lag at >40 d in the K band, clearly different from the accretion disc response at