Modelling photometric reverberation mapping data for the next generation of big data surveys. Quasar accretion discs sizes with the LSST

Núñez, F. Pozo; Bruckmann, C; Desamutara, S; Czerny, Bożena; Panda, Swayamtrupta; Lobban, A.; Pietrzyński, G.; Polsterer, Kai Lars

doi:10.1093/mnras/stad286

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 108 publications

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“…In addition to WFD, LSST will allocate ∼10% of its observing time to five Deep-Drilling-Fields (DDFs) for a high-cadence (∼14000 visits) deep monitoring survey down to a coadded depth of ugrizy deeper than 26.5-28.5 mag (Brandt et al 2018). The accuracy of the lags can be 5% or 15% with a 2 or 5 days cadence, respectively (Pozo Nuñez et al 2023). As studied in Kovačević et al (2022), if the observational strategy for these fields has a cadence of 1-5 days and duration >9 yr, the expected number of sources, whose continuum lags can be successfully measured, is >1000 for each DDF (10 square degree) in any filter.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating AGN Black Hole Masses via Continuum Reverberation Mapping in the Era of LSST

Wang

Guo

Woo

2023

ApJL

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Spectroscopic reverberation mapping (RM) is a direct approach widely used to determine the mass of black holes (BHs) in active galactic nuclei (AGNs). However, it is very time consuming and difficult to apply to a large AGN sample. The empirical relation between the broad-line region size and luminosity (Hβ R BLR–L) provides a practical alternative yet is subject to large scatter and systematic bias. Based on the relation between the continuum emitting region size and luminosity (R CER–L) reported by Netzer (2022), we present a new BH mass estimator via continuum RM (CRM) by comparing R CER and R BLR, assuming that the continuum lags are dominated by the diffuse continuum emission. Using a sample of 21 AGNs, we find a tight R BLR–R CER relation (scatter∼0.28 dex) and that R BLR is larger than R CER at 5100 Å by an average factor of 8.1. This tight relation enables the BH mass estimation based on the CRM combined with the velocity information. Applying the relation to rest objects in our CRM sample, we demonstrate that the predicted R BLR,CRM follows the existing Hβ R BLR–L relation well and the estimated CRM BH masses are consistent with the RM/single-epoch BH masses using Hβ. This method will provide significant applications for BH mass estimation thanks to the short continuum lags and the easily accessible high-cadence, large-area photometric data, especially in the era of Legacy Survey of Space and Time.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating AGN Black Hole Masses via Continuum Reverberation Mapping in the Era of LSST

Wang

Guo

Woo

2023

ApJL

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“…The expected AD time delays are calculated following the standard thermal reprocessing scenario with its application to PRM of the AD, as outlined in Pozo Nuñez et al ( , 2023a. In brief, the energy flux radiated from the disk combines viscous heating and external irradiation from the socalled X-ray corona.…”

Section: Simulationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There are proposed solutions to the AD size problem that include contamination from nearby regions, such as the BLR, which appears in the form of lines and diffuse continuum emission (DCE; Korista & Goad 2001;Lawther et al 2018;Korista & Goad 2019;Netzer 2022;Pandey et al 2023) or even other underappreciated nondisk components (Chelouche et al 2019). These components can lead to lower or higher delays depending on the relative contribution to the filters (Pozo Nuñez et al 2023a). Internal reddening due to dust near AD, and more distant host galaxy contamination further complicate luminosity determinations, potentially underestimating AD sizes (Gaskell et al 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Probing the C iv Continuum Size–Luminosity Relation in Active Galactic Nuclei with Photometric Reverberation Mapping

Panda,

Pozo Nuñez,

Bañados

et al. 2024

ApJL

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Reverberation mapping accurately determines virial black hole masses only for redshifts z < 0.2 by utilizing the relationship between the Hβ broad-line region (BLR) size and the 5100 Å continuum luminosity established with ∼200 active galactic nuclei. For quasars at z ∼ 2–3 determining the BLR size is time-consuming and limited by seasonal gaps, requiring, e.g., ∼20 yr of monitoring of the C iv emission lines. In this work, we demonstrate that an efficient alternative is to use a continuum size–luminosity relation, which can be obtained up to 150 times faster than BLR sizes using photometric reverberation mapping (PRM). We outline the method and its feasibility based on simulations and propose an observational strategy that can be carried out with meter-class telescopes. In particular, we focus on the ESO La Silla 2.2 m telescope as it is suitable for an efficient PRM campaign. These observations will provide the scaling factor between the accretion disk and the BLR size (for C iv-1350 Å), which is crucial for estimating the masses of black holes at higher redshifts (z ≳ 2–3).

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“…LSST will provide photometric light curves in ugrizy bands, allowing us to study the wavelength dependence of quasar lags. Kovacevic et al (2022), Pozo Nuñez et al (2023, and others found that LSST should be able to detect short lags in quasar light curves. Here, we generate mock LSST quasar light curves reprocessed with several different short and long lags.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Negative Lags on the Viscous Timescale in Quasar Photometry and Prospects for Detecting More with LSST

Secunda,

Greene,

Jiang 姜

et al. 2023

ApJ

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The variability of quasar light curves can be used to study the structure of quasar accretion disks. For example, continuum reverberation mapping uses delays between variability in short and long wavelength bands (short lags) to measure the radial extent and temperature profile of the disk. Recently, a potential reverse lag, where variations in shorter wavelength bands lag the longer wavelength bands at the much longer viscous timescale, was detected for Fairall 9. Inspired by this detection, we derive a timescale for these long negative lags from fluctuation propagation models and recent simulations. We use this timescale to forecast our ability to detect long lags using the Vera Rubin Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). After exploring several methods, including the interpolated cross-correlation function, a Von-Neumann estimator, javelin, and a maximum-likelihood Fourier method, we find that our two main methods, javelin and the maximum-likelihood method, can together detect long lags of up to several hundred days in mock LSST light curves. Our methods work best on proposed LSST cadences with long season lengths, but can also work for the current baseline LSST cadence, especially if we add observations from other optical telescopes during seasonal gaps. We find that LSST has the potential to detect dozens to hundreds of additional long lags. Detecting these long lags can teach us about the vertical structure of quasar disks and how it scales with different quasar properties.

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Modelling photometric reverberation mapping data for the next generation of big data surveys. Quasar accretion discs sizes with the LSST

Cited by 14 publications

References 108 publications

Estimating AGN Black Hole Masses via Continuum Reverberation Mapping in the Era of LSST

Estimating AGN Black Hole Masses via Continuum Reverberation Mapping in the Era of LSST

Probing the C iv Continuum Size–Luminosity Relation in Active Galactic Nuclei with Photometric Reverberation Mapping

Negative Lags on the Viscous Timescale in Quasar Photometry and Prospects for Detecting More with LSST

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