X-ray variability in a complete sample of Soft X-ray selected AGN

We present ROSAT All-Sky Survey and ROSAT pointed observations (PSPC and HRI) of a complete sample of 113 bright soft X-ray AGN selected from the ROSAT Bright Source Catalog. We compare these observations in order to search for extreme cases of flux and spectral X-ray variability - X-ray transient AGN. Three definite transients and one transient candidate are found. The other sources show amplitude variations typically by factors of 2-3 on timescales of years. We found that the variability strength on timescales of days is a function of the steepness of the X-ray spectrum: steeper X-ray objects show stronger variability than flat X-ray spectrum sources. We also present new HRI measurements of our extreme X-ray transients IC 3599 and WPVS007. We discuss possible models to explain the X-ray transience and the variabilities observed in the non-transient sources.Comment: 17 pages (including 7 Figures), accepted for in A&A (main journal), also available at http://www.xray.mpe.mpg.de/~dgrupe/research/refereed.htm

Near Infrared observations of Soft X-ray selected AGN

We report the results of near infrared observations of 19 soft X-ray selected AGN. The goal of the observations was to search for strong, narrow Paschen-alpha or Brackett-gamma emission lines, as a sign of nuclear starbursts. We found Pa-alpha emission in the spectra of 11 sources and Br-gamma in at least five. Strong NIR emission has been found in two sources, CBS 126 and Mkn 766, both objects with strong [OIII]5007 emission, weak FeII emission and wavelength dependent degree of polarization in the optical. Classical Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxies do not show exceptionally strong NIR emission lines. We present the results of our study and discuss how our findings fit into an evolutionary scheme of AGN.Comment: 6 pages (including 20 Figures), accepted for A&A also available at http://www.xray.mpe.mpg.de/~dgrupe/research/refereed.htm

Radio Loud AGN in the Context of the Eigenvector 1 Parameter Space

We consider the properties of radio-loud (RL) AGN in the context of the Eigenvector 1 (E1) parameter space. RL sources show a restricted E1 parameter space occupation relative to the radio-quiet (RQ) majority. The Fanaroff-Riley II ``parent population'' of relatively un-boosted RL sources (median radio/optical flux ratio ~490) shows the most restricted occupation. RL sources have different broad line properties (and inferred black hole masses and Eddington ratios). FWHM H_beta for the broad line component in RL sources are at least twice as large as the RQ majority. The average broad FeII emission line strength is also about half that for RQ sources. Our sample suggests that the RL cutoff occurs near R_k=70 or logP(6cm)=32.0 ergs/s/Hz. Sources below this cutoff are RQ although we cannot rule out the existence of a distinct intermediate population. We show that the Doppler boosted core-dominated RL sources (median flux ratio ~1000) lie towards smaller FWHM(H_beta_bc) and stronger FeII in E1 as expected if the lines arise in an accretion disk. Our subsample of superluminal sources, with orientation inferred from the synchrotron self Compton model, reinforce this general E1 trend and allow us to estimate the role of source orientation in driving E1 domain occupation.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

A Complete Sample of Soft X-ray Selected AGN: II. Statistical Analysis

Direct correlations and a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) are presented for a complete sample of 110 soft X-ray selected AGN of which about half are Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLS1s). The direct correlation analyses show that narrower FWHM(H-beta) correlates with steeper X-ray spectrum, stronger optical FeII emission, weaker [OIII] emission and stronger short-term X-ray variability. This direct correlation analysis and the PCA confirm the Boroson & Green (1992) Eigenvector 1 relationship for AGN: FeII strength anti-correlates with [OIII] line strength. Eigenvector 1 is well-correlated with the Eddington luminosity ratio L/L_Edd while Eigenvector 2 shows a very good correlation with the mass of the central black hole and the mass accretion rate. The Eddington ratio L/L_Edd correlates with the X-ray spectral index alpha-X and the black home mass anti-correlates with the X-ray variability chi^2/nu. The Eddington ration L/L_Edd may be interpreted as the age of an AGN: AGN with steep X-ray spectra, strong FeII, and weak [OIII] are AGN in an early phase of their evolution. In this hypothesis NLS1s are young AGN.Comment: Accepted for publication in AJ (April 2004), 21 pages, 13 figure

Probing the Ionizing Continuum of Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 Galaxies. I.Observational Results

We present optical spectra and emission-line ratios of 12 Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxies that we observed to study the ionizing EUV continuum. A common feature in the EUV continuum of active galactic nuclei is the big blue bump (BBB), generally associated with thermal accretion disk emission. While Galactic absorption prevents direct access to the EUV range, it can be mapped by measuring the strength of a variety of forbidden optical emission lines that respond to different EUV continuum regions. We find that narrow emission-line ratios involving [OII]3727, Hbeta, [OIII]5007, [OI]6300, Halpha,[NII]6583, and [SII]6716,6731 indicate no significant difference between NLS1s and Broad-Line Seyfert 1 (BLS1) galaxies, which suggests that the spectral energy distributions of their ionizing EUV - soft X-ray continua are similar. The relative strength of important forbidden high ionization lines like [NeV]3426 compared to HeII4686 and the relative strength of [FeX]6374 appear to show the same range as in BLS1 galaxies. However, a trend of weaker F([OI]6300)/F(Halpha) emission-line ratios is indicated for NLS1s compared to BLS1s. To recover the broad emission-line profiles we used Gaussian components. This approach indicates that the broad Hbeta profile can be well described with a broad component (FWHM = 3275 +- 800 km/s) and an intermediate broad component (FWHM = 1200 +- 300 km/s). The width of the broad component is in the typical range of normal BLS1s. The emission-line flux that is associated with the broad component in these NLS1s amounts to at least 60% of the total flux. Thus it dominates the total line flux, similar to BLS1 galaxies.Comment: 34 pages, 9 figures. accepted for publication in the Astrophys.Journa