Supermassive Black Hole and Broad-line Region in NGC 5548: 2023 Reverberation Mapping Results

Abstract

We present the results of the 2023 spectroscopic reverberation mapping (RM) campaign for active galactic nuclei (AGN) of NGC 5548, continuing our long-term monitoring program. Using the Lijiang 2.4-meter telescope, we obtained 74 spectra with a median cadence of 1.9 days. Through detailed spectral decomposition, we measured the light curves of the optical continuum at 5100~Å and the broad He~{\sc ii}, He~{\sc i}, H$\gamma$, and H$\beta$ emission lines. The time lags of these lines relative to the continuum are measured as $1.3_{-0.6}^{+1.6}$, $2.3_{-2.1}^{+1.5}$, $10.0_{-1.8}^{+2.0}$, and $15.6_{-2.9}^{+2.6}$ days (rest-frame), respectively. Velocity-resolved lag profiles for H$\gamma$ and H$\beta$ were constructed. Combined with data from previous seasons (2015$-$2021), we find that the radial ionization stratification of the broad-line region (BLR) is stable; the average virial mass of the supermassive black hole in NGC~5548 is $(2.6\pm 1.1)\times 10^8{M}_{\odot }$, consistent with the $M_{\mathrm{BH}}-{\sigma }_{\ast }$ relation; the broad He~{\sc ii} line exhibits the largest responsivity, followed by broad He~{\sc i} (or H$\gamma$) and H$\beta$ lines; the BLR kinematics show significant temporal evolution, transitioning from virialized motions to signatures of inflow and outflow. Furthermore, an analysis of 35 years of historical data confirms a 3.5-year time lag between variations in the optical luminosity and the BLR radius, potentially implicating the role of radiation pressure or dynamical structure changes in the inner accretion disk. Long-term campaign demonstrates that the BLR in NGC 5548 is a robust yet dynamically evolving entity, providing crucial insights into AGN structure and accretion physics.

15 pages, 6 figures, 4 Tables, accepted by ApJ