2003/11/18 by M. Elvis, Martin Elvis, Elvis, Martin
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Statistical and numerical algorithms #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/0311436
To be published in the Proceedings of "AGN Physics with the SDSS". 12 pages, 2 figures
arxiv created 2003/11/18 · openalex publication_date 2003/11/18 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
After 40 years we have no "low" theory of quasars to predict the atomic absorption and emission features so abundant in quasar spectra. Here I take the first step, using results selected for their diagnostic power to build an "observational paradigm" unifying all the atomic features in quasars. This paradigm bears a remarkable resemblance to the one I proposed in Elvis (2000, astro-ph/0008064)! Yet all the results used here were not used in that earlier study, with one exception. The Elvis (2000) model has been tested by the new data and has survived, and so has been strengthened. The structure is readily tested, is physically suggestive, and opens up many areas for detailed modelling. From this I believe a truly predictive "low" theory of quasars will emerge.