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Galaxy emission line classification using 3D line ratio diagrams

35 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.

35 Pith papers citing it
abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) line ratio diagnostic diagrams have become a key tool in understanding the excitation mechanisms of galaxies. The curves used to separate the different regions - HII-like or else excited by an active galactic nucleus (AGN) - have been refined over time but the core technique has not evolved significantly. However, the classification of galaxies based on their emission line ratios really is a multi-dimensional problem. Here we exploit recent software developments to explore the potential of three-dimensional (3D) line ratio diagnostic diagrams. We introduce a specific set of 3D diagrams, the ZQE diagrams, which separate the oxygen abundance and the ionisation parameter of HII region-like spectra, and which also enable us to probe the excitation mechanism of the gas. By examining these new 3D spaces interactively, we define a new set of 2D diagnostics, the ZE diagnostics, which can provide the metallicity of objects excited by hot young stars, and which cleanly separate HII region-like objects from the different classes of AGNs. We show that these ZE diagnostics are consistent with the key log[NII]/H$\alpha$ vs. log[OIII]/H$\beta$ diagnostic currently used by the community. They also have the advantage of attaching a probability that a given object belongs to one class or to the other. Finally, we discuss briefly why ZQE diagrams can provide a new way to differentiate and study the different classes of AGNs in anticipation of a dedicated follow-up study.

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2026 34 2025 1

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representative citing papers

A magnetically-supported disk-corona model for Changing-Look AGN transitions

astro-ph.HE · 2026-06-24 · unverdicted · novelty 7.0

Magnetized disk models lower the thermal-viscous instability threshold to Eddington ratios of 0.01-0.03 and yield limit-cycle timescales of months to years, jointly matching observations in five CLAGN only when the inner disk is strongly magnetized.

Cataclysmic Variables Photometric Periods from TESS

astro-ph.SR · 2026-07-09 · conditional · novelty 6.0

TESS photometry yields coherent periods for 1,362 CVs, including roughly 465–565 first determinations, and confirms the 2–3 h period gap with a median period near 3.68 h.

An Agnostic Machine Learning Model of Photosynthetic Habitability

astro-ph.EP · 2026-06-23 · unverdicted · novelty 6.0

An agnostic model using genetic algorithm optimization predicts photosynthetic viability declines linearly with orbital distance, expanding the photosynthetic habitable zone for M, K, and G stars beyond Earth-centric estimates.

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Showing 35 of 35 citing papers.