2,366 research outputs found
X-ray spectral modelling of the AGN obscuring region in the CDFS: Bayesian model selection and catalogue
AGN are known to have complex X-ray spectra that depend on both the
properties of the accreting SMBH (e.g. mass, accretion rate) and the
distribution of obscuring material in its vicinity ("torus"). Often however,
simple and even unphysical models are adopted to represent the X-ray spectra of
AGN. In the case of blank field surveys in particular, this should have an
impact on e.g. the determination of the AGN luminosity function, the inferred
accretion history of the Universe and also on our understanding of the relation
between AGN and their host galaxies. We develop a Bayesian framework for model
comparison and parameter estimation of X-ray spectra. We take into account
uncertainties associated with X-ray data and photometric redshifts. We also
demonstrate how Bayesian model comparison can be used to select among ten
different physically motivated X-ray spectral models the one that provides a
better representation of the observations. Despite the use of low-count
spectra, our methodology is able to draw strong inferences on the geometry of
the torus. For a sample of 350 AGN in the 4 Ms Chandra Deep Field South field,
our analysis identifies four components needed to represent the diversity of
the observed X-ray spectra: (abridged). Simpler models are ruled out with
decisive evidence in favour of a geometrically extended structure with
significant Compton scattering. Regarding the geometry of the obscurer, there
is strong evidence against both a completely closed or entirely open toroidal
geometry, in favour of an intermediate case. The additional Compton reflection
required by data over that predicted by toroidal geometry models, may be a sign
of a density gradient in the torus or reflection off the accretion disk.
Finally, we release a catalogue with estimated parameters such as the accretion
luminosity in the 2-10 keV band and the column density, , of the
obscurer.Comment: 28 pages, 18 figures, catalogue available from
https://www.mpe.mpg.de/~jbuchner/agn_torus/analysis/cdfs4Ms_cat/, software
available from https://github.com/JohannesBuchner/BX
Overexpression of a NAC transcription factor delays leaf senescence and increases grain nitrogen concentration in wheat
Increasing the duration of leaf photosynthesis during grain filling using slow-senescing functional stay-green phenotypes is a possible route for increasing grain yields in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). However, delayed senescence may negatively affect nutrient remobilisation and hence reduce grain protein concentrations and grain quality. A novel NAC1-type transcription factor (hereafter TaNAC-S) was identified in wheat, with gene expression located primarily in leaf/sheath tissues, which decreased during post-anthesis leaf senescence. Expression of TaNAC-S in the second leaf correlated with delayed senescence in two doubled-haploid lines of an Avalon 3 Cadenza population (lines 112 and 181), which were distinct for leaf senescence. Transgenic wheat plants overexpressing TaNAC-S resulted in delayed leaf senescence (stay-green phenotype). Grain yield, aboveground biomass, harvest index and total grain N content were unaffected, but NAC over-expressing lines had higher grain N concentrations at similar grain yields compared to non-transgenic controls. These results indicate that TaNAC-S is a negative regulator of leaf senescence, and that delayed leaf senescence may lead not only to increased grain yields but also to increased grain protein concentrations.D. Zhao, A. P. Derkx, D.-C. Liu, P. Buchner, M. J. Hawkesfor
X-ray constraints on the fraction of obscured AGN at high accretion luminosities
The wide-area XMM-XXL X-ray survey is used to explore the fraction of
obscured AGN at high accretion luminosities, , and out to redshift . The sample covers an area
of about and provides constraints on the space density of
powerful AGN over a wide range of neutral hydrogen column densities extending
beyond the Compton-thick limit, . The fraction
of obscured Compton-thin () AGN is estimated
to be for luminosities
independent of redshift. For less luminous sources the fraction of obscured
Compton-thin AGN increases from at to at
. Studies that select AGN in the infrared via template fits to the
observed Spectral Energy Distribution of extragalactic sources estimate space
densities at high accretion luminosities consistent with the XMM-XXL
constraints. There is no evidence for a large population of AGN (e.g. heavily
obscured) identified in the infrared and missed at X-ray wavelengths. We
further explore the mid-infrared colours of XMM-XXL AGN as a function of
accretion luminosity, column density and redshift. The fraction of XMM-XXL
sources that lie within the mid-infrared colour wedges defined in the
literature to select AGN is primarily a function of redshift. This fraction
increases from about 20-30% at z=0.25 to about 50-70% at .Comment: MNRAS accepte
X-ray bolometric corrections for Compton-thick active galactic nuclei
We present X-ray bolometric correction factors, (), for Compton-thick (CT) active galactic nuclei (AGN) with the aim
of testing AGN torus models, probing orientation effects, and estimating the
bolometric output of the most obscured AGN. We adopt bolometric luminosities,
, from literature infrared (IR) torus modeling and compile published
intrinsic 2--10 keV X-ray luminosities, , from X-ray torus modeling of
NuSTAR data. Our sample consists of 10 local CT AGN where both of these
estimates are available. We test for systematic differences in
values produced when using two widely used IR torus models and two widely used
X-ray torus models, finding consistency within the uncertainties. We find that
the mean of our sample in the range
erg/s is log
with an intrinsic scatter of dex, and that our derived
values are consistent with previously established relationships between
and and and Eddington ratio. We
investigate if is dependent on by comparing our results on
CT AGN to published results on less-obscured AGN, finding no significant
dependence. Since many of our sample are megamaser AGN, known to be viewed
edge-on, and furthermore under the assumptions of AGN unification whereby
unobscured AGN are viewed face-on, our result implies that the X-ray emitting
corona is not strongly anisotropic. Finally, we present values
for CT AGN identified in X-ray surveys as a function of their observed ,
where an estimate of their intrinsic is not available, and redshift,
useful for estimating the bolometric output of the most obscured AGN across
cosmic time.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap
Experimental Analysis of the Laser-Induced Instruction Skip Fault Model
International audienceMicrocontrollers storing valuable data or using security functions are vulnerable to fault injection attacks. Among the various types of faults, instruction skips induced at runtime proved to be effective against identification routines or encryption algorithms. Several research works assessed a fault model that consists in a single instruction skip, i.e. the ability to prevent one chosen instruction in a program from being executed. This assessment is used to design countermeasures able to withstand a single instruction skip. We question this fault model on experimental basis and report the possibility to induce with a laser an arbitrary number of instruction skips. This ability to erase entire sections of a firmware has strong implications regarding the design of counter- measures
New Spectral Model for Constraining Torus Covering Factors from Broadband X-ray Spectra of Active Galactic Nuclei
The basic unified model of active galactic nuclei (AGN) invokes an
anisotropic obscuring structure, usually referred to as a torus, to explain AGN
obscuration as an angle-dependent effect. We present a new grid of X-ray
spectral templates based on radiative transfer calculations in neutral gas in
an approximately toroidal geometry, appropriate for CCD-resolution X-ray
spectra (FWHM > 130 eV). Fitting the templates to broadband X-ray spectra of
AGN provides constraints on two important geometrical parameters of the gas
distribution around the supermassive black hole: the average column density and
the covering factor. Compared to the currently available spectral templates,
our model is more flexible, and capable of providing constraints on the main
torus parameters in a wider range of AGN. We demonstrate the application of
this model using hard X-ray spectra from NuSTAR (3-79 keV) for four AGN
covering a variety of classifications: 3C 390.3, NGC 2110, IC 5063, and NGC
7582. This small set of examples was chosen to illustrate the range of possible
torus configurations, from disk-like to sphere-like geometries with column
densities below, as well as above, the Compton-thick threshold. This diversity
of torus properties challenges the simple assumption of a standard
geometrically and optically thick toroidal structure commonly invoked in the
basic form of the unified model of AGN. Finding broad consistency between the
our constraints and those from infrared modeling, we discuss how the approach
from the X-ray band complements similar measurements of AGN structures at other
wavelengths.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. Model fits files are available at
http://www.astro.caltech.edu/~mislavb/downloa
SPIDERS: Selection of spectroscopic targets using AGN candidates detected in all-sky X-ray surveys
SPIDERS (SPectroscopic IDentification of eROSITA Sources) is an SDSS-IV
survey running in parallel to the eBOSS cosmology project. SPIDERS will obtain
optical spectroscopy for large numbers of X-ray-selected AGN and galaxy cluster
members detected in wide area eROSITA, XMM-Newton and ROSAT surveys. We
describe the methods used to choose spectroscopic targets for two
sub-programmes of SPIDERS: X-ray selected AGN candidates detected in the ROSAT
All Sky and the XMM-Newton Slew surveys. We have exploited a Bayesian
cross-matching algorithm, guided by priors based on mid-IR colour-magnitude
information from the WISE survey, to select the most probable optical
counterpart to each X-ray detection. We empirically demonstrate the high
fidelity of our counterpart selection method using a reference sample of bright
well-localised X-ray sources collated from XMM-Newton, Chandra and Swift-XRT
serendipitous catalogues, and also by examining blank-sky locations. We
describe the down-selection steps which resulted in the final set of
SPIDERS-AGN targets put forward for spectroscopy within the eBOSS/TDSS/SPIDERS
survey, and present catalogues of these targets. We also present catalogues of
~12000 ROSAT and ~1500 XMM-Newton Slew survey sources which have existing
optical spectroscopy from SDSS-DR12, including the results of our visual
inspections. On completion of the SPIDERS program, we expect to have collected
homogeneous spectroscopic redshift information over a footprint of ~7500
deg for >85 percent of the ROSAT and XMM-Newton Slew survey sources having
optical counterparts in the magnitude range 17<r<22.5, producing a large and
highly complete sample of bright X-ray-selected AGN suitable for statistical
studies of AGN evolution and clustering.Comment: MNRAS, accepte
The X-ray luminosity function of Active Galactic Nuclei in the redshift interval z=3-5
We combine deep X-ray survey data from the Chandra observatory and the
wide-area/shallow XMM-XXL field to estimate the AGN X-ray luminosity function
in the redshift range z=3-5. The sample consists of nearly 340 sources with
either photometric (212) or spectroscopic (128) redshift in the above range.
The combination of deep and shallow survey fields provides a luminosity
baseline of three orders of magnitude, Lx(2-10keV)~1e43-1e46erg/s at z>3. We
follow a Bayesian approach to determine the binned AGN space density and
explore their evolution in a model-independent way. Our methodology accounts
for Poisson errors in the determination of X-ray fluxes and uncertainties in
photometric redshift estimates. We demonstrate that the latter is essential for
unbiased measurement of space densities. We find that the AGN X-ray luminosity
function evolves strongly between the redshift intervals z=3-4 and z=4-5. There
is also suggestive evidence that the amplitude of this evolution is luminosity
dependent. The space density of AGN with Lx<1e45erg/s drops by a factor of 5
between the redshift intervals above, while the evolution of brighter AGN
appears to be milder. Comparison of our X-ray luminosity function with that of
UV/optical selected QSOs at similar redshifts shows broad agreement at bright
luminosities, Lx>1e45erg/s. The faint-end slope of UV/optical luminosity
functions however, is steeper than for X-ray selected AGN. This implies that
the type-I AGN fraction increases with decreasing luminosity at z>3, opposite
to trends established at lower redshift. We also assess the significance of AGN
in keeping the hydrogen ionised at high redshift. Our X-ray luminosity function
yields ionising photon rate densities that are insufficient to keep the
Universe ionised at redshift z>4. A source of uncertainty in this calculation
is the escape fraction of UV photons for X-ray selected AGN.Comment: MNRAS accepte
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