The BH mass of nearby QSOs: the bulge luminosity and virial methods
M. Labita, A. Treves, R. Falomo and M. Uslenghi
We analysed a sample of 31 low z QSOs for which both WFPC2
images and UV FOS spectra are available. For each object,
from the magnitude of the host, the CIV line width and the
1350A flux, we estimated the BH mass both through the
M(BH)-L(bulge) relation and from the virial method. The
comparison of the masses and the distribution of the line
widths yield information on the BLR geometry, on the value
of the geometrical factor (f=1.3) and on the orientation
of QSOs (about 15°-45°).