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Issue A&A Volume 374, Number 3, August II 2001 Page(s) 914 - 918 Section Extragalactic astronomy DOI 10.1051/0004-6361:20010819

A&A 374, 914-918 (2001)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20010819

Research Note Supersolar metal abundances and the Broad Line Region of Narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies

S. Komossa¹ and S. Mathur<sup>2

1</sup>  Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, Postfach 1603, 85740 Garching, Germany
²  The Ohio State University, 140 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA

(Received 12 February 2001 / Accepted 5 June 2001)

Abstract
Narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLSy1) are intriguing due to their extreme continuum and emission line properties which are not yet well understood. This paper is motivated by the recent suggestion that NLSy1 galaxies might be young active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and that they may have supersolar metal abundances. We have examined the stability of broad emission line region (BLR) clouds under isobaric perturbation and its dependence on gas metal abundances. We show that supersolar metallicity increases the range where multiple phases in pressure balance may exist. This is particularly important for NLSy1s with steep X-ray spectra where it delays the trend of hindrance of a multi-phase equilibrium. Finally, the role of warm absorbers in the context of this scenario is assessed.

Key words: galaxies: active -- galaxies: nuclei -- galaxies: abundances -- galaxies: Seyfert

Offprint request: S. Komossa, skomossa@xray.mpe.mpg.de

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