A Polarimetric Method for Measuring Black Hole Masses in Active Galactic Nuclei

Abstract

The structure of the broad emission line region (BLR) in active galactic nuclei (AGN) remains unclear. We test in this paper a flattened configuration model for BLR. The virial theorem, by taking into account the disc shape of BLR, allows us to get a direct connection between the mass of a supermassive black hole (SMBH) and the inclination angle of the accretion flow. The inclination angle itself is derived from the spectropolarimetric data on broad emission lines using the theory for the generation of polarized radiation developed by Sobolev and Chandrasekhar. As the result, the new estimates of SMBH masses in AGN with measured polarization of BLR are presented. It is crucial that the polarimetric data allow also to determine the value of the virial coefficient that is essential for determining SMBH masses.

5 pages

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• Measuring the Virial Factor in SDSS DR5 Quasars with Redshifted H$\beta$ and Fe ii Broad Emission Lines
• Measuring the Virial Factor in SDSS DR7 AGNs with Redshifted H$\beta$ and H$\alpha$ Broad Emission Lines
• New mechanism of radiation polarization in Seyfert-1 AGNs
• Polarization in broad emission lines of Active Galactic Nuclei
• Constraining Recoiling Velocities of Black Holes Ejected by Gravitational Radiation in Galaxy Mergers