PICTOR-A - A NEW DOUBLE-PEAKED EMISSION-LINE QUASAR

We obtained a new spectrum for the radio galaxy Pictor A in 1993 Decem ber. Comparison with previous data obtained in 1983 and 1987 shows tha t the broad component of the Balmer lines has increased considerably i n strength and complexity. The Balmer lines now show a boxy, double-pe aked profile with FWZI similar to 24,000 km s(-1). Although the 1993 H alpha profile is reminiscent of Arp 102B, accretion disk models face immediate difficulty because (1) the redshifted peak in the profile is considerably stronger than the blue one, and (2) the red and blue pea ks varied at different epochs. The latter finding strongly favors a pr edominance of radial motion. We argue that Pictor A, and the rare obje cts with similar extremely broad emission-line profiles, are better un derstood if the orientation is such that the gas is predominantly movi ng along the line of sight (i.e., a geometrical extremum).