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X-ray Constraints on the Active Galactic Nuclei Properties in Spitzer-Infrared Spectrograph Identified z ~ 2 Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies

Abstract

We report Chandra X-ray constraints for 20 of the 52 high-redshift ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) identified in the Spitzer Extragalactic First Look Survey with f_ν(24 μm) > 0.9 mJy, log[(νf_ν(24μm)/(νf_ν(R)] > 1, and log[(νf_ν(24μm)/(νf_ν(8μm)] > 0.5. Notably, decomposition of Spitzer mid-infrared IRS spectra for the entire sample indicates that they are comprised predominantly of weak polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon ULIRGs dominated by hot-dust continua, characteristic of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) activity. Given their redshifts, they have AGN bolometric luminosities of ≈10^(45)-10^(47) erg s^(–1) comparable to powerful quasi-stellar objects (QSOs). This, coupled with their high IR-to-optical ratios and often significant silicate absorption, strongly argues in favor of these mid-IR objects being heavily obscured QSOs. Here we use Chandra observations to further constrain their obscuration. At X-ray energies, we marginally detect two ULIRGs, while the rest have only upper limits. Using the IRS-derived 5.8 μm AGN continuum luminosity as a proxy for the expected X-ray luminosities, we find that all of the observed sources must individually be highly obscured, while X-ray stacking limits on the undetected sources suggest that the majority, if not all, are likely to be at least mildly Compton-thick (N_H ≳ 10^(24) cm^(–2)). With a space density of ≈1.4 × 10^(–7) Mpc^(–3) at z ~ 2, such objects imply an obscured AGN fraction (i.e., the ratio of AGNs above and below N_H = 10^(22) cm^(–2)) of ≳ 1.7:1 even among luminous QSOs. Given that we do not correct for mid-IR extinction effects and that our ULIRG selection is by no means complete for obscured AGNs, we regard our constraints as a lower limit to the true obscured fraction among QSOs at this epoch. Our findings, which are based on extensive multi-wavelength constraints including Spitzer IRS spectra, should aid in the interpretation of similar objects from larger or deeper mid-IR surveys, where considerable uncertainty about the source properties remains and comparable follow-up is not yet feasible

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