390 research outputs found
Chandra imaging of the kpc extended outflow in 1H 0419-577
The Seyfert 1 galaxy 1H 0419-577 hosts a kpc extended outflow that is
evident in the [\ion{O}{iii}] image and that is also detected as a warm
absorber in the UV/X-ray spectrum. Here, we analyze a 30 ks Chandra-ACIS
X-ray image, with the aim of resolving the diffuse extranuclear X-ray emission
and of investigating its relationship with the galactic outflow. Thanks to its
sub-arcsecond spatial resolution, Chandra resolves the circumnuclear X-ray
emission, which extends up to a projected distance of at least 16 kpc
from the center. The morphology of the diffuse X-ray emission is spherically
symmetrical. We could not recover a morphological resemblance between the soft
X-ray emission and the ionization bicone that is traced by the [\ion{O}{iii}]
outflow. we argue that the photoionized gas nebula must be distributed mostly
along the polar directions, outside our line of sight. In this geometry, the
X-ray/UV warm absorber must trace a different gas component, physically
disconnected from the emitting gas, and located closer to the equatorial plane.Comment: accepted for publications A&
XMM-Newton view of the double-peaked Fe K-alpha complex in E1821+643
We present the results of the analysis of the hard band XMM-Newton spectra of
the luminous, L(2-10keV)~3.4E+45 erg/s, radio-quiet quasar, E1821+643. Two
emission features were observed in the 6-7 keV rest frame band, confirming
previous Chandra detection of these structures. We interpret these features as
two single emission lines, one consistent with the neutral Fe K-alpha line at
6.4 keV and the other most likely due to FeXXVI. If related to the quasar, the
high-energy emission line should originate in highly ionised matter, i.e. the
accretion disc or the clouds of the emission line regions. Alternatively, it
may be related to the intergalactic medium of the rich galaxy cluster in which
E1821+643 is embedded. A composite broad emission line in combination with an
absorption line model, however, also fits the data well. We discuss the
possible physical interpretations of the origin of these features.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A, 7 pages and 7 figure
The XMM-Newton view of PG quasars: II. Properties of the Fe K-alpha line
The properties of the fluorescence Fe K-alpha emission lines of a sample of
38 quasars (QSOs) observed with XMM-Newton are studied. These objects are
included in the optically selected sample from the Palomar-Green (PG) Bright
Quasar Survey with an X-ray luminosity 1.3E43<L(2-10 keV)<5.1E45 ergs/s and
z<1.72. For each object in the sample, we investigated the presence of both
narrow and broad iron lines in detail. A total of 20 out of the 38 QSOs show
evidence of an Fe K-alpha emission line with a narrow profile. The majority of
the lines are consistent with an origin in low ionization material, which is
likely to be located in the outer parts of the accretion disk, the molecular
torus, and/or the Broad Line Region. The average properties of the narrow Fe
K-alpha emission line observed in the sample are similar to those of Seyfert
type galaxies as inferred from recent XMM-Newton and Chandra studies. A broad
line has been significantly detected in only three objects. Furthermore, we
studied the relationship between the equivalent width (EW) of the iron line and
the hard band X-ray luminosity for radio quiet quasars. The analysis indicates
that no clear correlation between the strength of the line and the hard X-ray
luminosity is present, and our results do not show compelling evidence for an
anticorrelation between these two quantities, i.e. the so-called X-ray Baldwin
effect.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, accepted by A&
A long hard look at the minimum state of PG 2112+059 with XMM-Newton
XMM-Newton successfully detected the minimum state of PG 2112+059 during a
short snapshot observation and performed a long follow-up observation. The high
signal-to-noise spectra are modelled assuming different emission scenarios and
compared with archival spectra taken by XMM-Newton and Chandra.
The PG 2112+059 X-ray spectra acquired in May 2007 allowed the detection of a
weak iron fluorescent line, which is interpreted as being caused by reflection
from neutral material at some distance from the primary X-ray emitting source.
The X-ray spectra of PG 2112+059 taken at five different epochs during
different flux states can be interpreted within two different scenarios. The
first consists of two layers of ionised material with column densities of N_H
~5 x 10^22 cm^-2 and N_H ~3.5 x 10^23 cm^-2, respectively. The first layer is
moderately ionised and its ionisation levels follow the flux changes, while the
other layer is highly ionised and does not show any correlation with the flux
of the source. The spectra can also be interpreted assuming reflection by an
ionised accretion disk seen behind a warm absorber. The warm absorber
ionisation is consistent with being correlated with the flux of the source,
which provides an additional degree of self-consistency with the overall
reflection-based model. We explain the spectral variability with light bending
according to the models of Miniutti and Fabian and constrain the black hole
spin to be a/M > 0.86. Both scenarios also assume that a distant cold reflector
is responsible for the Fe K \alpha emission line.
Light bending provides an attractive explanation of the different states of
PG 2112+059 and may also describe the physical cause of the observed properties
of other X-ray weak quasars.Comment: 15 pages, 12 figures, A&A latex, accepted for publication in
Astronomy & Astrophysic
XMM-Newton discovery of soft X-ray absorption in the high-z superluminous Blazar RBS 315
We present the analysis and the results of a 20 ks XMM-Newton observation of
the extremely X-ray loud (L_X ~ 5 x 10^{47} erg/s) flat-spectrum radio quasar
RBS 315 at a redshift of 2.69. This EPIC observation has allowed us to strongly
constrain the slope of the continuum (Gamma = 1.23+/-0.01) as well as to
discover the presence of a sharp drop below ~ 2 keV in its spectrum. Such a
flat photon index and the huge luminosity suggest that the X-ray emission is
due to the low energy tail of the Comptonized spectrum, produced from plasma in
a relativistic jet oriented close to our line of sight. Even though the
hypothesis of a break in the continuum cannot be completely discarded as an
explanation of the soft X-ray cutoff, the presence of intrinsic absorption
appears more plausible. Spectral fits with cold (Nh(z) = 1.62+/-0.09 x 10^{22}
cm^{-2}) and lukewarm (Nh(z) = 2.2^{+0.9}_{-0.3} x 10^{22} cm^{-2}; xi =
15^{+38}_{-12} erg/cm^{2}/s) absorbers are statistically indistinguishable.
Remarkably, our results are very similar to those reported so far for other
absorbed high-z Blazars observed by XMM-Newton. The existence of this
``homogeneous'' class of jet-dominated superluminous obscured QSOs at high z
therefore could be important in the context of the formation and cosmological
evolution of radio-loud objectsComment: Accepted by A&A Letter
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