690 research outputs found
Far-infrared properties of optically-selected quasars and Seyfert galaxies
Pointed IRAS observations and ground based observations are used to determine the infrared properties of optically selected galaxies and quasars. The use of complete, unbiased, optically selected samples means that statistical tests can be applied to probe the underlying properties of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). The near infrared to millimeter spectral energy distributions (SEDs) were studied of the CfA Seyfert galaxies, a well defined, unbiased sample of 25 Type 1 and 23 Type 2 Seyfert galaxies selected by optical spectroscopy. Data given show strong trends in the infrared SEDs. Strong evidence is also given that the infrared spectra of Seyfert 2 galaxies are dominated by thermal emission from warm dust, while nonthermal emission is more important in the spectra of quasars and luminous Seyfert 1 nuclei
The ultraviolet excess of quasars 3: The highly polarized quasars PKS 0736+017 and PKS 1510-089
Ultraviolet/optical/infrared spectrophotometry of the highly-polarized quasars (HPQ's) PKS 0736+017 and PKS 1510-089 is analyzed. A blazar continuum component like that in BL Lac objects (e.g. with violent variability, high polarization, and a steep power-law shape) contributes about half the visual light of 1510-089, and at least three-quarters of that in 0736+017. The remaining light has the same spectrum as normal (low-polarization) quasars, including an ultraviolet excess or blue bump, which is easily detected in the IUE spectra of 1510-089, and weakly detected in 0736+017. The line fluxes do vary, but not as much as the continuum. The ratios of the broad emission lines, and the Balmer continuum are normal in both quasars
Corrected Table for the Parametric Coefficients for the Optical Depth of the Universe to Gamma-rays at Various Redshifts
Table 1 in our paper, ApJ 648, 774 (2006) entitled "Intergalactic Photon
Spectra from the Far IR to the UV Lyman Limit for 0 < z < 6 and the Optical
Depth of the Universe to High Energy Gamma-Rays" had erroneous numbers for the
coefficients fitting the parametric form for the optical depth of the universe
to gamma-rays. The correct values for these parameters as described in the
original text are given here in a corrected table for various redshifts for the
baseline model (upper row) and fast evolution (lower row) for each individual
redshift. The parametric approximation is good for optical depths between 0.01
and 100 and for gamma-ray energies up to ~2 TeV for all redshifts but also for
energies up to ~10 TeV for redshifts less than 1.Comment: Table 1 corrected and new gamma-ray energy range of validity give
H{\alpha} Imaging of Nearby Seyfert Host Galaxies
We used narrowband interference filters with the CCD imaging camera on the
Nickel 1.0 meter telescope at Lick Observatory to observe 31 nearby (z < 0.03)
Seyfert galaxies in the 12 {\mu}m Active Galaxy Sample. We obtained pure
emission line images of each galaxy in order to separate H{\alpha} emission
from the nucleus from that of the host galaxy. The extended H{\alpha} emission
is expected to be powered by newly formed hot stars, and correlates well with
other indicators of current star formation in these galaxies: 7.7 {\mu}m PAH,
far-infrared, and radio luminosity. Relative to what would be expected from
recent star formation, there is a 0.8 dex excess of radio emission in our
Seyfert galaxies. The nuclear H{\alpha} luminosity is dominated by the AGN, and
is correlated with the hard X-ray luminosity. There is an upward offset of 1
dex in this correlation for the Seyfert 1s due to a strong contribution from
the Broad Line Region. We found a correlation between star formation rate and
AGN luminosity. In spite of selection effects, we concluded that the absence of
bright Seyfert nuclei in galaxies with low SFRs is real, albeit only weakly
significant. We used our measured spatial distributions of H{\alpha} emission
to determine what these Seyfert galaxies would look like when observed through
fixed apertures at high redshifts. Although all would be detectable emission
line galaxies at any redshift, most would appear dominated by HII region
emission. Only the most luminous AGN would still be identified at z~0.3.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Infrared-ultraviolet spectra of active galactic nuclei
Data from IRAS and IUE were combined with ground based optical and infrared spectrophotometry to derive emission line free spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for 29 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) between 0.1 and 100 microns. The IRAS data were scaled down to account for extended emission. These correction factors, determined by comparing small aperture ground based 10.6 micron data with large aperture IRAS 12 micron fluxes, were usually less than 25%. These corrected SEDs are shown
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The soft-x-ray spectral shape of x-ray-weak seyferts
(I) We observed eight Seyfert~2s and two X--ray--weak Seyfert~1/QSOs with the ROSAT PSPC, and one Seyfert~2 with the ROSAT HRI. These targets were selected from the Extended 12\um\ Galaxy Sample. (II) Both Seyfert~1/QSOs vary by factors of 1.5---2. The photon indices steepen in the more luminous state, consistent with the variability being mainly due to the softest X--rays, which are confined to a size of less than a parsec. (III) Both the Seyfert~2s and Seyfert~1/QSOs are best fit with a photon index of \Gamma\sim3, which is steeper than the canonical value of \Gamma\sim1.7 measured for X--ray--strong Seyferts by ROSAT and at higher energies. Several physical explanations are suggested for the steeper slopes of X--ray--weak objects. (IV) We observed one Seyfert~2, NGC~5005, with the ROSAT HRI, finding about 13\% of the soft X--rays to come from an extended component. This and other observations suggest that different components to the soft X--ray spectrum of some, if not all, X--ray--weak Seyferts may come from spatially distinct regions
The central molecular gas structure in LINERs with low luminosity AGN: evidence for gradual disappearance of the torus
We present observations of the molecular gas in the nuclear environment of
three prototypical low luminosity AGN (LLAGN), based on VLT/SINFONI AO-assisted
integral-field spectroscopy of H2 1-0 S(1) emission at angular resolutions of
~0.17". On scales of 50-150 pc the spatial distribution and kinematics of the
molecular gas are consistent with a rotating thin disk, where the ratio of
rotation (V) to dispersion (sigma) exceeds unity. However, in the central 50
pc, the observations reveal a geometrically and optically thick structure of
molecular gas (V/sigma10^{23} cm^{-2}) that is likely to be
associated with the outer extent of any smaller scale obscuring structure. In
contrast to Seyfert galaxies, the molecular gas in LLAGN has a V/sigma<1 over
an area that is ~9 times smaller and column densities that are in average ~3
times smaller. We interpret these results as evidence for a gradual
disappearance of the nuclear obscuring structure. While a disk wind may not be
able to maintain a thick rotating structure at these luminosities, inflow of
material into the nuclear region could provide sufficient energy to sustain it.
In this context, LLAGN may represent the final phase of accretion in current
theories of torus evolution. While the inflow rate is considerable during the
Seyfert phase, it is slowly decreasing, and the collisional disk is gradually
transitioning to become geometrically thin. Furthermore, the nuclear region of
these LLAGN is dominated by intermediate-age/old stellar populations (with
little or no on-going star formation), consistent with a late stage of
evolution.Comment: 15 pages, including 4 figures and 1 table, Accepted for publication
in ApJ Letter
A complete sample of Seyfert galaxies selected at 1/4 keV
We have used the ROSAT Bright Source Catalogue to extract a complete sample
of sources selected in the band from 0.1-0.4 keV. This 1/4 keV-selected sample
is comprised of 54 Seyfert galaxies, 25 BL Lacertae objects, 4 clusters and 27
Galactic stars or binaries. Seyfert-type galaxies with ``ultrasoft'' X-ray
spectra can very often be classed optically as Narrow-line Seyfert 1s (NLS1s).
Such objects are readily detected in 1/4 keV surveys; the sample reported here
contains 20 NLS1s, corresponding to a 40% fraction of the Seyferts. Optical
spectra of the Seyfert galaxies were gathered for correlative analysis, which
confirmed the well-known relations between X-ray slope and optical spectral
properties (e.g., [O III]/H-beta ratio; Fe II strength, H-beta width). The
various intercorrelations are most likely driven, fundamentally, by the shape
of the photoionising continuum in Seyfert nuclei. We argue that a steep X-ray
spectrum is a better indicator of an ``extreme'' set of physical properties in
Seyfert galaxies than is the narrowness of the optical H-beta line. (Abridged)Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Seyfert Galaxies in the Local Universe: Analysis of Spitzer Spectra of a Complete Sample
The Spitzer high resolution spectra of 72 Seyfert galaxies from the 12m
Galaxy Sample are presented and discussed. The presence of starburst components
in these galaxies can be quantified by powerful mid-IR diagnostics tools (i.e.
11.25m PAH feature equivalent width and the H emission line
intensity), as well as the AGN dominance can be measured by specific fine
structure line ratios (e.g. [NeV]/[NeII], [NeV]/[SiII], etc.). The two types of
Seyfert galaxies do not show any statistical difference in our diagnostic
tools. However, the Seyfert 2's showing hidden Broad Line Regions in
spectro-polarimetric observations have on average an higher AGN dominance, a
weaker star formation component and a warmer [60 - 25] spectral index than
those without broad emission lines.Comment: Proceedings of the Conference "The central kiloparsec. Active
Galactic Nuclei and their hosts, 4-6 June 2008, Ierapetra, Crete, Greec
An Empirically Based Model for Predicting Infrared Luminosity Functions, Deep Infrared Galaxy Counts and the Diffuse Infrared Background
We predict luminosity functions and number counts for extragalactic infrared sources at various wavelengths using our empirically based model. This is the same model which we used successfully to predict the spectral energy distribution of the diffuse infrared background. Comparisons of galaxy count results with existing data indicate that either galaxy luminosity evolution is not stronger that Q=3.1 (where L is proportional to (1+z)^{Q}) or that this evolution does not continue beyond a redshift of 2. However, measurements of the far infrared background from COBE-DIRBE seem to suggest a stronger evolution for far infrared emission with Q > 4 in the redshift range beteen 0 and 1. We discuss several interpretations of these results and also discuss how future observations can reconcile this apparent conflict. We also make predictions of the redshift distributions of extragalactic infrared sources at selected flux levels which can be tested by planned detectors. Finally, we predict the fluxes at which various future surveys will become confusion limited
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