Estimating sizes of Type 2 AGN narrow-line regions from multiple survey spectra -- a demonstration

TL;DR

This paper presents a method to estimate the size of narrow-line regions in a Type-2 AGN by comparing spectroscopic data from different survey fibers, confirming the NLR size within empirical relations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach using multi-survey spectral comparison and light curve analysis to estimate NLR sizes in Type-2 AGN, demonstrating its effectiveness on SDSS J0838.

Findings

Over 90% of [O III] emission covered by the smaller fiber

NLR size upper limit estimated at 1 arcsecond (2250 pc)

NLR size consistent with empirical R-L relation

Abstract

In the Letter, an interesting method is proposed to estimate size of narrow emission lines regions (NLRs) of a Type-2 AGN SDSS J083823.91+490241.1 (=SDSS J0838) at a redshift of 0.101, by comparing spectroscopic properties through the SDSS fiber (MJD=51873) (diameter of 3 arcseconds) and through the eBOSS fiber (MJD=55277) (diameter of 2 arcseconds). After subtractions of pPXF method determined host galaxy contributions, the narrow emission lines of SDSS J0838 in the SDSS spectrum and in the eBOSS spectrum can be well measured by Gaussian functions, leading more than 90\% of [O~{\sc iii}] emissions to be covered by the eBOSS fiber with diameter of 2 arcseconds. Meanwhile, both none broad emission components and none-variabilities of ZTF 3years-long g/r-band light curves can be applied to confirm SDSS J0838 as a Type-2 AGN, indicating few orientation effects on the projected NLRs size in SDSS J0838. Therefore, upper limit about 1arcsecond (2250pc) of the NLRs size can be reasonably accepted in SDSS J0838. Combining with the intrinsic reddening corrected [O~{\sc iii}] line luminosity, the upper limit of NLRs size in SDSS J0838 well lies within the 99.9999\% confidence bands of the R-L empirical relation for NLRs in AGN.