REVEALING THE HEAVILY OBSCURED ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEUS POPULATION OF HIGH-REDSHIFT 3CRR SOURCES WITH CHANDRA X-RAY OBSERVATIONS

Journal Article · Sat Aug 10 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/773/1/15· OSTI ID:22140298

Wilkes, Belinda J.; Kuraszkiewicz, Joanna; Willner, S. P.; Ashby, M. L. N.; Fazio, G. G. ^[1]; Haas, Martin; Chini, Rolf ^[2]; Barthel, Peter ^[3]; Leipski, Christian ^[4]; Worrall, D. M.; Birkinshaw, Mark ^[5]; Antonucci, Robert ^[6]; Lawrence, Charles ^[7]; Ogle, Patrick ^[8]; Schulz, Bernhard ^[9]

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1. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)
2. Astronomisches Institut, Ruhr-University, D-44801 Bochum (Germany)
3. Kapteyn Institute, University of Groningen, 9747 AD Groningen (Netherlands)
4. MPIA, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany)
5. H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TL (United Kingdom)
6. Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States)
7. JPL, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States)
8. Spitzer Science Center, Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)
9. IPAC, Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)

Chandra observations of a complete, flux-limited sample of 38 high-redshift (1 < z < 2), low-frequency-selected (and so unbiased in orientation) 3CRR radio sources are reported. The sample includes 21 quasars (=broad-line radio galaxies) and 17 narrow-line radio galaxies (NLRGs) with matched 178 MHz radio luminosity (log L{sub R}(5 GHz) {approx}44-45). The quasars have high radio core fraction, high X-ray luminosities (log L{sub X} {approx}45-46), and soft X-ray hardness ratios (HR {approx}-0.5) indicating low obscuration. The NLRGs have lower core fraction, lower apparent X-ray luminosities (log L{sub X} {approx}43-45), and mostly hard X-ray hardness ratios (HR >0) indicating obscuration (N{sub H} {approx}10{sup 22}-10{sup 24} cm{sup -2}). These properties and the correlation between obscuration and radio core fraction are consistent with orientation-dependent obscuration as in unification models. About half the NLRGs have soft X-ray hardness ratios and/or a high [O III] emission line to X-ray luminosity ratio suggesting obscuration by Compton thick (CT) material so that scattered nuclear or extended X-ray emission dominates (as in NGC 1068). The ratios of unobscured to Compton-thin (10{sup 22} cm{sup -2} < N{sub H}(int) <1.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 24} cm{sup -2}) to CT (N{sub H}(int) >1.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 24} cm{sup -2}) is 2.5:1.4:1 in this high-luminosity, radio-selected sample. The obscured fraction is 0.5, higher than is typically reported for active galactic nuclei at comparable luminosities from multi-wavelength surveys (0.1-0.3). Assuming random nuclear orientation, the unobscured half-opening angle of the disk/wind/torus structure is {approx}60 Degree-Sign and the obscuring material covers 30 Degree-Sign , {approx}12 Degree-Sign of which is CT. The multi-wavelength properties reveal that many NLRGs have intrinsic absorption 10-1000 Multiplication-Sign higher than indicated by their X-ray hardness ratios, and their true L{sub X} values are {approx}10-100 Multiplication-Sign larger than the hardness-ratio absorption corrections would indicate.

• OSTI ID: 22140298
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 773, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
ABSORPTION
CORRECTIONS
CORRELATIONS
EMISSION
GALAXY NUCLEI
HARD X RADIATION
LUMINOSITY
NUCLEI
ORIENTATION
QUASARS
RADIO GALAXIES
RANDOMNESS
RED SHIFT
SOFT X RADIATION
WAVELENGTHS
X-RAY GALAXIES