Spatially resolved spectroscopy to confirm or disprove dual active galactic nuclei

Rosalie C. McGurk, Claire E. Max, Anne Medling, Gregory A. Shields

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

    Abstract

    When galaxies merge, gas accretes onto both central supermassive black holes. Thus, one expects to see dual active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in a fraction of galaxy mergers. Candidates for galaxies containing dual AGNs have been identified by the presence of double-peaked narrow [O III] emission lines and by high spatial resolution images of close galaxy pairs. 30% of double-peaked narrow [OIII] emission line SDSS AGNs have two spatial components within a 3 radius. However, spatially resolved spectroscopy is needed to confirm these galaxy pairs as systems with double AGNs. With the Keck 2 Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics system and the OSIRIS near-infrared integral field spectrograph, we obtained spatially resolved spectra for SDSS J095207.62+255257.2, confirming that it contains a Type 1 and a Type 2 AGN separated by 4.8 kpc (=1.0). We performed similar integral field and long-slit spectroscopy observations of more spatially separated candidate dual AGNs and will report on the varied results. By assessing what fraction of radio-quiet double-peaked emission line SDSS AGNs are true dual AGNs, we can better constrain the statistics of dual AGNs and characterize physical conditions throughout these interacting AGNs.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationMultiwavelength AGN Surveys and Studies
    PublisherCambridge University Press
    Pages371-374
    Number of pages4
    EditionS304
    ISBN (Print)9781107045248
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Jul 2014

    Publication series

    NameProceedings of the International Astronomical Union
    NumberS304
    Volume9
    ISSN (Print)1743-9213
    ISSN (Electronic)1743-9221

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