3C 351

3C 351
SDSS image of 3C 351.
Observation data (J2000.0 epoch)
ConstellationDraco
Right ascension17h 04m 41.37s[1]
Declination+60° 44′ 30.60″[1]
Redshift0.371523[1]
Heliocentric radial velocity111,380 km/s[1]
Distance4.179 Gly
Apparent magnitude (V)15.40
Apparent magnitude (B)15.65
Characteristics
TypeOpt var;RLQ Sy1.5[1]
Size~1,535,000 ly (470.6 kpc) (estimated)[1]
Other designations
SBS 1704+608, LEDA 2817694, PG 1704+608, 4C +60.24, 2MASS J17044138+6044305, SDSS J170441.37+604430.4, HS 1704+6048, 6C B170404.4+604844, 7C 1704+6048, OT +607, DA 430, NRAO 0522, CoNFIG 266, E 1704+608, 2E 3828, RX J1704.6+6044[1]

3C 351 is a radio-loud quasar[2] located in the constellation of Draco. Its redshift is (z) 0.371,[1] and it was first recorded in the Third Cambridge Catalogue of Radio Sources survey in 1962.[3] The object is noted to be variable according to optical monitoring in 1971 by Keith Tritton[4] and classified as X-ray quiet.[5][6]

Description

[edit]

3C 351 is classified as a Fanaroff-Riley Class Type II quasar.[7] Its host galaxy is an E3 elliptical galaxy with an undisturbed flat appearance and a position angle of 60°, based on Hubble Space Telescope imaging. A close companion galaxy is located 28 kiloparsecs from the host, however there are no signs of interaction.[8] The radio spectrum of the quasar has been categorized as steep and the host displays a low-surface brightness extension in a northerly direction.[9] The supermassive black hole lying inside the center of the quasar is estimated to be 9.39+0.08-0.10 Mʘ, based on a single optical spectroscopy measurement.[10]

The source of 3C 351 imaged with Very Large Array (VLA), has a prominent double lobed dominated structure.[5] Observations show a diffused radio emission bridge, a radio core and a jet that is described as having a stubby appearance, with an extension 2 arcseconds long.[11] Deeper VLA imaging shows it is curving towards the hotspot direction.[12] New VLA observations made in 2007 found the source's lobes are mainly asymmetrical and of unequal brightness. The lobe on the northeast side is split into several components; mainly bright features and a recessed hotspot located at the jet's end. The lobe on the southeast side, is edge-darkened and diffused, without the presence of a hotspot.[13] Both lobes expand outwards, completely enveloping the core.[14] Diffused radio emission is detected in addition.[15]

Older VLA imaging in 1980 showed the hotspots have different structures and an outer component that is curved, confirming the fact it is interacting with the surrounding interstellar medium.[16] One clear resolved compact feature has been found by Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI).[17] There is polarization present in the quasar. Based on studies, the polarization degree is shown as rapidly rising up to between 20% and 25% away from the emission region north and west from the hotspot. On the western edge of the fan boundary, the greatest degree of polarization can be found right up to 50% and 65%. Polarization can also be found inside parts of its jet.[12]

Despite not belonging to a family of optically violent variable quasars (OVVs), 3C 351 exhibits variability fluctuations on long-term scales between 15.7 and 16.2, with amplitude variations lasting for 477 days in total.[18] A low observed state was observed in 1985.[19] The Hamburg Quasar Monitoring (HQM) program conducted in June 1994 found the quasar is possibly weakly variable.[20] A rich system of narrow and broad absorption lines of various rich chemical elements has been found in the quasar's spectrum.[21][22]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "NED Search results for 3C 351". NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
  2. ^ Yuan, Q.; Green, R. F.; Brotherton, M.; Tripp, T. M.; Kaiser, M. E.; Kriss, G. A. (August 2002). "Associated Absorption Lines in the Radio-loud Quasar 3C 351: Far-Ultraviolet Echelle Spectroscopy from the Hubble Space Telescope". The Astrophysical Journal. 575 (2): 687–696. arXiv:astro-ph/0204304. Bibcode:2002ApJ...575..687Y. doi:10.1086/341339. ISSN 0004-637X.
  3. ^ Bennett, A. S. (1962). "The revised 3C catalogue of radio sources". Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society. 68: 163. Bibcode:1962MmRAS..68..163B.
  4. ^ Tritton, K. P.; Selmes, R. A. (1971-09-01). "Optical Monitoring of Radio Sources--III: Further Observations of Quasars" (PDF). Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 153 (4): 453–469. doi:10.1093/mnras/153.4.453. ISSN 0035-8711.
  5. ^ a b Fiore, Fabrizio; Elvis, Martin; Mathur, Smita; Wilkes, Belinda J.; McDowell, Jonathan C. (September 1993). "The ROSAT Spectrum of 3C 351: A Warm Absorber in an X-Ray--quiet Quasar?". The Astrophysical Journal. 415: 129. Bibcode:1993ApJ...415..129F. doi:10.1086/173150. ISSN 0004-637X.
  6. ^ Mathur, Smita; Wilkes, Belinda; Elvis, Martin; Fiore, Fabrizio (October 1994). "The X-Ray and Ultraviolet Absorbing Outflow in 3C 351". The Astrophysical Journal. 434: 493. Bibcode:1994ApJ...434..493M. doi:10.1086/174750. ISSN 0004-637X.
  7. ^ "3C 351". Frankfurt Quasar Monitoring. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
  8. ^ Boyce, P. J.; Disney, M. J.; Blades, J. C.; Boksenberg, A.; Crane, P.; Deharveng, J. M.; Macchetto, F. D.; Mackay, C. D.; Sparks, W. B. (July 1998). "HST Planetary Camera images of quasar host galaxies". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 298 (1): 121–130. Bibcode:1998MNRAS.298..121B. doi:10.1046/j.1365-8711.1998.01617.x. ISSN 0035-8711.
  9. ^ Block, David L.; Stockton, Alan (December 1991). "Structure in Host Galaxies of Steep-Spectrum Radio QSOs". The Astronomical Journal. 102: 1928. Bibcode:1991AJ....102.1928B. doi:10.1086/116013. ISSN 0004-6256.
  10. ^ Vestergaard, Marianne; Peterson, Bradley M. (2006-04-20). "Determining Central Black Hole Masses in Distant Active Galaxies and Quasars. II. Improved Optical and UV Scaling Relationships". The Astrophysical Journal. 641 (2): 689–709. arXiv:astro-ph/0601303. Bibcode:2006ApJ...641..689V. doi:10.1086/500572. ISSN 0004-637X.
  11. ^ Leahy, J. P.; Perley, R. A. (August 1991). "VLA Images of 23 Extragalactic Radio Sources". The Astronomical Journal. 102: 537. Bibcode:1991AJ....102..537L. doi:10.1086/115892. ISSN 0004-6256.
  12. ^ a b Bridle, Alan H.; Hough, David H.; Lonsdale, Colin J.; Burns, Jack O.; Laing, Robert A. (September 1994). "Deep VLA Imaging of Twelve Extended 3CR Quasars". The Astronomical Journal. 108: 766. Bibcode:1994AJ....108..766B. doi:10.1086/117112. ISSN 0004-6256.
  13. ^ Fernini, Ilias (July 2007). "8.4 GHz High-Resolution Observations of Fanaroff-Riley II 3CR Radio Sources with 0.3<z<2.0. II. Ten New Images". The Astronomical Journal. 134 (1): 158–168. Bibcode:2007AJ....134..158F. doi:10.1086/518216. ISSN 0004-6256.
  14. ^ Goodlet, J. A.; Kaiser, C. R.; Best, P. N.; Dennett-Thorpe, J. (2004-01-11). "The depolarization properties of powerful radio sources: breaking the radio power versus redshift degeneracy". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 347 (2): 508–540. arXiv:astro-ph/0309529. Bibcode:2004MNRAS.347..508G. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.07225.x. ISSN 0035-8711.
  15. ^ Baghel, Janhavi; Kharb, P; S., Silpa; Ho, Luis C; Harrison, C M (2022-12-19). "A polarimetric study of 9 PG quasars with the VLA". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society stac3691. doi:10.1093/mnras/stac3691. ISSN 0035-8711.
  16. ^ Kronberg, P. P.; Clarke, J. N.; van den Bergh, S. (August 1980). "The quasar 3C 351: VLA maps and a deep search for optical emission in the outer lobes". The Astronomical Journal. 85: 973–980. Bibcode:1980AJ.....85..973K. doi:10.1086/112760. ISSN 0004-6256.
  17. ^ Hough, D. H.; Zensus, J. A.; Vermeulen, R. C.; Readhead, A. C. S.; Porcas, R. W.; Rius, A.; Rector, T. A.; Lenz, G. C.; Davis, M. A.; Snowdall, J. C. (1999-01-20). "Deep 8.4 GHz VLBI Images of Seven Faint Nuclei in Lobe-dominated Quasars". The Astrophysical Journal. 511 (1): 84–104. Bibcode:1999ApJ...511...84H. doi:10.1086/306645. ISSN 0004-637X.
  18. ^ Corso, G. J.; Schultz, J.; Pfaff, T.; Dey, A. (May 1985). "Optical Monitoring of the Quasar 3C351 in Blue Light". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 97: 393. Bibcode:1985PASP...97..393C. doi:10.1086/131549. ISSN 0004-6280.
  19. ^ Corso, George J.; Schultz, Joseph; Dey, Arjun (December 1986). "Optical monitoring of selected quasars, Lacertids, and active galaxies in blue light". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 98: 1287. Bibcode:1986PASP...98.1287C. doi:10.1086/131931. ISSN 0004-6280.
  20. ^ Schramm, K.-J.; Borgeest, U.; Kühl, D.; Linde, J. v; Linnert, M. D. (1994-03-23), "The Hamburg Quasar Monitoring Program (HQM) at Calar Alto. II. Lightcurves of weakly variable objects", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series, 104: 473, arXiv:astro-ph/9403049, Bibcode:1994A&AS..104..473S, arXiv:astro-ph/9403049
  21. ^ Netzer, H.; Wills, B. J.; Wills, D. (March 1982). "The broad and narrow lines in the spectrum of the quasar 3C 351". The Astrophysical Journal. 254: 489–493. Bibcode:1982ApJ...254..489N. doi:10.1086/159757. ISSN 0004-637X.
  22. ^ Savage, Blair D.; Wakker, Bart; Jannuzi, Buell T.; Bahcall, John N.; Bergeron, Jacqueline; Boksenberg, Alec; Hartig, George F.; Kirhakos, Sofia; Murphy, Edward M.; Sargent, W. L. W.; Schneider, Donald P.; Turnshek, David; Wolfe, Arthur M. (August 2000). "The Hubble Space Telescope Quasar Absorption Line Key Project. XV. Milky Way Absorption Lines". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 129 (2): 563–610. Bibcode:2000ApJS..129..563S. doi:10.1086/313420. ISSN 0067-0049.
[edit]