Double-peaked Ca
Context. Double-peaked emission lines are observed in a small percentage of active galactic nuclei (AGN). These lines allow the determination of fundamental properties of the line-emitting region, known as the broad-line region (BLR). Aims. We investigated the structure and kinematics of the BLR in the nearby Seyfert galaxy NGC 4593 through an analysis of the near-infrared (NIR) line blend of Ca <ns0:sc>II</ns0:sc>λ8498, λ8542, λ8662, and O <ns0:sc>I</ns0:sc>λ8446 observed in a 2019 VLT/MUSE spectrum. Methods. We performed a detailed decomposition of the NIR Ca <ns0:sc>II</ns0:sc> triplet and O <ns0:sc>I</ns0:sc>λ8446 blend, extracting clean profiles of Ca <ns0:sc>II</ns0:sc>λ8498, λ8542, λ8662, and O <ns0:sc>I</ns0:sc>λ8446. We then fitted Ca <ns0:sc>II</ns0:sc>λ8662 with a relativistic elliptical line-emitting accretion disk model. Results. The extracted line profiles are double-peaked with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of ∼3700 km s−1 and exhibit a redward asymmetry with a red-to-blue peak ratio of 4:3. The Ca <ns0:sc>II</ns0:sc> triplet lines have an intensity ratio of 1:1:1 and show no evidence of a central narrow or intermediate-width component. The profiles of Ca <ns0:sc>II</ns0:sc> and O <ns0:sc>I</ns0:sc> are remarkably similar, suggesting a common region of origin. Given the 1:1:1 ratio of the Ca <ns0:sc>II</ns0:sc> triplet, this region is likely a high-density emission zone, and the Ca <ns0:sc>II</ns0:sc>λ8662 profile is well described by a mildly eccentric, low-inclination relativistic line-emitting disk with minimal internal turbulence. The profile represents one of the clearest kinematic signatures of a relativistic disk observed in BLR emission lines to date. Conclusions. The double-peaked profiles of the NIR Ca <ns0:sc>II</ns0:sc> triplet and O <ns0:sc>I</ns0:sc>λ8446 in NGC 4593 represent the first detection of double-peaked Ca <ns0:sc>II</ns0:sc> and O <ns0:sc>I</ns0:sc>λ8446 in a nontransient AGN spectrum. The minimal intrinsic turbulence (the lowest value reported for an AGN emission line to date) and the absence of narrow or intermediate-width components in Ca <ns0:sc>II</ns0:sc>λ8662 make it a powerful diagnostic tool of BLR structure and kinematics. Further investigations of the profiles of Ca <ns0:sc>II</ns0:sc> and O <ns0:sc>I</ns0:sc> in other AGN are recommended to better constrain BLR properties and the nature of the underlying accretion flow.
Publication Details
- Journal
- Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology)
- Published
- 2025-05-14
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202554800/pdf
- Primary Topic
- Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00