Delving into X-ray obscuration of type 2 AGN, near and far

Journal Article · Tue May 20 04:00:00 EDT 2014 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/787/1/61· OSTI ID:22356826

LaMassa, Stephanie M.; Meg Urry, C. ^[1]; Yaqoob, Tahir; Ptak, Andrew F. ^[2]; Jia, Jianjun; Heckman, Timothy M. ^[3]; Gandhi, Poshak ^[4]

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1. Yale Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Yale University, P.O. Box 208120, New Haven, CT 06520 (United States)
2. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)
3. Department of Physics and Astronomy, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)
4. Department of Physics, University of Durham, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom)

Using self-consistent, physically motivated models, we investigate the X-ray obscuration in 19 Type 2 [O III] 5007 Å selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs), 9 of which are local Seyfert 2 galaxies and 10 of which are Type 2 quasar candidates. We derive reliable line-of-sight and global column densities for these objects, which is the first time this has been reported for an AGN sample; four AGNs have significantly different global and line-of-sight column densities. Five sources are heavily obscured to Compton-thick. We comment on interesting sources revealed by our spectral modeling, including a candidate 'naked' Sy2. After correcting for absorption, we find that the ratio of the rest-frame, 2-10 keV luminosity (L{sub 2-10} {sub keV,} {sub in}) to L{sub [O} {sub III]} is 1.54 ± 0.49 dex which is essentially identical to the mean Type 1 AGN value. The Fe Kα luminosity is significantly correlated with L{sub [O} {sub III]} but with substantial scatter. Finally, we do not find a trend between L {sub 2-10keV,} {sub in} and global or line-of-sight column density, between column density and redshift, between column density and scattering fraction, or between scattering fraction and redshift.

• OSTI ID: 22356826
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 787; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ABSORPTION
DENSITY
GALAXIES
GALAXY NUCLEI
KEV RANGE
LUMINOSITY
QUASARS
RED SHIFT
SCATTERING
X RADIATION