The [O III]4363 Emitting Region Obscured by Dusty Tori

Abstract

The emission-line flux ratio of [O III]4363/[O III]5007 is a useful diagnostic for the ionization mechanism and physical properties of narrow-line regions in active galactic nuclei. However, it is known that simple photoionization models underpredict this ratio. In this contribution, we report on some pieces of evidence that a large fraction of the [O III]4363 emission arises from the dense gas, which can be obscured by dusty tori. Taking this dense component into account, we show that the flux ratio of [O III]4363/[O III]5007 can be explained by two-component photoionization models.

4 pages. To be published in The Central kpc of Starbursts and AGNs, ASP Conference Series, eds. J. H. Knapen, J. E. Beckman, I. Shlosman, and T. J. Mahoney