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The gamma-ray emitting narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies are a unique class of objects that launch powerful jets from relatively lower-mass black hole systems compared to the Blazars. However, the black hole masses estimated from the total flux spectrum suffer from the projection effect, making the mass measurement highly uncertain. The polarized spectrum provides a unique view of the central engine through scattered light. We performed spectropolarimetric observations of the gamma-ray emitting narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy 1H0323 + 342 using SPOL/MMT. The degree of polarization and polarization angle are 0.122 |$\pm$| 0.040 per cent and 142 |$\pm$| 9 degrees, while the H |$\alpha$| line is polarized at 0.265 |$\pm$| 0.280 per cent. We decomposed the total flux spectrum and estimated broad H |$\alpha$| full width at half maximum of 1015 km s |$^{-1}$| . The polarized flux spectrum shows a broadening similar to the total flux spectrum, with a broadening ratio of 1.22. The Monte Carlo radiative transfer code 'STOKES' applied to the data provides the best fit for a small viewing angle of 9–24 deg and a small optical depth ratio between the polar and the equatorial scatters. A thick broad-line region with significant scale height can explain a similar broadening of the polarized spectrum compared to the total flux spectrum with a small viewing angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, we demonstrated that Mg  ii and C  iv reverberation-mapped quasars (RM QSOs) are standardizable and that the cosmological parameters inferred using the broad-line region radius–luminosity (R–L) relation are consistent with those determined from better-established cosmological probes. With more data expected from ongoing and future spectroscopic and photometric surveys, it is imperative to examine how new QSO data sets of varied quality, with their own specific luminosity and time-delay distributions, can be best used to determine more restrictive cosmological parameter constraints. In this study, we test the effect of adding 25 OzDES Mg  ii RM QSOs as well as 25 lower quality SDSS RM C  iv QSOs, which increases the previous sample of RM QSOs by |$\sim 36{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$|⁠. Although cosmological parameter constraints become tighter for some cosmological models after adding these new QSOs, the new combined data sets have increased differences between R – L parameter values obtained in different cosmological models and thus a lower standardizability for the larger Mg  ii + C  iv compilation. Different time-delay methodologies, particularly the ICCF and CREAM methods used for inferring time delays of SDSS RM QSOs, slightly affect cosmological and R–L relation parameter values, however, the effect is negligible for (smaller) compilations of robust time-delay detections. Our analysis indicates that increasing the sample size is not sufficient for tightening cosmological constraints and a quality cut is necessary to obtain a standardizable RM QSO sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constraining the physical conditions of the ionized media in the vicinity of an active supermassive black hole (SMBH) is crucial to understanding how these complex systems operate. Metal emission lines such as iron (Fe) are useful probes to trace the gaseous media's abundance, activity, and evolution in these accreting systems. Among these, the Feii emission has been the focus of many prior studies to investigate the energetics, kinematics, and composition of the broad-emission line region (BELR) from where these emission lines are produced. In this paper, we present the first simultaneous Feii modeling in the optical and near-infrared (NIR) regions. We use cloudy photoionization code to simulate both spectral regions in the wavelength interval 4000–12,000 Å. We compare our model predictions with the observed line flux ratios for I Zw (Zwicky) 1—a prototypical strong Feii-emitting active galactic nuclei (AGNs). This allows setting constraints on the BLR cloud density and metal content that is optimal for the production of the Feii emission, which can be extended to I Zw 1-like sources by examining a broad parameter space. We demonstrate the salient and distinct features of the Feii pseudo-continuum in the optical and NIR, giving special attention to the effect of micro-turbulence on the intensity of the Feii emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 4D (four-dimensional) eigenvector 1 (E1) sequence has proven to be a highly effective tool for organizing observational and physical properties of type-1 active galactic nuclei (AGNs). In this paper, we present multiple measurements of metallicity for the broad line region gas, from new and previously-published data. We demonstrate a consistent trend along the optical plane of the E1 (also known as the quasar main sequence), defined by the line width of Balmer hydrogen H β profile and by a parameter measuring the prominence of singly-ionized iron emission. The trend involves an increase from sub-solar metallicity in correspondence with extreme Population B (weak Feii emission, large H β FWHM (full width at half maximum)) to metallicity several tens the solar value in correspondence with extreme Population A (strongest Feii optical emission, narrower H β profiles). The data establish the metallicity as a correlate of the 4DE1/main sequence. If the considerably high metallicity ( Z ≳ 10 Z ⊙ , solar metallicity) gas is expelled from the sphere of influence of the central black hole, as indicated by the widespread evidence of nuclear outflows and disk wind in the case of sources radiating at a high Eddington ratio, then it is possible that the outflows from quasars played a role in chemically enriching the host galaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When a galaxy falls into a cluster, its outermost parts are the most affected by the environment. In this paper, we are interested in studying the influence of a dense environment on different galaxy's components to better understand how this affects the evolution of galaxies. We use, as laboratory for this study, the Hydra cluster which is close to virialization; yet it still shows evidence of substructures. We present a multiwavelength bulge–disc decomposition performed simultaneously in 12 bands from S-PLUS (Southern Photometric Local Universe Survey) data for 52 galaxies brighter than mr  = 16. We model the galaxies with a Sérsic profile for the bulge and an exponential profile for the disc. We find that the smaller, more compact, and bulge-dominated galaxies tend to exhibit a redder colour at a fixed stellar mass. This suggests that the same mechanisms (ram-pressure and tidal stripping) that are causing the compaction in these galaxies are also causing them to stop forming stars. The bulge size is unrelated to the galaxy's stellar mass, while the disc size increases with greater stellar mass, indicating the dominant role of the disc in the overall galaxy mass–size relation found. Furthermore, our analysis of the environment unveils that quenched galaxies are prevalent in regions likely associated with substructures. However, these areas also harbour a minority of star-forming galaxies, primarily resulting from galaxy interactions. Lastly, we find that ∼37 per cent of the galaxies exhibit bulges that are bluer than their discs, indicative of an outside-in quenching process in this type of dense environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation of emission line regions within active galaxies (AGNs) has a rich and extensive history, now extending to the use of AGNs and quasars as "standardizable" cosmological indicators, shedding light on the evolution of our universe. As we enter the era of advanced observatories, such as the successful launch of the JWST and the forthcoming Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), the landscape of AGN exploration across cosmic epochs is poised for exciting advancements. In this work, we delve into recent developments in AGN variability research, anticipating the substantial influx of data facilitated by LSST. The article highlights recent strides made by the AGN Polish Consortium in their contributions to LSST. The piece emphasizes the role of quasars in cosmology, dissecting the intricacies of their calibration as standard candles. The primary focus centers on the relationship between the broad-line region size and luminosity, showcasing recent breakthroughs that enhance our comprehension of this correlation. These breakthroughs encompass a range of perspectives, including spectroscopic analyses, photoionization modeling, and collaborative investigations with other cosmological tools. The study further touches on select studies, underlining how the synergy of theoretical insights and advancements in observational capabilities has yielded deeper insights into these captivating cosmic entities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compact groups (CGs) of galaxies show members with morphological disturbances, mainly products of galaxy–galaxy interactions, thus making them ideal systems to study galaxy evolution, in high-density environment. To understand how this environment affects the properties of galaxies, we select a sample of 340 CGs in the Stripe 82 region, for a total of 1083 galaxies, and a sample of 2281 field galaxies as a control sample. By performing a multiwavelength morphological fitting process using Southern Photometric Local Universe Survey data, we divide our sample into early-type galaxies (ETGs), late-type galaxies (LTGs), and transition galaxies using the r -band Sérsic index and the colour (u − r). We find a bimodal distribution in the plane of the effective radius – Sérsic index, where a secondary 'peculiar' galaxy population of smaller and more compact galaxies is found in CGs, which is not observed in the control sample. This indicates that galaxies are undergoing a morphological transformation in CGs. In addition, we find significant statistical differences in the distribution of specific star-formation rate (sSFR) when we compare both environments for LTGs and ETGs. We also find a higher fraction of quenched galaxies and a lower median sSFR in CGs than in the control sample, suggesting the existence of environmental effects favouring the cessation of star formation, regardless of galaxy type. Our results support the notion that CGs promote morphological and physical transformations, highlighting their potential as ideal systems for galaxy pre-processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use measurements of 59/58 quasars (QSOs), over a redshift range 0.0041 ≤ z ≤ 1.686, to do a comparative study of the radius–luminosity (R − L) and X-ray−UV luminosity (LX − LUV) relations and the implication of these relations for cosmological parameter estimation. By simultaneously determining R − L or LX − LUV relation parameters and cosmological parameters in six different cosmological models, we find that both R − L and LX − LUV relations are standardizable but provide only weak cosmological parameter constraints, with LX − LUV relation data favouring larger current non-relativistic matter density parameter Ω m 0 values than R − L relation data and most other available data. We derive LX − LUV and R − L luminosity distances for each of the sources in the six cosmological models and find that LX − LUV relation luminosity distances are shorter than R − L relation luminosity distances as well as standard flat ΛCDM model luminosity distances. This explains why LX − LUV relation QSO data favour larger Ω m 0 values than do R − L relation QSO data or most other cosmological measurements. While our sample size is small and only spans a small z range, these results indicate that more work is needed to determine whether the LX − LUV relation can be used as a cosmological probe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical and UV properties of radio-quiet (RQ) and radio-loud (RL, relativistically "jetted") active galactic nuclei (AGN) are known to differ markedly; however, it is still unclear what is due to a sample selection and what is associated with intrinsic differences in the inner workings of their emitting regions. Chemical composition is an important parameter related to the trends of the quasar main sequence. Recent works suggest that in addition to physical properties such as density, column density, and ionization level, strong Feii emitters require very high metal content. Little is known, however, about the chemical composition of jetted radio-loud sources. In this short note, we present a pilot analysis of the chemical composition of low-z radio-loud and radio-quiet quasars. Optical and UV spectra from ground and space were combined to allow for precise measurements of metallicity-sensitive diagnostic ratios. The comparison between radio-quiet and radio-loud was carried out for sources in the same domain of the Eigenvector 1/main sequence parameter space. Arrays of dedicated photo-ionization simulations with the input of appropriate spectral energy distributions indicate that metallicity is sub-solar for RL AGN, and slightly sub-solar or around solar for RQ AGN. The metal content of the broad line-emitting region likely reflects a similar enrichment story for both classes of AGN not involving recent circum-nuclear or nuclear starbursts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use 38 C  iv quasar (QSO) reverberation-mapped observations, which span eight orders of magnitude in luminosity and the redshift range 0.001064 ≤ z ≤ 3.368, to simultaneously constrain cosmological-model and QSO radius–luminosity (R–L) relation parameters in six cosmological models, using an improved technique that more correctly accounts for the asymmetric errors bars of the time-lag measurements. We find that R–L relation parameters are independent of the cosmological models used in the analysis and so the R–L relation can be used to standardize the C  iv QSOs. The C  iv QSO cosmological constraints are consistent with those from Mg  ii QSOs, allowing us to derive joint C  iv + Mg  ii QSO cosmological constraints which are consistent with currently accelerated cosmological expansion, as well as consistent with cosmological constraints derived using better-established baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) and Hubble parameter [ H (z)] measurements. When jointly analysed with H (z) + BAO data, current C  iv + Mg  ii QSO data mildly tighten current H (z) + BAO data cosmological constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use observations of 66 reverberation-measured Mg  ii quasars (QSOs) in the redshift range 0.36 ≤ z ≤ 1.686 – a subset of the 78 QSOs we previously studied that also have |${\cal R}_{\rm {Fe\, {\small II}}}$| (flux ratio parameter of UV Fe  ii to Mg  ii that is used as an accretion-rate proxy) measurements – to simultaneously constrain cosmological model parameters and QSO two-parameter and three-parameter radius–luminosity (R – L) relation parameters in six different cosmological models. We find that these QSO R–L relation parameters are independent of the assumed cosmological model and so these QSOs are standardizable through the R – L relations. Also: (1) With the two-parameter R – L relation, we find that the low- |${\cal R}_{\rm {Fe\, {\small II}}}$| and high- |${\cal R}_{\rm {Fe\, {\small II}}}$| data subsets obey the same R – L relation within the error bars. (2) Extending the two-parameter R – L relation to a three-parameter one does not result in the hoped-for reduction in the intrinsic dispersion of the R–L relation. (3) Neither of the three-parameter R – L relations provide a significantly better fit to the measurements than does the two-parameter R – L relation. These are promising results for the ongoing development of Mg  ii cosmological probes. The first and third of these results differ significantly from those we found elsewhere from analyses of reverberation-measured H β QSOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using bona-fide black hole (BH) mass estimates from reverberation mapping and the line ratio [Si  vi ] 1.963 |$\rm{\mu m}$| /Brγbroad as tracer of the AGN ionizing continuum, a novel BH-mass scaling relation of the form log(M BH) = (6.40 ± 0.17) − (1.99 ± 0.37) × log ([Si  vi ]/Brγbroad), dispersion 0.47 dex, over the BH mass interval, 106–108 M⊙ is found. Following on the geometrically thin accretion disc approximation and after surveying a basic parameter space for coronal lines production, we believe one of main drivers of the relation is the effective temperature of the disc, which is effectively sampled by the [Si  vi ] 1.963 |$\rm{\mu m}$| coronal line for the range of BH masses considered. By means of cloudy photoionization models, the observed anticorrelation appears to be formally in line with the thin disc prediction T disc ∝  M BH−1/4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report preliminary results on the analysis of the continuum and Hβ light curves of the type‐1 active galactic nucleus (AGN) NGC 5548. We notice a clear signature of shallowing in the trend between the Hβ and the continuum luminosities. We attempt the recovery of this observed Hβ emission trend as a response to large continuum flux increase using CLOUDY photoionization simulations. We explore a wide range in the physical parameters space for modeling the Hβ emission from the broad‐line region (BLR) appropriate for this source. We employ a constant density, single‐cloud model approach in this study and successfully recover the observed shallowing of the Hβ emission with respect to rising AGN continuum. With our modeling, we are able to provide the constraints on the local BLR cloud density and recover the BLR distances (from the continuum source) consistent with the Hβ reverberation mapping estimates. We further discuss the implications of the BLR covering factor and their sizes on recovering the observed trend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last few years have seen the confirmation of several trends associated with the quasar main sequence. The idea of a main sequence for quasars is relatively recent, and its full potential for the observational classification and contextualization of quasars' properties has yet to be fully exploited. The main sequence drivers are discussed in terms of the properties of extreme objects. We briefly summarize developments that constrain the viewing angle of the accretion disk in a particular class of quasars (extreme Population B, radiating at low Eddington ratio), as well as inferences on the chemical composition of the broad line emitting gas, and on the nature of radio emission along the quasar main sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of the difference between optical and UV properties of radio-quiet and radioloud (relativistically “jetted”) active galactic nuclei (AGN) is a long standing one, related to the fundamental question of why a minority of powerful AGN possess strong radio emission due to relativistic ejections. This paper examines a particular aspect: the singly-ionized iron emission in the spectral range 4400–5600 Å, where the prominent HI Hb and [OIII]ll4959,5007 lines are also observed. We present a detailed comparison of the relative intensity of FeII multiplets in the spectral types of the quasar main sequence where most jetted sources are found, and afterwards discuss radioloud narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLSy1) nuclei with g-ray detection and with prominent FeII emission. An FeII template based on I Zw 1 provides an accurate representation of the optical FeII emission for RQ and, with some caveats, also for RL sources. CLOUDY photoionization simulations indicate that the observed spectral energy distribution can account for the modest FeII emission observed in composite radio-loud spectra. However, spectral energy differences alone cannot account for the stronger FeII emission observed in radio-quiet sources, for similar physical parameters. As for RL NLSy1s, they do not seem to behave like other RL sources, likely because of their different physical properties, that could be ultimately associated with a higher Eddington ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this second paper in the series, we carefully analyze the observational properties of the optical Fe ii and near-IR Ca ii triplet in active galactic nuclei (AGNs), as well as the luminosity, black hole mass, and Eddington ratio in order to define the driving mechanism behind the properties of our sample. The Ca ii shows an inverse Baldwin effect, bringing out the particular behavior of this ion with respect to the other low-ionization lines such as H β. We performed a principal component analysis, where 81.2% of the variance can be explained by the first three principal components drawn from the FWHMs, luminosity, and equivalent widths. The first principal component (PC1) is primarily driven by the combination of black hole mass and luminosity with a significance over 99.9%, which in turn is reflected in the strong correlation of the PC1 with the Eddington ratio. The observational correlations are better represented by the Eddington ratio; thus, it could be the primary mechanism behind the strong correlations observed in the Ca ii –Fe ii sample. Since calcium belongs to the α-elements, the Fe ii /Ca ii flux ratio can be used as a chemical clock for determining the metal content in AGNs and trace the evolution of the host galaxies. We confirm the de-enhancement of the ratio Fe ii /Ca ii by the Eddington ratio, suggesting a metal enrichment of the BLR in intermediate-z with respect to low-z objects. A larger sample, particularly at z > 2, is needed to confirm the present results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using six years of spectroscopic monitoring of the luminous quasar HE 0435-4312 (z = 1.2231) with the Southern African Large Telescope, in combination with photometric data (CATALINA, OGLE, SALTICAM, and BMT), we determined a rest-frame time delay of days between the Mg ii broad-line emission and the ionizing continuum using seven different time-delay inference methods. Time-delay artifact peaks and aliases were mitigated using the bootstrap method and prior weighting probability function, as well as by analyzing unevenly sampled mock light curves. The Mg ii emission is considerably variable with a fractional variability of ∼5.4%, which is comparable to the continuum variability (∼4.8%). Because of its high luminosity (L3000 = 1046.4 erg s−1), the source is beneficial for a further reduction of the scatter along the Mg ii -based radius–luminosity relation and its extended versions, especially when the highly accreting subsample that has an rms scatter of ∼0.2 dex is considered. This opens up the possibility of using the high-accretor Mg ii -based radius–luminosity relation for constraining cosmological parameters. With the current sample of 27 reverberation-mapped sources, the best-fit cosmological parameters (Ωm, ΩΛ) = (0.19; 0.62) are consistent with the standard cosmological model within the 1σ confidence level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an analysis of UV spectra of 13 quasars believed to belong to extreme Population A (xA) quasars, aimed at the estimation of the chemical abundances of the broad-line-emitting gas. Metallicity estimates for the broad-line-emitting gas of quasars are subject to a number of caveats; xA sources with the strongest Fe ii emission offer several advantages with respect to the quasar general population, as their optical and UV emission lines can be interpreted as the sum of a low-ionization component roughly at quasar rest frame (from virialized gas), plus a blueshifted excess (a disk wind), in different physical conditions. Capitalizing on these results, we analyze the component at rest frame and the blueshifted one, exploiting the dependence of several intensity line ratios on metallicity Z. We find that the validity of intensity line ratios as metallicity indicators depends on the physical conditions. We apply the measured diagnostic ratios to estimate the physical properties of sources such as density, ionization, and metallicity of the gas. Our results confirm that the two regions (the low-ionization component and the blueshifted excess) of different dynamical conditions also show different physical conditions and suggest metallicity values that are high, and probably the highest along the quasar main sequence, with Z ∼ 20−50 Z⊙, if the solar abundance ratios can be assumed constant. We found some evidence of an overabundance of aluminum with respect to carbon, possibly due to selective enrichment of the broad-line-emitting gas by supernova ejecta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The usage of the radius–luminosity (R–L) relation for the determination of black hole masses across the cosmic history, as well as its application for cosmological studies, motivates us to analyze its scatter, which has recently increased significantly for both the optical (Hβ) and UV (Mg ii) lines. To this purpose, we determined the scatter along the R–L relation for an up-to-date reverberation-mapped Mg ii sample. Studying linear combinations of the luminosity at 3000 Å with independent parameters such as the FWHM, the UV Fe ii strength (RFe ii ), and the fractional variability (Fvar) for the whole sample, we get only a small decrease in the scatter (dex). Linear combinations with the dimensionless accretion rate () and the Eddington ratio lead to significant reductions of the scatter (dex), albeit both suffering from the interdependency on the observed time delay. After the division into two subsamples considering the median value of the in the full sample, we find that the scatter decreases significantly for the highly accreting subsample. In particular, the smallest scatter of dex is associated with the independent parameter RFe ii , followed by the combination with Fvar with dex. Both of these independent observationally inferred parameters are in turn correlated with and. These results suggest that the large scatter along the R–L relation is driven mainly by the accretion rate intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active galaxies form a clear pattern in the optical plane showing the correlation between the FWHM of the Hβ line and the ratio of the equivalent width (EW) of the optical Fe ii emission and the broad EW(Hβ). This pattern is frequently referred to as the quasar main sequence. In this paper, we study the UV plane showing the FWHM of Mg ii line against the ratio of the EW of UV Fe ii emission to the broad EW(Mg ii). We show that the UV plane trends are different, with the underlying strong correlation between the FWHM(Mg ii) and the EW(Mg ii). This correlation is entirely driven by the choice of the continuum used to measure the EW(Mg ii). If instead of the observationally determined continuum, we use a theoretically motivated power law extrapolated from the wide wavelength range, the behavior of the FWHM versus EW for Mg ii becomes similar to the behavior for Hβ. Such a similarity is expected since both the lines belong to the low-ionization group of emission lines and come from a similar region. We discuss the behavior of the lines in the context of the broad line region model based on the presence of dust in the accretion disk atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the monitoring of the active galactic nuclei continuum and Mg ii broad-line emission for the quasar HE 0413-4031 (z = 1.38) based on the six-year monitoring by the South African Large Telescope (SALT). We manage to estimate a time-delay of days in the rest frame of the source using seven different methods: interpolated cross-correlation function, discrete correlation function (DCF), z-transformed DCF, JAVELIN, two estimators of data regularity (Von Neumann, Bartels), and χ2 method. This time-delay is below the value expected from the standard radius–luminosity relation. However, based on the monochromatic luminosity of the source and the spectral energy distribution modeling, we interpret this departure as the shortening of the time-delay due to the higher accretion rate of the source, with the inferred Eddington ratio of ∼0.4. The Mg ii line luminosity of HE 0413-4031 responds to the continuum variability as , which is consistent with the light-travel distance of the location of Mg ii emission at Rout ∼ 1018 cm. Using the data of 10 other quasars, we confirm the radius–luminosity relation for the broad Mg ii line, which was previously determined for the broad Hβ line for lower-redshift sources. In addition, we detect a general departure of higher-accreting quasars from this relation in analogy to the Hβ sample. After the accretion-rate correction of the light-travel distance, the Mg ii –based radius–luminosity relation has a small scatter of only 0.10 dex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interpretation of the main sequence of quasars has become a frontier subject in the last years. This considers the effect of a highly flattened, axially symmetric geometry for the broad line region (BLR) on the parameters related to the distribution of quasars along their main sequence. We utilize the photoionization code CLOUDY to model the BLR, assuming 'un-constant' virial factor with a strong dependence on the viewing angle. We show the preliminary results of the analysis to highlight the co-dependence of the Eigenvector 1 parameter, RFeii on the broad Hβ FWHM (i.e. the line dispersion) and the inclination angle (θ), assuming fixed values for the Eddington ratio (Lbo1/LEdd), black hole mass (MBH) and spectral energy distribution (SED) shape. We consider four cases with changing cloud density (nH) and composition. Understanding the emitting region is crucial as this knowledge can be extended to the use of quasars as distance indicators for Cosmology.‡ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main sequence offers a method for the systematization of quasar spectral properties. Extreme FeII emitters (or extreme Population A, xA) are believed to be sources accreting matter at very high rates. They are easily identifiable along the quasar main sequence, in large spectroscopic surveys over a broad redshift range. The very high accretion rate makes it possible that massive black holes hosted in xA quasars radiate at a stable, extreme luminosity-to-mass ratio. After reviewing the basic interpretation of the main sequence, we report on the possibility of identifying virial broadening estimators from low-ionization line widths, and provide evidence of the conceptual validity of redshift-independent luminosities based on virial broadening for a known luminosity-to-mass ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We address the effect of orientation of the accretion disk plane and the geometry of the broad line region (BLR) in the context of understanding the distribution of quasars along their Main Sequence. We utilize the photoionization code CLOUDY to model the BLR, incorporating the 'un-constant' virial factor. We show the preliminary results of the analysis to highlight the co-dependence of the Eigenvector 1 parameter, RFeII on the broad HβFWHM (i.e. the line dispersion) and the inclination angle (θ), assuming fixed values for the Eddington ratio (Lbol/ LEdd), black hole mass (MBH), spectral energy distribution (SED) shape, cloud density (nH) and composition.† [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Panda et al.2018a, we constructed a refined sample from the original Shen et al.(2011) QSO catalog. Based on our hypothesis — the main driver of the Quasar Main Sequence is the maximum of the accretion disk temperature (TBBB) defined by the Big Blue Bump on the Spectral Energy Distribution (Panda et al.2017; Panda et al.2018b). We select the four extreme sources that have RFeII ⩾ 4.0 and use {CIGALE (Boquien et al.2018) to fit their multi—band photometric data. We also perform detailed spectral fitting including the Fe II pseudo—continuum (based on Śniegowska et al.2018)) to estimate and compare the value of RFEII. We show the dependence of FeII strength on changing metallicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Panda et al.2018a, we constructed a refined sample from the original Shen et al.(2011) QSO catalog. Based on our hypothesis — the main driver of the Quasar Main Sequence is the maximum of the accretion disk temperature (TBBB) defined by the Big Blue Bump on the Spectral Energy Distribution (Panda et al.2017; Panda et al.2018b). We select the four extreme sources that have RFeII ⩾ 4.0 and use {CIGALE (Boquien et al.2018) to fit their multi—band photometric data. We also perform detailed spectral fitting including the Fe II pseudo—continuum (based on Śniegowska et al.2018)) to estimate and compare the value of RFEII. We show the dependence of FeII strength on changing metallicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews several basic emission properties of the UV emission lines observed in the spectra of quasars and type-1 active galactic nuclei, mainly as a function of the ionization parameter, metallicity, and density of the emitting gas. The analysis exploits a general-purpose 4D array of the photoionization simulations computed using the code CLOUDY, covering ionization parameter in the range 10 − 4.5 – 10 + 1.0 , hydrogen density n H ∼ 10 7 – 10 14 cm−3, metallicity Z between 0.01 and 100 Z ⊙ , and column density in the range 10 21 – 10 23 cm−2. The focus is on the most prominent UV emission lines observed in quasar spectra, namely Nv λ 1240, Siiv λ 1397, Oiv] λ 1402, Civ λ 1549, Heii λ 1640, Aliii λ 1860, Siiii] λ 1892, and Ciii] λ 1909, and on the physical conditions under which electron-ion impact excitation is predicted to be the dominant line producer. Photoionization simulations help constrain the physical interpretation and the domain of applicability of spectral diagnostics derived from measurements of emission line ratios, reputed to be important for estimating the ionization degree, density, and metallicity of the broad line emitting gas, as well as the relative intensity ratios of the doublet or multiplet components relevant for empirical spectral modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the ultraviolet (UV) imaging observation of planetary nebulae (PNe) using archival data of Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX). We found 358 PNe detected by GALEX in near-UV (NUV). We have compiled a catalogue of 108 extended PNe with sizes greater than 8 ″ and provided the angular diameters for all the 108 extended PNe in NUV and 28 in FUV from the GALEX images considering 3 σ surface brightness level above the background. Of the 108 PNe, 74 are elliptical, 24 are circular and 10 are bipolar in NUV with most being larger in the UV than in the radio, H α or optical. We derived luminosities for 33 PNe in FUV ( L FUV ) and 89 PNe in NUV ( L NUV ) and found that most of the sources are very bright in UV. The FUV emission of the GALEX band includes contribution from prominent emission lines N IV] (1487 Å), C IV (1550 Å), and O III] (1661 Å) whereas the NUV emission includes C III] (1907 Å) and C II (2325 Å) for PNe of all excitation classes. The other emission lines seen in low excitation PNe are O IV] (1403 Å) and N III (1892 Å) in FUV, and O II (2470 Å) and Mg II (2830 Å) in NUV. Similarly the emission lines O V (1371 Å) and He II (1666 Å) strongly contribute in FUV for high and medium excitation PNe but not for low excitation PNe. A mixture of other emission lines seen in all excitation PNe. We have also provided images of 34 PNe in NUV and 9 PNe in FUV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]