skip to content
 

HEASARC Staff Scientist Position - Applications are now being accepted for a Staff Scientist with significant experience and interest in the technical aspects of astrophysics research, to work in the High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, MD. Refer to the AAS Job register for full details.

ASCA Guest Observer Facility

MCG-6-30-15

MCG-6-30-15

Image Credit: Tanaka et al., Copyright: Nature, 375, 659, 1995
Image generated by Dr. Paul Nandra NASA/GSFC

The line profile of iron K-alpha from MCG-6-30-15 observed by the ASCA satellite (Tanaka et al, 1995, Nature, 375, 659). The emission line is extremely broad, with a width indicating velocities of order one-third of the speed of light. There is a marked asymmetry towards energies lower than the rest-energy of the emission line (6.4 keV). This asymmetry is most likely caused by gravitational and relativistic-Doppler shifts near the black hole at the center of the galaxy. The solid line shows the model profile expected from a disk of matter orbiting the hole, extending between 3 and 10 Schwarzschild radii.
Get the Color Postscript image. of this spectrum.

For more information see:
"On the dependence of iron K-line profiles with luminosity in Active Galactic Nuclei"; Nandra, K., Mushotzky, R.F., George, I.M., Turner, T.J. , Yaqoob, T. 1997, ApJ, 488, L91

There is also a simulation of a black hole that may explain this result.


This file was last modified on Wednesday, 16-Feb-2005 12:04:47 EST
Curator: Michael Arida (SP Sys); arida@milkyway.gsfc.nasa.gov
HEASARC Guest Observer Facility


If you have any questions concerning ASCA, visit our Feedback form.

This file was last modified on Wednesday, 16-Feb-2005 12:04:47 EST

NASA Astrophysics

  • FAQ/Comments/Feedback
  • Education Resources
  • Download Adobe Acrobat
  • A service of the Astrophysics Science Division (ASD) at NASA/ GSFC

    ASCA Project Scientist: Dr. Nicholas E. White

    Responsible NASA Official: Dr. Andy Ptak

    Privacy Policy and Important Notices.