Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Recent observations of the nearby Seyfert galaxy Mrk 573 found that the galactic nucleus and bicone regions surrounding the jet are significantly metal-enriched. In this paper, we develop a simple model for the observed metal enrichment, assuming a population of stars in the $10 - 30 \, M_{\odot}$ range formed in-situ in the accretion disk. We assume the stars form according to a Salpeter initial mass function and generate the typical metal yields expected of field stars of the same mass. We find that in the thick disk ($H/r \sim 0.1$) case, a Salpeter population of stars can easily explain the observed metal enrichment and provide limits on the formation model; we also argue that a thin disk ($H/r \lesssim 0.01$) is incompatible with the observed metal enrichment. In our model, AGN metallicity scales most strongly with disk thickness, implying a potentially powerful observable diagnostic.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G3464687954, G4363276471
OpenAlex ID: W7214191986