Weak emission-line active galactic nuclei (WLAGNs) are radio-quiet active galactic nuclei (AGNs) that have nearly featureless optical spectra. We investigate the ultraviolet to mid-infrared spectral energy distributions of 73 WLAGNs (0.4<z<3) and find that most of them are similar to normal AGNs. We also calculate the covering factor of warm dust of these 73 WLAGNs. No significant difference is indicated by a KS test between the covering factor of WLAGNs and normal AGNs in the common range of bolometric luminosity. The implication for several models of WLAGNs is discussed. The super-Eddington accretion is unlikely the dominant reason for the featureless spectrum of a WLAGN. The present results favor the evolution scenario, i.e., WLAGNs are in a special stage of AGNs.
@article{arxiv.1609.05691,
title = {The Covering Factor of Warm Dust in Weak Emission-Line Active Galactic Nuclei},
author = {Xudong Zhang and Yuan Liu},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1609.05691},
year = {2016}
}