RADIATION-DRIVEN FOUNTAIN AND ORIGIN OF TORUS AROUND ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-0065 (Japan)
We propose a plausible mechanism to explain the formation of the so-called obscuring tori around active galactic nuclei (AGNs) based on three-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations including radiative feedback from the central source. The X-ray heating and radiation pressure on the gas are explicitly calculated using a ray-tracing method. This radiation feedback drives a 'fountain', that is, a vertical circulation of gas in the central few to tens parsecs. Interaction between the non-steady outflows and inflows causes the formation of a geometrically thick torus with internal turbulent motion. As a result, the AGN is obscured for a wide range of solid angles. In a quasi-steady state, the opening angles for the column density toward a black hole <10{sup 23} cm{sup -2} are approximately {+-}30 Degree-Sign and {+-}50 Degree-Sign for AGNs with 10% and 1% Eddington luminosity, respectively. Mass inflows through the torus coexist with the outflow and internal turbulent motion, and the average mass accretion rate to the central parsec region is 2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -4} {approx} 10{sup -3} M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}; this is about 10 times smaller than accretion rate required to maintain the AGN luminosity. This implies that relatively luminous AGN activity is intrinsically intermittent or that there are other mechanisms, such as stellar energy feedback, that enhance the mass accretion to the center.
- OSTI ID:
- 22092075
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 758, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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