In this contribution, we achieve the primary goal of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) STORM campaign by recovering velocity–delay maps for the prominent broad emission lines (Ly α , C iv , He ii , and H β ) in the spectrum of NGC 5548. These are the most detailed velocity–delay maps ever obtained for an AGN, providing unprecedented information on the geometry, ionization structure, and kinematics of the broad-line region. Virial envelopes enclosing the emission-line responses show that the reverberating gas is bound to the black hole. A stratified ionization structure is evident. The He ii response inside 5–10 lt-day has a broad single-peaked velocity profile. The Ly α , C iv , and H β responses extend from inside 2 to outside 20 lt-day, with double peaks at ±2500 km s −1 in the 10–20 lt-day delay range. An incomplete ellipse in the velocity–delay plane is evident in H β . We interpret the maps in terms of a Keplerian disk with a well-defined outer rim at R = 20 lt-day. The far-side response is weaker than that from the near side. The line-center delay τ = ( R / c ) ( 1 − sin i ) ≈ 5 days gives the inclination i ≈ 45°. The inferred black hole mass is M BH ≈ 7 × 10 7 M ⊙ . In addition to reverberations, the fit residuals confirm that emission-line fluxes are depressed during the “BLR Holiday” identified in previous work. Moreover, a helical “Barber-Pole” pattern, with stripes moving from red to blue across the C iv and Ly α line profiles, suggests azimuthal structure rotating with a 2 yr period that may represent precession or orbital motion of inner-disk structures casting shadows on the emission-line region farther out.

We present geometric and dynamical modeling of the broad line region (BLR) for the multi-wavelength reverberation mapping campaign focused on NGC 5548 in 2014. The data set includes photometric and spectroscopic monitoring in the optical and ultraviolet, covering the H beta, Civ, and Ly alpha broad emission lines. We find an extended disk-like H beta BLR with a mixture of near-circular and outflowing gas trajectories, while the Civand Ly alpha BLRs are much less extended and resemble shell-like structures. There is clear radial structure in the BLR, with Civand Ly alpha emission arising at smaller radii than the H beta emission. Using the three lines, we make three independent black hole mass measurements, all of which are consistent. Combining these results gives a joint inference of log(10) (M-BH/M-circle dot) = 7.64(-0.18)(+0.21). We examine the effect of using the V band instead of the UV continuum light curve on the results and find a size difference that is consistent with the measured UV-optical time lag, but the other structural and kinematic parameters remain unchanged, suggesting that theVband is a suitable proxy for the ionizing continuum when exploring the BLR structure and kinematics. Finally, we compare the H beta results to similar models of data obtained in 2008 when the active galactic nucleus was at a lower luminosity state. We find that the size of the emitting region increased during this time period, but the geometry and black hole mass remained unchanged, which confirms that the BLR kinematics suitably gauge the gravitational field of the central black hole.

Context. AGN outflows are thought to influence the evolution of their host galaxies and their super massive black holes. To better understand these outflows, we executed a deep multiwavelength campaign on NGC 7469. The resulting data, combined with those of earlier epochs, allowed us to construct a comprehensive physical, spatial, and temporal picture for this AGN wind. Aims. Our aim is to determine the distance of the UV outflow components from the central source, their abundances and total column-density, and the mechanism responsible for their observed absorption variability. Methods. We studied the UV spectra acquired during the campaign as well as from three previous epochs (2002-2010). Our main analysis tools are ionic column-density extraction techniques and photoionization models (both equilibrium and time-dependent models) based on the code CLOUDY. Results. For component 1 (at -600 km s(-1)) our findings include the following: metallicity that is roughly twice solar; a simple model based on a fixed total column-density absorber, reacting to changes in ionizing illumination that matches the different ionic column densities derived from four spectroscopic epochs spanning 13 years; and a distance of R = 6(-1.5)(+2.5) pc from the central source. Component 2 (at -1430 km s(-1)) has shallow troughs and is at a much larger R. For component 3 (at -1880 km s(-1)) our findings include: a similar metallicity to component 1; a photoionization-based model can explain the major features of its complicated absorption trough variability and an upper limit of 60 or 150 pc on R. This upper limit is consistent and complementary to the X-ray derived lower limit of 12 or 31 pc for R. The total column density of the UV phase is roughly 1% and 0.1% of the lower and upper ionization components of the warm absorber, respectively. Conclusions. The NGC 7469 outflow shows super-solar metallicity similar to the outflow in Mrk 279, carbon and nitrogen are twice and four times more abundant than their solar values, respectively. Similar to the NGC 5548 case, a simple model can explain the physical characteristics and the variability observed in the outflow.

We model the ultraviolet spectra of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC~5548 obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope during the 6-month reverberation-mapping campaign in 2014. Our model of the emission from NGC 5548 corrects for overlying absorption and deblends the individual emission lines. Using the modeled spectra, we measure the response to continuum variations for the deblended and absorption-corrected individual broad emission lines, the velocity-dependent profiles of Ly$\alpha$ and C IV, and the narrow and broad intrinsic absorption features. We find that the time lags for the corrected emission lines are comparable to those for the original data. The velocity-binned lag profiles of Ly$\alpha$ and C IV have a double-peaked structure indicative of a truncated Keplerian disk. The narrow absorption lines show delayed response to continuum variations corresponding to recombination in gas with a density of $\sim 10^5~\rm cm^{-3}$. The high-ionization narrow absorption lines decorrelate from continuum variations during the same period as the broad emission lines. Analyzing the response of these absorption lines during this period shows that the ionizing flux is diminished in strength relative to the far-ultraviolet continuum. The broad absorption lines associated with the X-ray obscurer decrease in strength during this same time interval. The appearance of X-ray obscuration in $\sim\,2012$ corresponds with an increase in the luminosity of NGC 5548 following an extended low state. We suggest that the obscurer is a disk wind triggered by the brightening of NGC 5548 following the decrease in size of the broad-line region during the preceding low-luminosity state.

The Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) was installed on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in May 2009. COS is designed to perform high-sensitivity medium- and low-resolution spectroscopy of astronomical objects in the far-ultraviolet and near-ultraviolet wavelength regimes. We present an overview of a new comprehensive data repository, COSMO (COS MOnitoring) that is capable of automatic data retrieval and reduction as well as monitoring the instrument through analysis of observations and telemetry. COSMO relies on a database that allows for dynamic querying across a wide array of gathered data metrics. Calibration programs that monitor the instrument's stability and behavior have been integrated with COSMO to provide timely and accurate analysis of the COS detectors.

Aims. To elucidate the location, physical conditions, mass outflow rate, and kinetic luminosity of the outflow from the active nucleus of the Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 509, we used coordinated UV and X-ray spectral observations in 2012 to follow up our lengthier campaign conducted in 2009. Methods. We observed Mrk 509 with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) on 2012-09-03 and 2012-10-11 coordinated with X-ray observations using the High Energy Transmission Grating on the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Our far-ultraviolet spectra used grating G140L on COS to cover wavelengths from 920-2000 angstrom at a resolving power of similar to 2000, and gratings G130M and G160M to cover 1160-1750 angstrom at a resolving power of similar to 15, 000. Results. We detect variability in the blueshifted UV absorption lines on timescales spanning 3-12 years. The inferred densities in the absorbing gas are greater than log n cm(-3) similar to 3. For ionization parameters ranging over log U = -1.5 to -0.2, we constrain the distances of the absorbers to be closer than 220 pc to the active nucleus. Conclusions. The impact on the host galaxy appears to be confined to the nuclear region.

We analyze extensive ground- and space-based ultraviolet-infrared observations of the variable white dwarf BOKS 53856. Photometry and spectroscopy were obtained from the Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, Kepler and Swift satellites, Palomar Observatory, and Kitt Peak National Observatory. Time series data spanning the entire four-year Kepler mission are used to refine the photometric rotation period of the white dwarf to 0.2557292(9) days. The associated periodic variability, with full (minimum to maximum) amplitudes of approximate to 5% and approximate to 10% in the optical and ultraviolet, respectively, is consistent with the presence of several dark spots on the white dwarf surface. A fit to the observed ultraviolet-infrared spectral energy distribution of BOKS 53856 using a grid of non-LTE synthetic spectra gives best values of effective temperature, T-WD = 31,056(19) K, surface gravity, log g = 7.913(5), mass, M-WD = 0.603(2) M-circle dot, radius, R-WD = 0.0142(4) R-circle dot, reddening, Eb-v = 0.0533(1), and distance, d = 277(10) pc. The Hubble ultraviolet spectrum does not show a detectable signature of accreted metals, and the Spitzer infrared photometry does not reveal an excess attributable to a circumstellar dust disk. Nonetheless, the ground-based optical spectra show a very weak, variable Ca II K absorption line that is phased with the Kepler light curve, being strongest at minimum brightness. We discuss BOKS 53856 and similar objects in the context of a localized enhancement of absorption from metals in dark (possibly magnetic) spots on the white dwarf surface.

White dwarf WD 1145+017 is orbited by several clouds of dust, possibly emanating from actively disintegrating bodies. These dust clouds reveal themselves through deep, broad, and evolving transits in the star's light curve. Here, we report two epochs of multiwavelength photometric observations of WD 1145+017, including several filters in the optical, K-s and 4.5 mu m bands in 2016 and 2017. The observed transit depths are different at these wavelengths. However, after correcting for excess dust emission at Ks and 4.5 mu m, we find the transit depths for the white dwarf itself are the same at all wavelengths, at least to within the observational uncertainties of similar to 5-10 per cent. From this surprising result, and under the assumption of low optical depth dust clouds, we conclude that there is a deficit of small particles (with radii s less than or similar to 1.5 mu m) in the transiting material. We propose a model wherein only large particles can survive the high equilibrium temperature environment corresponding to 4.5 h orbital periods around WD 1145+017, while small particles sublimate rapidly. In addition, we evaluate dust models that are permitted by our measurements of infrared emission.

During the Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping Project observations of NGC 5548, the continuum and emission-line variability became decorrelated during the second half of the six-month-long observing campaign. Here we present Swift and Chandra X-ray spectra of NGC 5548 obtained as part of the campaign. The Swift spectra show that excess flux (relative to a power-law continuum) in the soft X-ray band appears before the start of the anomalous emission-line behavior, peaks during the period of the anomaly, and then declines. This is a model-independent result suggesting that the soft excess is related to the anomaly. We divide the Swift data into on-and off-anomaly spectra to characterize the soft excess via spectral fitting. The cause of the spectral differences is likely due to a change in the intrinsic spectrum rather than to variable obscuration or partial covering. The Chandra spectra have lower signal-to-noise ratios, but are consistent with the Swift data. Our preferred model of the soft excess is emission from an optically thick, warm Comptonizing corona, the effective optical depth of which increases during the anomaly. This model simultaneously explains all three observations: the UV emission-line flux decrease, the soft-excess increase, and the emission-line anomaly.

Context. Past studies based on optical spectroscopy suggest that the five omega Cen pulsators form a rather homogeneous group of hydrogen-rich subdwarf O stars with effective temperatures of around 50 000 K. This places the stars below the red edge of the theoretical instability strip in the log g - T-eff diagram, where no pulsation modes are predicted to be excited.Aims. Our goal is to determine whether this temperature discrepancy is real, or whether the stars' effective temperatures were simply underestimated.Methods. We present a spectral analysis of two rapidly pulsating extreme horizontal branch (EHB) stars found in omega Cen. We obtained Hubble Space Telescope/COS UV spectra of two omega Cen pulsators, V1 and V5, and used the ionisation equilibrium of UV metallic lines to better constrain their effective temperatures. As a by-product we also obtained FUV lightcurves of the two pulsators.Results. Using the relative strength of the N IV and N V lines as a temperature indicator yields T-eff values close to 60 000 K, significantly hotter than the temperatures previously derived. From the FUV light curves we were able to confirm the main pulsation periods known from optical data.Conclusions. With the UV spectra indicating higher effective temperatures than previously assumed, the sdO stars would now be found within the predicted instability strip. Such higher temperatures also provide consistent spectroscopic masses for both the cool and hot EHB stars of our previously studied sample.

We conduct a multiwavelength continuum variability study of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 to investigate the temperature structure of its accretion disk. The 19 overlapping continuum light curves (1158 to 9157 angstroms) combine simultaneous HST , Swift , and ground-based observations over a 180 day period from 2014 January to July. Light-curve variability is interpreted as the reverberation response of the accretion disk to irradiation by a central time-varying point source. Our model yields the disk inclination, i, temperature T1 at 1 light day from the black hole, and a temperature-radius slope, alpha. We also infer the driving light curve and find that it correlates poorly with both the hard and soft X-ray light curves, suggesting that the X-rays alone may not drive the ultraviolet and optical variability over the observing period. We also decompose the light curves into bright, faint, and mean accretion-disk spectra. These spectra lie below that expected for a standard blackbody accretion disk accreting at L/LEdd = 0.1

We present the results of an optical spectroscopic monitoring program targeting NGC 5548 as part of a larger multiwavelength reverberation mapping campaign. The campaign spanned 6 months and achieved an almost daily cadence with observations from five ground-based telescopes. The Hβ and He ii λ4686 broad emission-line light curves lag that of the 5100 Å optical continuum by and , respectively. The Hβ lag relative to the 1158 Å ultraviolet continuum light curve measured by the Hubble Space Telescope is ∼50% longer than that measured against the optical continuum, and the lag difference is consistent with the observed lag between the optical and ultraviolet continua. This suggests that the characteristic radius of the broad-line region is ∼50% larger than the value inferred from optical data alone. We also measured velocity-resolved emission-line lags for Hβ and found a complex velocity-lag structure with shorter lags in the line wings, indicative of a broad-line region dominated by Keplerian motion. The responses of both the Hβ and He ii emission lines to the driving continuum changed significantly halfway through the campaign, a phenomenon also observed for C iv, Lyα, He ii(+O iii]), and Si iv(+O iv]) during the same monitoring period. Finally, given the optical luminosity of NGC 5548 during our campaign, the measured Hβ lag is a factor of five shorter than the expected value implied by the RBLR–LAGN relation based on the past behavior of NGC 5548.

We present ground-based optical photometric monitoring data for NGC 5548, part of an extended multiwavelength reverberation mapping campaign. The light curves have nearly daily cadence from 2014 January to July in nine filters (BVRI and ugriz). Combined with ultraviolet data from the Hubble Space Telescope and Swift, we confirm significant time delays between the continuum bands as a function of wavelength, extending the wavelength coverage from 1158 Å to the z band (~9160 Å). We find that the lags at wavelengths longer than the V band are equal to or greater than the lags of high-ionization-state emission lines (such as He IIl1640 andl4686), suggesting that the continuum-emitting source is of a physical size comparable to the inner broad-line region (BLR). The trend of lag with wavelength is broadly consistent with the prediction for continuum reprocessing by an accretion disk with t l μ 4 3. However, the lags also imply a disk radius that is 3 times larger than the prediction from standard thin-disk theory, assuming that the bolometric luminosity is 10% of the Eddington luminosity ( = L L 0.1 Edd). Using optical spectra from the Large Binocular Telescope, we estimate the bias of the interband continuum lags due to BLR emission observed in the filters. We find that the bias for filters with high levels of BLR contamination (~20%) can be important for the shortest continuum lagsand likely has a significant impact on the u and U bands owing to Balmer continuum emission.

Context. Radio-loud AGNs with powerful relativistic jets are thought to be associated with rapidly spinning black holes (BHs). BH spin-up may result from a number of processes, including accretion of matter onto the BH itself, and catastrophic events such as BH-BH mergers. Aims. We study the intriguing properties of the powerful (L_bol ~ 10^47 erg s^-1) radio-loud quasar 3C 186. This object shows peculiar features both in the images and in the spectra. Methods. We utilize near-IR Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images to study the properties of the host galaxy, and HST UV and Sloan Digital Sky Survey optical spectra to study the kinematics of the source. Chandra X-ray data are also used to better constrain the physical interpretation. Results. HST imaging shows that the active nucleus is offset by 1.3 +- 0.1 arcsec (i.e. ~11 kpc) with respect to the center of the host galaxy. Spectroscopic data show that the broad emission lines are offset by -2140 +-390 km/s with respect to the narrow lines. Velocity shifts are often seen in QSO spectra, in particular in high-ionization broad emission lines. The host galaxy of the quasar displays a distorted morphology with possible tidal features that are typical of the late stages of a galaxy merger. Conclusions. A number of scenarios can be envisaged to account for the observed features. While the presence of a peculiar outflow cannot be completely ruled out, all of the observed features are consistent with those expected if the QSO is associated with a gravitational wave (GW) recoiling BH. Future detailed studies of this object will allow us to confirm this type of scenario and will enable a better understanding of both the physics of BH-BH mergers and the phenomena associated with the emission of GW from astrophysical sources.