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http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12386/32257
Title: | A possible sub-kiloparsec dual AGN buried behind the galaxy curtain | Authors: | SEVERGNINI, Paola BRAITO, Valentina CICONE, CLAUDIA SARACCO, Paolo Vignali, C. SERAFINELLI, ROBERTO DELLA CECA, Roberto Dotti, M. CUSANO, FELICE PARIS, Diego Pruto, G. Zaino, A. Ballo, L. LANDONI, Marco |
Issue Date: | 2021 | Journal: | ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS | Number: | 646 | First Page: | A153 | Abstract: | Although thousands of galaxy mergers are known, only a handful of sub-kiloparsec-scale supermassive black hole (SMBH) pairs have been confirmed so far, leaving a huge gap between the observed and predicted numbers of such objects. In this work, we present a detailed analysis of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey optical spectrum and of near-infrared (NIR) diffraction limited imaging of <ASTROBJ>SDSS J1431+4358</ASTROBJ>. This object is a local radio-quiet type 2 active galactic nucleus (AGN) previously selected as a double AGN candidate on the basis of the double-peaked [OIII] emission line. The NIR adaptive optics-assisted observations were obtained at the Large Binocular Telescope with the LUCI+FLAO camera. We found that most of the prominent optical emission lines are characterized by a double-peaked profile, mainly produced by AGN photoionization. Our spectroscopical analysis disfavors the hypothesis that the double-peaked emission lines in the source are the signatures of outflow kinematics, leaving open the possibility that we are detecting either the rotation of a single narrow-line region or the presence of two SMBHs orbiting around a common central potential. The latter scenario is further supported by the high-spatial resolution NIR imaging: after subtracting the dominant contribution of the stellar bulge component in the host galaxy, we detect two faint nuclear sources at r < 0.5 kpc projected separation. Interestingly, the two sources have a position angle consistent with that defined by the two regions where the [OIII] double peaks most likely originate. Aside from the discovery of a promising sub-kiloparsec scale dual AGN, our analysis shows the importance of an appropriate host galaxy subtraction in order to achieve a reliable estimate of the incidence of dual AGNs at small projected separations. | URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12386/32257 | URL: | https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2021/02/aa39576-20/aa39576-20.html http://arxiv.org/abs/2012.09184v2 |
ISSN: | 0004-6361 | DOI: | 10.1051/0004-6361/202039576 | Bibcode ADS: | 2021A&A...646A.153S | Fulltext: | open |
Appears in Collections: | 1.01 Articoli in rivista |
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aa39576-20.pdf | Pdf editoriale | 580.7 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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