AKARI 2.5-5um spectra of nearby Type-1 AGNs

The 2.5-5.0{mu}m spectral region contains emission lines such as Br{beta} (2.63{mu}m), Br{alpha} (4.05{mu}m), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (3.3{mu}m), which can be used for studying the black hole (BH) masses and star formation activity in the host galaxies of AGNs.

The spectral region also suffers less dust extinction than in the ultra violet (UV) or optical wavelengths, which may provide an unobscured view of dusty AGNs. Our sample is selected from bright quasar surveys of Palomar-Green and SNUQSO, and AGNs with reverberation-mapped BH masses from Peterson et al. Using 11 AGNs with reliable detection of Brackett lines, we derive the Brackett-line-based BH mass estimators. We also find that the observed Brackett line ratios can be explained with the commonly adopted physical conditions of the broad line region.