Abstract
In this paper, we show that if the broad-line region clouds are in approximate energy equipartition between the magnetic field and gravity, as hypothesized by Rees, there will be a significant effect on the shape and smoothness of broad emission-line profiles in active galactic nuclei. Linewidths of contributing clouds or flow elements are much wider than their thermal widths, because of the presence of non-dissipative magnetohydrodynamic waves and their collective contribution produce emission-line profiles broader and smoother than would be expected if a magnetic field were not present. As an illustration, a simple model of isotropically emitting clouds, normally distributed in velocity, is used to show that smoothness can be achieved for less than ∼8×104 clouds and may even be as low as a few hundred. We conclude that magnetic confinement has far-reaching consequences for observing and modelling active galactic nuclei.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2000
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-8711.2000.03465.x
Repository Citation
Bottorff, M. C. and Ferland, Gary J., "Magnetic Confinement, Magnetohydrodynamic Waves and Smooth Line Profiles in Active Galactic Nuclei" (2000). Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications. 49.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/physastron_facpub/49
Notes/Citation Information
Published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, v. 316, issue 1, p. 103-106.
This article has been accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ©: 2000 The Authors Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.
The copyright holder has granted the permission for posting the article here.