TWO-PHASE BROAD-LINE REGIONS IN THE PRESENCE OF ALFVEN WAVE HEATING: THE ROLE OF NONLINEAR AND TURBULENT HEATING

摘要

We consider the heating caused by the damping of Alfven waves (nonlinear and turbulent) on thermal stability of a two-phase medium at broad-line cloud pressures of quasars. In particular, we investigate the distinct density dependencies of each heating mechanism in the heat-loss function. The heat-loss function contains the following physical processes: recombination, electron excitation of resonance transitions, bremsstrahlung, Compton interactions, and damping of Alfven waves. We compare the efficiencies of the Alfvenic heatings: nonlinear, resonance surface, and turbulent.