Evidence for an obscured broad-line region in the early-type radio galaxy IC 5063

Abstract

We report the detection of strong, broad H α emission seen in polarized flux from the early-type radio galaxy IC 5063. This suggests that the galaxy has a broad-line region which is obscured from our direct view, with the broad-line radiation being scattered into our line of sight by scatterers outside the obscuring regions. A model has been developed to estimate the dilution by starlight of the intrinsic polarization, and to correct for interstellar polarization. The FWHM of the broad H α is 3400 km s–1, well within the range covered by typical Seyfert 1 galaxies.