We construct an X-ray spectral model from the clumpy torus in an active galactic nucleus, designated as "XCLUMPY," utilizing the Monte Carlo simulation for Astrophysics and Cosmology framework. The ...adopted geometry of the torus is the same as that in Nenkova et al. who assume a power-law distribution of clumps in the radial direction and a normal distribution in the elevation direction. We investigate the dependence of the X-ray continuum and Fe K fluorescence line profile on the torus parameters. Our model is compared with other torus models: MYTorus model, Ikeda model, and CTorus model. As an example, we also present the results applied to the broadband X-ray spectra of the Circinus galaxy observed with XMM-Newton, Suzaku, and NuSTAR. Our model can well reproduce the data, yielding a hydrogen column density along the equatorial plane cm−2, a torus angular width degree, and a 2-10 keV luminosity . These results are discussed in comparison with the observations in other wavelengths.
A sublimation process governs the innermost region of the dusty torus of active galactic nuclei. However, the observed inner radius of the torus is systematically smaller than the expected radius by ...a factor of ~1/3. We show that the anisotropy of the emission from accretion disks resolves this conflict naturally and quantitatively. An accretion disk emits lesser radiation in the direction closer to its equatorial plane (i.e., to the torus). We find that the anisotropy makes the torus inner region closer to the central black hole and concave. Moreover, the innermost edge of the torus may connect with the outermost edge of the disk continuously. Considering the anisotropic emission of each clump in the torus, we calculate the near-infrared flux variation in response to a UV flash. For an observer at the polar angle Delta *cobs = 25?, the centroid of the time delay is found to be 37% of the delay expected in the case of isotropic illumination, which explains the observed systematic deviation.
We present deep near-infrared spectroscopy of six quasars at 6.1 ≤ z ≤ 6.7 with Very Large Telescope/X-Shooter and Gemini-N/GNIRS. Our objects, originally discovered through a wide-field optical ...survey with the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) Subaru Strategic Program (HSC-SSP), have the lowest luminosities (−25.5 mag ≤ M1450 ≤ −23.1 mag) of the z > 5.8 quasars with measured black hole (BH) masses. From single-epoch mass measurements based on Mg ii λ2798, we find a wide range in BH masses, from MBH = 107.6 to 109.3 M . The Eddington ratios Lbol/LEdd range from 0.16 to 1.1, but the majority of the HSC quasars are powered by MBH ∼ 109 M supermassive black holes (SMBHs) accreting at sub-Eddington rates. The Eddington ratio distribution of the HSC quasars is inclined to lower accretion rates than those of Willott et al., who measured the BH masses for similarly faint z ∼ 6 quasars. This suggests that the global Eddington ratio distribution is wider than has previously been thought. The presence of MBH ∼ 109 M SMBHs at z ∼ 6 cannot be explained with constant sub-Eddington accretion from stellar remnant seed BHs. Therefore, we may be witnessing the first buildup of the most massive BHs in the first billion years of the universe, the accretion activity of which is transforming from active growth to a quiescent phase. Measurements of a larger complete sample of z 6 low-luminosity quasars, as well as deeper observations with future facilities, will enable us to better understand the early SMBH growth in the reionization epoch.
We apply a new X-ray clumpy torus model, XCLUMPY, in which the clump distribution is assumed to be the same as that in the infrared clumpy torus model (CLUMPY) by Nenkova et al., to the broadband ...X-ray spectra of type-1 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) for the first time. We analyze the archival data of IC 4329A and NGC 7469 observed with NuSTAR/Suzaku and NuSTAR/XMM-Newton, respectively, whose infrared spectra were studied with CLUMPY by Ichikawa et al. and optical extinctions (AV) of the tori were estimated. We consider two models, invoking (Model 1) a relativistic reflection component from the accretion disk and (Model 2) a partial absorber. Assuming that the narrow Fe K emission line at 6.4 keV originates from the torus, we separate the contribution of the torus reflection components in the total spectra. Our models yield equatorial hydrogen column densities of the tori to be (0.53-1.43) × 1023 cm−2 and (0.84-1.43) × 1024 cm−2, for IC 4329A and NGC 7469, respectively. We find that the NH/AV ratios in the tori are by factors of 25-68 (IC 4329A) and 2.4-3.9 (NGC 7469) smaller than that in the Galactic interstellar medium (ISM). These results suggest that a non-negligible fraction of AGNs are "dust-rich" compared with the Galactic ISM, as opposite to the general trend previously reported in many obscured AGNs.
We report the discovery of 15 quasars and bright galaxies at 5.7 < z< 6.9. This is the initial result from the Subaru High-z Exploration of Low-Luminosity Quasars project, which exploits the ...exquisite multiband imaging data produced by the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) Strategic Program survey. The candidate selection is performed by combining several photometric approaches including a Bayesian probabilistic algorithm to reject stars and dwarfs. The spectroscopic identification was carried out with the Gran Telescopio Canarias and the Subaru Telescope for the first 80 deg super(2) of the survey footprint. The success rate of our photometric selection is quite high, approaching 100% at the brighter magnitudes (z sub(AB)< 23.5 mag). Our selection also recovered all the known high-z quasars on the HSC images. Among the 15 discovered objects, six are likely quasars, while the other six with interstellar absorption lines and in some cases narrow emission lines are likely bright Lyman-break galaxies. The remaining three objects have weak continua and very strong and narrow Lyalpha lines, which may be excited by ultraviolet light from both young stars and quasars. These results indicate that we are starting to see the steep rise of the luminosity function of z> or = 6 galaxies, compared with that of quasars, at magnitudes fainter than M sub(1450)~ -22 mag or z sub(AB)~ 24 mag. Follow-up studies of the discovered objects as well as further survey observations are ongoing.
It is difficult to observe directly the particle motion inside a dense granular flow or a fluid-particle flow because of the existence of surrounding particles. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is ...one of the non-invasive and non-destructive measurement techniques for such flows. MRI can measure the velocity distribution (tagging method and phase method), which is an outstanding advantage of the MRI measurement. This paper briefly explains the principle of the MRI measurement. Then MRI is applied to some dense granular flows or fluid-particle flows, such as the rotating drum, vibrated granular bed, hopper flow and spouted bed.
We apply XCLUMPY, an X-ray spectral model from a clumpy torus in an active galactic nucleus (AGN), to the broadband X-ray spectra of 10 obscured AGNs observed with both Suzaku and NuSTAR. The ...infrared spectra of these AGNs were analyzed by Ichikawa et al. with the CLUMPY code. Because XCLUMPY adopts the same clump distribution as that in the CLUMPY, we can directly compare the torus parameters obtained from the X-ray spectra and those from the infrared spectra. The torus angular widths determined from the infrared spectra ( IR) are systematically larger than those from the X-ray data ( X); the difference ( ) correlates with the inclination angle determined from the X-ray spectrum. These results can be explained by the contribution from dusty polar outflows to the observed infrared flux, which becomes more significant at higher inclinations (more edge-on views). The ratio of the hydrogen column density to the V-band extinction in the line-of-sight absorber shows a large scatter ( 1 dex) around the Galactic value, suggesting that a significant fraction of AGNs have dust-rich circumnuclear environments.
A discrete particle model for flows of Group A particles in Geldart's classification is studied. In general, Group A particles are fine and light, so that the adhesion force has a strong effect on ...their fluidization behavior. Inter-particle adhesion force of Group A particle was measured first. Secondly, the DEM–CFD coupling simulation with the measured adhesion force was performed, and the simulated results were compared with the experimental data about a small-scale fluidized bed for verification of the simulation. It was found from the results that there were considerable differences between their flow patterns. In order to reveal the cause of the differences, the effect of the adhesion force in the contact force model was studied on the motion of a single particle colliding with a wall.
From the analysis on the particle–wall collision process, it is found that the spring constant used in the DEM model has a large effect on the particle's sticking behavior on the wall. The dynamic adhesion force model is proposed based on the present analytical investigation, and it is found that the present model well expresses the effects of the adhesion force on the flow structure for the case of a small adhesion effect.
The effects of the spring constant kD on fluidization behavior is studied. This paper presents that the spring constant in the contact force model significantly affects the rebound and sticking behavior of particle's collision and proposes a novel dynamic adhesion force model that can express the effect of adhesive force on the fluidization behavior. Display omitted
► A coupled DEM-CFD simulation is performed for adhesive particles. ► The spring constant in DEM model significantly affects the fluidization behavior. ► The effect of adhesion force is enhanced with decreasing spring constant. ► A novel dynamic adhesion force model is proposed based on the theoretical analysis. ► The model can express the fluidization behavior using a reduced spring-constant.