Discovery of a luminous water megamaser in the FR II radiogalaxy 3 C 403
نویسندگان
چکیده
We report the first detection of a water megamaser in a radio-loud galaxy, 3C 403. This object has been observed as part of a small sample of FR IIs with evidence of nuclear obscuration. The isotropic luminosity of the maser is ∼1200 L . With a recessional velocity of cz∼ 17680 kms−1 it is the most distant H2O maser so far reported. The line arises from the densest interstellar gas component ever observed in a radio-loud galaxy. Two spectral features are observed, likely bracketing the systemic velocity of the galaxy. These may either arise from the tangentially seen parts of a nuclear accretion disk or from dense warm gas interacting with the radio jets.
منابع مشابه
ar X iv : a st ro - p h / 04 08 32 7 v 1 1 8 A ug 2 00 4 Probing the obscuring medium around active nuclei using masers : The case of 3 C 403
We report the first detection of a water megamaser in a radio-loud galaxy, 3C 403, and present a follow-up study using the VLA. 3C 403 has been observed as a part of a small sample of FR II galaxies with evidence of nuclear obscuration. The isotropic luminosity of the maser is ∼ 1200 L⊙. With a recessional velocity of cz ∼ 17680 km s −1 it is the most distant water maser so far reported. The li...
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