Person:

Elvis, Martin

We present the results of the VLA radio observations at 1.475 GHz (20 cm) of the active galactic nuclei (AGN) in the Cambridge-Cambridge ROSAT Serendipity Survey (CRSS), a sample of 123 faint X-ray sources with fx(0.5−2.0keV)≥2×10−14ergs−1cm−2 fx(0.5−2.0keV)≥2×10−14ergs−1cm−2 . Of the 80 AGN in the sample, seven show radio emission at the 5 σ level and only two ( 2.5+4.0–1.7 2.5–1.7+4.0 per cent) qualify as radio-loud (RL) objects (αro ≥ 0.35). This result, compared with 13 per cent RL in the Einstein Observatory Extended Medium Sensitivity Survey (EMSS) sample of AGN [flux limit fx(0.3−3.5keV)∼2×10−13ergs−1cm−2 fx(0.3−3.5keV)∼2×10−13ergs−1cm−2 ], confirms that the fraction of X-ray-selected RLAGN drops rapidly as the X-ray flux limit is lowered. Combining the CRSS AGN sample with that extracted from the EMSS we study the X-ray luminosity function (XLF) and evolutionary properties for radio-quiet (RQ) and RLAGN separately. We find that the RQ and RLAGN populations show the same cosmological evolution within the errors. In fact, when the luminosity evolution is parametrized with a power law of the form L∗x(z)=L∗x(0)(1+z)k Lx∗(z)=Lx∗(0)(1+z)k , we find k = 2.43 ± 0.26 and 2.71 ± 0.10 for RL and RQ AGN populations respectively. In addition, the shapes of the de-evolved XLFs of the two classes appear to be different at both the low-luminosity (Lx < 1044 erg s–1) and high-luminosity ends. These results are robust for different cosmological models (using q0 = 0.0 and 0.5) and for different values of the threshold αro used to distinguish between RQ and RL objects. Finally, we find that the differences in the shapes of the XLFs of RQ and RLAGN can be explained by introducing an X-ray beaming model to separate the observed X-ray luminosity of radio quasars into relativistically beamed and isotropic contributions.

3C 351 (z = 0.371), and X-ray-'quiet' quasar, is one of the few quasars showing signs of a 'warm absorber' in its X-ray spectrum; i.e., partially ionized absorbing material in the line of sight whose opacity depends on its ionization structure. The main feature in the X-ray spectrum is a K-edge due to O VII or O VIII. 3C 351 also shows unusually strong, blueshifted, associated, absorption lines in the ultraviolet (Bahcall et al. 1993) including O VI (lambda lambda 1031, 1037). This high ionization state strongly suggests an identification with the X-ray absorber and a site within the active nucleus. In this paper we demonstrate that the X-ray and UV absorption is due to the same material. This is the first confirmed UV/X-ray absorber. Physical conditions of the absorber are determined through the combination of constraints derived from both the X-ray and UV analysis. This highly ionized, outflowing, low-density, high-column density absorber situated outside the broad emission line region (BELR) is a previously unknown component of nuclear material. We rule out the identification of the absorber with a BELR cloud as the physical conditions in the two regions are inconsistent with one another. The effect of the X-ray quietness and IR upturn in the 3C 351 continuum on the BELR is also investigated. The strengths of the high-ionization lines of C IV lambda-1549 and O VI lambda-1034 with respect to Lyman-alpha are systematically lower (up to a factor of 10) in the material ionized by the 3C 351 continuum as compared to those produced by the 'standard' quasar continuum, the strongest effect being on the strength of O VI lambda-1034. We find that for a 3C 351-like continuum, C III) lambda-1909 ceases to be a density indicator.

An SNR-limited subsample of 14 quasars from the Wilkes and Elvis (1987) sample is presently investigated for low-energy excess above a high-energy power law in the X-ray spectra obtained by the Einstein Imaging Proportional Counter. A significant excess that is 1-6 times as strong as the high-energy component at 0.2 keV is noted in eight of the 14 objects. In the case of 3C273, multiple observations show the excess to be variable.

The present study examines two Einstein and three Exosat observations of PG 1211 + 143 over a 6-yr baseline which show that strong steep-spectrum low-energy X-ray emission is a persistent feature of this quasar. Exosat observations of PG 1211 + 143 detected an increase of a factor of 2.3 in its steep soft X-ray flux during 18 days. It is concluded that the bulk of the soft X-ray emission of PG 1211 + 143 comes from a region less than 5 x 10 to the 16th cm across. In another interval of 193 days, the soft X-rays decreased by a factor of 3.7. In the same interval the hard X-rays decreased by a factor of 1.6 + or - 0.05, which suggests a connection between the two energy regimes and argues against variable absorption causing the soft X-ray variations. It is contended that in order to decrease in luminosity so rapidly, a thermal source in PG 1211 + 143 would have to be optically thick to both electron scattering and free-bound absorption.

A sample of 45 quasars observed by the IPC on the Einstein satellite is used to re-examine the relationship between the soft (0.2-3.5 keV) X-ray energy index and radio-loudness. We find that, (1) the tendency for radio-loud quasars to have systematically flatter X-ray slopes than radio-quiet quasars is confirmed with the soft X-ray excess having negligible effect; (2) there is a tendency for the flatness of the X-ray slope to correlate with radio core-dominance for radio-loud quasars, suggesting that a component of the X-ray emission is relativistically beamed; (3) for the RQQs the soft X-ray slopes, with a mean of ,_ 1.0, are consistent with the slopes found at higher energies (2-10 keV) although steeper than those observed for Seyfert 1 galaxies (also 2-10 keV) where the reflection model gives a good fit to the data; (4) the correlation of FeII emission line strength with X-ray energy index is confirmed for radio-quiet quasars using a subset of 18 quasars. The radio-loud quasars show no evidence for a correlation. This relation suggests a connection between the ionizing continuum and the line emission from the broad emission line region (BELR) of radio-quiet quasars, but in the opposite sense to that predicted by current photoionization models; (5) the correlations of X-ray slope with radio core dominance and FeII equivalent width within the radio-loud and radio-quiet sub-classes respectively imply that the observed wide range of X-ray spectral slopes is real rather than due to the large measuring uncertainties for individual objects.

We report on the results of a continuation of a large monitoring program of optical spectroscopy of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548. The new observations presented here were obtained between 1990 December and 1992 October, and extend the existing database to nearly 1400 days, dating back to 1988 December. The continuum variations are generally smooth and well-resolved, except during the third year of this 4 year project, when the variations were apparently more rapid and of lower amplitude than observed at other times. The broad H(beta) emission line is found to vary in response to the continuum variations with a lag of about 18 days, but with some changes from year to year. The H(beta) transfer functions for each of the 4 yr and for the entire 4 yr database are derived by using a maximum entropy method.

The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) mission, launched on 2012 June 13, is the first focusing high-energy X-ray telescope in orbit. NuSTAR operates in the band from 3 to 79 keV, extending the sensitivity of focusing far beyond the ~10 keV high-energy cutoff achieved by all previous X-ray satellites. The inherently low background associated with concentrating the X-ray light enables NuSTAR to probe the hard X-ray sky with a more than 100-fold improvement in sensitivity over the collimated or coded mask instruments that have operated in this bandpass. Using its unprecedented combination of sensitivity and spatial and spectral resolution, NuSTAR will pursue five primary scientific objectives: (1) probe obscured active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity out to the peak epoch of galaxy assembly in the universe (at z lsim 2) by surveying selected regions of the sky; (2) study the population of hard X-ray-emitting compact objects in the Galaxy by mapping the central regions of the Milky Way; (3) study the non-thermal radiation in young supernova remnants, both the hard X-ray continuum and the emission from the radioactive element 44Ti; (4) observe blazars contemporaneously with ground-based radio, optical, and TeV telescopes, as well as with Fermi and Swift, to constrain the structure of AGN jets; and (5) observe line and continuum emission from core-collapse supernovae in the Local Group, and from nearby Type Ia events, to constrain explosion models. During its baseline two-year mission, NuSTAR will also undertake a broad program of targeted observations. The observatory consists of two co-aligned grazing-incidence X-ray telescopes pointed at celestial targets by a three-axis stabilized spacecraft. Deployed into a 600 km, near-circular, 6° inclination orbit, the observatory has now completed commissioning, and is performing consistent with pre-launch expectations. NuSTAR is now executing its primary science mission, and with an expected orbit lifetime of 10 yr, we anticipate proposing a guest investigator program, to begin in late 2014.

We present the results of an intermediate-resolution (1.5\AA) spectroscopic study of 17 X-ray luminous narrow emission-line galaxies previously identified in the Cambridge-Cambridge {\it ROSAT} Serendipity Survey and the {\it Einstein} Extended Medium Sensitivity Survey. Emission-line ratios reveal that the sample is composed of ten Seyfert and seven starburst galaxies. Measured linewidths for the narrow Hα emission lines lie in the range 170−460kms−1. Five of the objects show clear evidence for asymmetry in the [OIII]λ5007 emission-line profile. Broad Hα emission is detected in six of the Seyfert galaxies, which range in type from Seyfert 1.5 to 2. Broad Hβ emission is only detected in one Seyfert galaxy. The mean full width at half maximum for the broad lines in the Seyfert galaxies is FWHM=3900±1750kms−1. Broad (FWHM=2200±600kms−1) Hα emission is also detected in three of the starburst galaxies, which could originate from stellar winds or supernovae remnants. The mean Balmer decrement for the sample is Hα/Hβ=3, consistent with little or no reddening for the bulk of the sample. There is no evidence for any trend with X-ray luminosity in the ratio of starburst galaxies to Seyfert galaxies. Based on our previous observations, it is therefore likely that both classes of object comprise ∼10per cent of the 2keV X-ray background.

Steep soft X-ray (0.1-2 keV) quasars share several unusual properties: narrow Balmer lines, strong FeII emission, large and fast X-ray variability, rather steep 2-10 keV spectrum. These intriguing objects have been suggested to be the analogs of Galactic black hole candidates in the high, soft state. We present here results from ASCA observations for two of these quasars: NAB0205+024 and PG1244+026. Both objects show similar variations (factor of about 2 in 10 ks), despite a factor of about ten difference in the 0.5-10 keV luminosity (7.3E43 erg/s for PG1244+026 and 6.4E44 erg/s for NAB0205+024, assuming isotropic emission, H_0 = 50.0 and q_0 = 0.0). The X-ray continuum of the two quasars flattens by 0.5-1 going from the 0.1-2 keV band toward higher energies, strengthening recent results on another half dozen steep soft X-ray AGN. PG1244+026 shows a significant feature in the `1 keV' region, which can be described by either as a broad emission line centered at 0.95 keV (quasar frame) or as edge or line absorption at 1.17 (1.22) keV. The line emission could be due to reflection from an highly ionized accretion disk, in line with the view that steep soft X-ray quasars are emitting close to the Eddington luminosity. Photoelectric edge absorption or resonant line absorption could be produced by gas outflowing at a large velocity (0.3-0.6 c).

We provide a catalog of 391 mid-infrared-selected (MIR; 24 μm) broad-emission-line (BEL; type 1) quasars in the 22 deg2 SWIRE Lockman Hole field. This quasar sample is selected in the MIR from Spitzer MIPS with S 24 > 400 μJy, jointly with an optical magnitude limit of r (AB) < 22.5 for broad line identification. The catalog is based on MMT and Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) spectroscopy to select BEL quasars, extending the SDSS coverage to fainter magnitudes and lower redshifts, and recovers a more complete quasar population. The MIR-selected quasar sample peaks at z ~ 1.4 and recovers a significant and constant (20%) fraction of extended objects with SDSS photometry across magnitudes, which were not included in the SDSS quasar survey dominated by point sources. This sample also recovers a significant population of z < 3 quasars at i > 19.1. We then investigate the continuum luminosity and line profiles of these MIR quasars, and estimate their virial black hole masses and the Eddington ratios. The supermassive black hole mass shows evidence of downsizing, although the Eddington ratios remain constant at 1 < z < 4. Compared to point sources in the same redshift range, extended sources at z < 1 show systematically lower Eddington ratios. The catalog and spectra are publicly available online.