1,453 research outputs found
Obscuration in AGNs: near-infrared luminosity relations and dust colors
We combine two approaches to isolate the AGN luminosity at near-infrared
wavelengths and relate the near-IR pure AGN luminosity to other tracers of the
AGN. Using integral-field spectroscopic data of an archival sample of 51 local
AGNs, we estimate the fraction of non-stellar light by comparing the nuclear
equivalent width of the stellar 2.3 micron CO absorption feature with the
intrinsic value for each galaxy. We compare this fraction to that derived from
a spectral decomposition of the integrated light in the central arc second and
find them to be consistent with each other. Using our estimates of the near-IR
AGN light, we find a strong correlation with presumably isotropic AGN tracers.
We show that a significant offset exists between type 1 and type 2 sources in
the sense that type 1 sources are 7 (10) times brighter in the near-IR at log
L_MIR = 42.5 (log L_X = 42.5). These offsets only becomes clear when treating
infrared type 1 sources as type 1 AGNs.
All AGNs have very red near-to-mid-IR dust colors. This, as well as the range
of observed near-IR temperatures, can be explained with a simple model with
only two free parameters: the obscuration to the hot dust and the ratio between
the warm and hot dust areas. We find obscurations of A_V (hot) = 5 - 15 mag for
infrared type 1 sources and A_V (hot) = 15 - 35 mag for type 2 sources. The
ratio of hot dust to warm dust areas of about 1000 is nicely consistent with
the ratio of radii of the respective regions as found by infrared
interferometry.Comment: 17 pages, 10 Figures, 3 Tables, accepted by A&
On the relation of optical obscuration and X-ray absorption in Seyfert galaxies
The optical classification of a Seyfert galaxy and whether it is considered
X-ray absorbed are often used interchangeably. But there are many borderline
cases and also numerous examples where the optical and X-ray classifications
appear to be in conflict. In this article we re-visit the relation between
optical obscuration and X-ray absorption in AGNs. We make use of our "dust
color" method (Burtscher et al. 2015) to derive the optical obscuration A_V and
consistently estimated X-ray absorbing columns using 0.3--150 keV spectral
energy distributions. We also take into account the variable nature of the
neutral gas column N_H and derive the Seyfert sub-classes of all our objects in
a consistent way.
We show in a sample of 25 local, hard-X-ray detected Seyfert galaxies (log
L_X / (erg/s) ~ 41.5 - 43.5) that there can actually be a good agreement
between optical and X-ray classification. If Seyfert types 1.8 and 1.9 are
considered unobscured, the threshold between X-ray unabsorbed and absorbed
should be chosen at a column N_H = 10^22.3 / cm^2 to be consistent with the
optical classification.
We find that N_H is related to A_V and that the N_H/A_V ratio is
approximately Galactic or higher in all sources, as indicated previously. But
in several objects we also see that deviations from the Galactic ratio are only
due to a variable X-ray column, showing that (1) deviations from the Galactic
N_H/A_V can simply be explained by dust-free neutral gas within the broad line
region in some sources, that (2) the dust properties in AGNs can be similar to
Galactic dust and that (3) the dust color method is a robust way to estimate
the optical extinction towards the sublimation radius in all but the most
obscured AGNs.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication by A&A; updated PDF to
include abstrac
What Powers Ultra-luminous IRAS Galaxies?
We present an ISO SWS and ISOPHOT-S, mid-infrared spectroscopic survey of 15
ultra-luminous IRAS galaxies. We combine the survey results with a detailed
case study, based on near-IR and mm imaging spectroscopy, of one of the sample
galaxies (UGC 5101). We compare the near- and mid-IR characteristics of these
ultra-luminous galaxies to ISO and literature data of thirty starburst and
active galactic nuclei (AGN), template galaxies. We find that
1) 70-80% of the ultra-luminous IRAS galaxies in our sample are predominantly
powered by recently formed massive stars. 20-30% are powered by a central AGN.
These conclusions are based on a new infrared 'diagnostic diagram' involving
the ratio of high to low excitation mid-IR emission lines on the one hand, and
on the strength of the 7.7um PAH feature on the other hand.
2) at least half of the sources probably have simultaneously an active
nucleus and starburst activity in a 1-2 kpc diameter circum-nuclear disk/ring.
3) the mid-infrared emitting regions are highly obscured. After correction
for these extinctions, we estimate that the star forming regions in ULIRGs have
ages between 10^7 and 10^8 years, similar to but somewhat larger than those
found in lower luminosity starburst galaxies.
4) in the sample we have studied there is no obvious trend for the AGN
component to dominate in the most compact, and thus most advanced mergers.
Instead, at any given time during the merger evolution, the time dependent
compression of the circum-nuclear interstellar gas, the accretion rate onto the
central black hole and the associated radiation efficiency may determine
whether star formation or AGN activity dominates the luminosity of the system.Comment: 63 pages postscript (ex. MS Word), 11 postscript and 2 gif figures,
submitted to ApJ. See also
http://www.mpe-garching.mpg.de/ISO/preprint/MPE-IR-97003.htm
A search for broad infrared recombination lines in NGC 1068
We report infrared spectroscopy of the prototypical Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC
1068, aiming at detection of broad components of hydrogen recombination lines
that originate in the obscured broad-line region. Using the Short Wavelength
Spectrometer on board the Infrared Space Observatory, we have observed for the
first time the regions of Brackett beta 2.626um and Pfund alpha 7.460um, and
present improved data for Brackett alpha 4.052um. No significant broad
components are detected, implying an equivalent visual extinction to the
broad-line region of at least 50 magnitudes and an obscuring column density of
at least 10^23 cm^-2. While consistent with a highly obscured broad-line
region, as required by the classical unified scenario, these limits are not yet
significant enough to discriminate strongly between different torus models or
to constrain properties of the gas causing the very large X-ray obscuration. We
discuss the systematic limitations of infrared broad-line region searches and
suggest that Brackett alpha may often be the most favorable transition for
future searches.Comment: aastex (V4), 4 eps figures. Accepted by Ap
Physical Conditions in the Ionized Gas of 30 Doradus
We present a mid-infrared spectroscopic data cube of the central part of 30
Doradus, observed with Spitzer's IRS and MIPS/SED mode. Aromatic dust emission
features and emission lines from molecular and atomic hydrogen are detected but
not particularly strong. The dominant spectral features are emission lines from
moderately ionized species of argon, neon, and sulphur, which are used to
determine the physical conditions in the ionized gas. The ionized gas
excitation shows strong variations on parsec scales, some of which can
plausibly be associated with individual hot stars. We fit the ionic line
strengths with photoionization and shock models, and find that photoionization
dominates in the region. The ionization parameter U traces the rim of the
central bubble, as well as highlighting isolated sources of ionization, and at
least one quiescent clump. The hardness of the ionizing radiation field T_rad
reveals several "hot spots" that are either the result of individual very hot
stars or trace the propagation of the diffuse ionizing field through the
surrounding neutral cloud. Consistent with other measurements of giant
molecular hydrogen regions, log(U) ranges between -3 and -0.75, and T_rad
between 30000 and 85000K.Comment: 32 pages, 26 figures, ApJ accepted. A version with high-resolution
images can be found at
http://www.astro.virginia.edu/~ged3j/indebetouw20090125.pd
Generalized Ricci Curvature Bounds for Three Dimensional Contact Subriemannian manifolds
Measure contraction property is one of the possible generalizations of Ricci
curvature bound to more general metric measure spaces. In this paper, we
discover sufficient conditions for a three dimensional contact subriemannian
manifold to satisfy this property.Comment: 49 page
Localization on a quantum graph with a random potential on the edges
We prove spectral and dynamical localization on a cubic-lattice quantum graph
with a random potential. We use multiscale analysis and show how to obtain the
necessary estimates in analogy to the well-studied case of random Schroedinger
operators.Comment: LaTeX2e, 18 page
Extragalactic Results from the Infrared Space Observatory
More than a decade ago the IRAS satellite opened the realm of external
galaxies for studies in the 10 to 100 micron band and discovered emission from
tens of thousands of normal and active galaxies. With the 1995-1998 mission of
the Infrared Space Observatory the next major steps in extragalactic infrared
astronomy became possible: detailed imaging, spectroscopy and
spectro-photometry of many galaxies detected by IRAS, as well as deep surveys
in the mid- and far- IR. The spectroscopic data reveal a wealth of detail about
the nature of the energy source(s) and about the physical conditions in
galaxies. ISO's surveys for the first time explore the infrared emission of
distant, high-redshift galaxies. ISO's main theme in extragalactic astronomy is
the role of star formation in the activity and evolution of galaxies.Comment: 106 pages, including 17 figures. Ann.Rev.Astron.Astrophys. (in
press), a gzip'd pdf file (667kB) is also available at
http://www.mpe.mpg.de/www_ir/preprint/annrev2000.pdf.g
Obscured Activity: AGN, Quasars, Starbursts and ULIGs observed by the Infrared Space Observatory
Some of the most active galaxies in the Universe are obscured by large
quantities of dust and emit a substantial fraction of their bolometric
luminosity in the infrared. Observations of these infrared luminous galaxies
with the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) have provided a relatively unabsorbed
view to the sources fuelling this active emission. The improved sensitivity,
spatial resolution and spectroscopic capability of ISO over its predecessor
Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS), has enabled significant advances in the
understanding of the infrared properties of active galaxies. ISO surveyed a
wide range of active galaxies which, in the context of this review, includes
those powered by intense bursts of star-formation as well as those containing a
dominant active galactic nucleus (AGN). Mid infrared imaging resolved for the
first time the dust enshrouded nuclei in many nearby galaxies, while a new era
in infrared spectroscopy was opened by probing a wealth of atomic, ionic and
molecular lines as well as broad band features in the mid and far infrared.
This was particularly useful since it resulted in the understanding of the
power production, excitation and fuelling mechanisms in the nuclei of active
galaxies including the intriguing but so far elusive ultraluminous infrared
galaxies. Detailed studies of various classes of AGN and quasars greatly
improved our understanding of the unification scenario. Far-infrared imaging
and photometry also revealed the presence of a new very cold dust component in
galaxies and furthered our knowledge of the far-infrared properties of faint
starbursts, ULIGs and quasars. We summarise almost nine years of key results
based upon ISO data spanning the full range of luminosity and type of active
galaxies.Comment: Accepted for publication in 'ISO science legacy - a compact review of
ISO major achievements', Space Science Reviews - dedicated ISO issue. To be
published by Springer in 2005. 62 pages (low resolution figures version).
Higher resolution PDFs available from
http://users.physics.uoc.gr/~vassilis/papers/VermaA.pdf or
http://www.iso.vilspa.esa.es/science/SSR/Verma.pd
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