Modelling the AGN broad line region using single-epoch spectra I. The
  test case of Arp 151
  We show that individual (single-epoch) spectra of AGN can constrain some of
the geometry and dynamics of the AGN broad line region. Studies of the cosmic
influence of supermassive black holes are limited by the current large
uncertainties in the determination of black hole masses. One dominant
limitation is the unknown geometry, dynamics and line-of-sight inclination of
the broad line region, used to probe the central black hole mass. Recent
progress has been made to constrain the spatial and kinematic structure of the
broad line region using dynamical modelling of AGN monitoring data and an
underlying physical model for the broad line region. In this work we test the
ability of a modified version of this dynamical modelling code to constrain the
broad line region structure using single-epoch spectra. We test our modelling
code on single-epoch spectra of nearby Arp 151 by comparing our results with
those obtained with monitoring data of this same object. We find that a
significant fraction of the broad line region parameters can indeed be
adequately constrained, with uncertainties that are comparable to, or at most a
factor of ~ a few higher than those obtained from modelling of monitoring data.
Considering the wealth of available single-epoch spectroscopic observations,
this method is promising for establishing the overall AGN population trends in
the geometry and dynamics of the broad line region. This method can be applied
to spectra of AGN at low and high redshift making it valuable for studies of
cosmological black hole and AGN evolution.
