The AGN properties of the starburst galaxy NGC 7582

TL;DR

This study reclassifies NGC 7582 as a Seyfert 1 galaxy by analyzing optical and X-ray data, revealing broad emission lines and scattered AGN light, thus clarifying its active galactic nucleus properties.

Contribution

The paper presents new optical IFU observations and analysis that identify broad emission lines and scattered AGN light, leading to a reclassification of NGC 7582 as a Seyfert 1 galaxy.

Findings

Detection of broad Hα emission confirming AGN presence.

Identification of extended broad Hβ indicating scattered light.

Reclassification of NGC 7582 as a Seyfert 1 galaxy.

Abstract

NGC 7582 was identified as a Starburst galaxy in the optical \cite[(Veron et al. 1981)]{Veron et al.(1981)} but its X-Ray emission is typical of a Seyfert 1 galaxy \cite[(Ward et al. 1978)]{Ward et al.(1978)}. We analyzed a datacube of this object obtained with the GMOS-IFU on the Gemini-South telescope. After a subtraction of the stellar component using the {\sc starlight} code \cite[(Cid Fernandes et al. 2005)]{Cid Fernandes et al. (2005)}, we looked for optical signatures of the AGN. We detected a broad $H\alpha$ component (figure \ref{fig1}) in the source where \cite[Bianchi et al.(2007)]{Bianchi et al.(2007)} identified the AGN in an HST optical image. We also found a broad $H\beta$ feature (figure \ref{fig2}), but its emission reveals a extended source. We suggest that it is the light of the AGN scattered in the ionization cone. We propose that NGC 7582 is a Seyfert 1 galaxy. A number of other "hot-spots" and Wolf-Rayet features were also identified.