Abstract
Broadband X-ray spectroscopy of the X-ray emission produced in the coronae of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) can provide important insights into the physical conditions very close to their ...central supermassive black holes. The temperature of the Comptonizing plasma that forms the corona is manifested through a high-energy cutoff that has been difficult to directly constrain even in the brightest AGN because it requires high-quality data at energies above 10 keV. In this paper we present a large collection of coronal cutoff constraints for obscured AGNs based on a sample of 130 AGNs selected in the hard X-ray band with Swift/BAT and observed nearly simultaneously with NuSTAR and Swift/XRT. We find that under a reasonable set of assumptions regarding partial constraints the median cutoff is well constrained to 290 ± 20 keV, where the uncertainty is statistical and given at the 68% confidence level. We investigate the sensitivity of this result to our assumptions and find that consideration of various known systematic uncertainties robustly places the median cutoff between 240 and 340 keV. The central 68% of the intrinsic cutoff distribution is found to be between about 140 and 500 keV, with estimated uncertainties of 20 and 100 keV, respectively. In comparison with the literature, we find no clear evidence that the cutoffs in obscured and unobscured AGNs are substantially different. Our analysis highlights the importance of carefully considering partial and potentially degenerate constraints on the coronal high-energy cutoff in AGNs.
Abstract
We present the analysis of simultaneous Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and XMM-Newton data of eight Compton-thick active galactic nuclei (CT-AGN) candidates selected in the ...Swift-BAT 100 month catalog. This work is part of an ongoing effort to find and characterize all CT-AGN in the Local (
z
≤ 0.05) Universe. We used two physically motivated models,
MYTorus
and
borus02
, to characterize the sources in the sample, finding five of them to be confirmed CT-AGN. These results represent an increase of ∼19% over the previous NuSTAR-confirmed, BAT-selected CT-AGN at
z
≤ 0.05, bringing the total number to 32. This corresponds to an observed fraction of ∼8% of all AGN within this volume-limited sample, although it increases to 20% ± 5% when limiting the sample to
z
≤ 0.01. Out of a sample of 48 CT-AGN candidates, selected using BAT and soft (0.3−10 keV) X-ray data, only 24 are confirmed as CT-AGN with the addition of the NuSTAR data. This highlights the importance of NuSTAR when classifying local obscured AGN. We also note that most of the sources in our full sample of 48 Seyfert 2 galaxies with NuSTAR data have significantly different lines of sight and average torus column densities, favoring a patchy torus scenario.
We present X-ray bolometric correction factors, ( / ), for Compton-thick (CT) active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with the aim of testing AGN torus models, probing orientation effects, and estimating the ...bolometric output of the most obscured AGNs. We adopt bolometric luminosities, , from literature infrared (IR) torus modeling and compile published intrinsic 2-10 keV X-ray luminosities, , from X-ray torus modeling of NuSTAR data. Our sample consists of 10 local CT AGNs, where both of these estimates are available. We test for systematic differences in values produced when using two widely used IR torus models and two widely used X-ray torus models, finding consistency within the uncertainties. We find that the mean of our sample in the range of is log10 = 1.44 0.12 with an intrinsic scatter of ∼0.2 dex, and that our derived values are consistent with previously established relationships between and and and Eddington ratio ( ). We investigate if is dependent on by comparing our results on CT AGNs to published results on less-obscured AGNs, finding no significant dependence. Since many of our sample are megamaser AGNs, known to be viewed edge-on, and furthermore under the assumptions of AGN unification whereby unobscured AGNs are viewed face-on, our result implies that the X-ray emitting corona is not strongly anisotropic. Finally, we present values for CT AGNs identified in X-ray surveys as a function of their observed , where an estimate of their intrinsic is not available, and redshift, useful for estimating the bolometric output of the most obscured AGNs across cosmic time.
Aim
Laparoscopic ventral mesh rectopexy (VMR) is a surgical option for internal and external rectal prolapse with low perioperative morbidity and low recurrence rates. Use of synthetic mesh in the ...pelvis may be associated with complications such as fistulation, erosion and dyspareunia. Biological meshes may avoid these complications, but the long‐term outcome is uncertain. Debate continues as to which type of mesh is optimal for laparoscopic VMR.
Method
A literature search was performed of electronic databases including MEDLINE, Embase and Scopus (2000–12). Studies describing outcomes relating to the mesh were included for review. Only English language studies were included.
Results
Thirteen observational studies reported the outcome of 866 patients following laparoscopic VMR. Eleven reported the outcome using synthetic mesh with a median follow‐up ranging from 7 to 74 months. Two studies reported the outcome with biological mesh with a median follow‐up of 12 months. Pooled analysis of the studies demonstrated that 767 patients had a repair with synthetic mesh and 99 with a biological implant. There was no difference in recurrence (3.7 vs 4.0%, P = 0.78) or mesh complications (0.7 vs 0%, P = 1.0%) between synthetic and biological mesh repair.
Conclusion
Biological meshes appear to be as effective as synthetic meshes in the short term for laparoscopic VMR. Mesh complication rates are low in both groups. Long‐term follow‐up is required to ascertain if these findings persist.
Abstract
We present the joint Chandra, XMM-Newton, and NuSTAR analysis of two nearby Seyfert galaxies, NGC 3081 and ESO 565-G019. These are the only two having Chandra data in a larger sample of 10 ...low-redshift (
z
≤ 0.05), candidates Compton-thick (CT) Active Galactic Nuclei selected in the 15–150 keV band with Swift-BAT that were still lacking NuSTAR data. Our spectral analysis, performed using physically motivated models, provides an estimate of both the line-of-sight (l.o.s.) and average (
N
H,
S
) column densities of the two torii. NGC 3081 has a Compton-thin l.o.s. column density
N
H,
z
= 0.58–0.62 × 10
24
cm
−2
, but the
N
H,
S
, beyond the CT threshold (
N
H,
S
= 1.41–1.78 × 10
24
cm
−2
), suggests a “patchy” scenario for the distribution of the circumnuclear matter. ESO 565-G019 has both CT l.o.s. and
N
H,
S
column densities (
N
H,
z
> 2.31 × 10
24
cm
−2
and
N
H,
S
> 2.57 × 10
24
cm
−2
, respectively). The use of physically motivated models, coupled with the broad energy range covered by the data (0.6–70 keV and 0.6–40 keV, for NGC 3081 and ESO 565-G019, respectively) allows us to constrain the covering factor of the obscuring material, which is
C
TOR
= 0.63–0.82 for NGC 3081, and
C
TOR
= 0.39–0.65 for ESO 565-G019.
ABSTRACT
We present a new X-Ray Accretion Disc-wind Emulator (xrade) based on the 2.5D Monte Carlo radiative transfer code that provides a physically motivated, self-consistent treatment of both ...absorption and emission from a disc wind by computing the local ionization state and velocity field within the flow. xrade is then implemented through a process that combines X-ray tracing with supervised machine learning. We develop a novel emulation method consisting in training, validating, and testing the simulated disc-wind spectra into a purposely built artificial neural network. The trained emulator can generate a single synthetic spectrum for a particular parameter set in a fraction of a second, in contrast to the few hours required by a standard Monte Carlo radiative transfer pipeline. The emulator does not suffer from interpolation issues with multidimensional spaces that are typically faced by traditional X-ray fitting packages such as xspec. xrade will be suitable to a wide number of sources across the black hole mass, ionizing luminosity, and accretion rate scales. As an example, we demonstrate the applicability of xrade to the physical interpretation of the X-ray spectra of the bright quasar PDS 456, which hosts the best-established accretion disc wind observed to date. We anticipate that our emulation method will be an indispensable tool for the development of high-resolution theoretical models, with the necessary flexibility to be optimized for the next generation microcalorimeters onboard future missions, like X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM)/Resolve and Athena/X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU). This tool can also be implemented across a wide variety of X-ray spectral models and beyond.
We present the results and the source catalog of the NuSTAR survey in the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey (UDS) field, bridging the gap in depth and area between NuSTAR's ECDFS and COSMOS surveys. The ...survey covers a ∼0.6 deg2 area of the field for a total observing time of ∼1.75 Ms, to a half-area depth of ∼155 ks corrected for vignetting at 3-24 keV, and reaching sensitivity limits at half-area in the full (3-24 keV), soft (3-8 keV), and hard (8-24 keV) bands of 2.2 × 10−14 erg cm−2 s−1, 1.0 × 10−14 erg cm−2 s−1, and 2.7 × 10−14 erg cm−2 s−1, respectively. A total of 67 sources are detected in at least one of the three bands, 56 of which have a robust optical redshift with a median of 〈 z 〉 ∼ 1.1 . Through a broadband (0.5-24 keV) spectral analysis of the whole sample combined with the NuSTAR hardness ratios, we compute the observed Compton-thick (CT; NH > 1024 cm−2) fraction. Taking into account the uncertainties on each NH measurement, the final number of CT sources is 6.8 1.2. This corresponds to an observed CT fraction of 11.5% 2.0%, providing a robust lower limit to the intrinsic fraction of CT active galactic nuclei and placing constraints on cosmic X-ray background synthesis models.
ABSTRACT
To answer major questions on supermassive black hole (SMBH) and galaxy evolution, a complete census of SMBH growth, i.e. active galactic nuclei (AGN), is required. Thanks to all-sky surveys ...by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and the Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG) missions, this task is now feasible in the nearby Universe. We present a new survey, the Local AGN Survey (LASr), with the goal of identifying AGN unbiased against obscuration and determining the intrinsic Compton-thick (CT) fraction. We construct the most complete all-sky galaxy sample within 100 Mpc ($90{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ completeness for log (M*/M⊙) ∼ 9.4), four times deeper than the current reference, the Two Micron All-Sky Survey Redshift Survey (2MRS), which misses ${\sim}20{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of known luminous AGN. These 49k galaxies serve as parent sample for LASr, called LASr-GPS. It contains 4.3k already known AGN, $\ge 82{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of these are estimated to have $L^\mathrm{nuc}(12\, \mu \mathrm{m})\lt 10^{42.3}$ erg s−1, i.e. are low-luminosity AGN. As a first method for identifying Seyfert-like AGN, we use WISE-based infrared colours, finding 221 galaxies at $L^\mathrm{nuc}(12\, \mu \mathrm{m})\ge 10^{42.3}$ erg s−1 to host an AGN at $90{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ reliability. This includes 61 new AGN candidates and implies an optical type 2 fraction of 50–71 per cent. We quantify the efficiency of this technique and estimate the total number of AGN with $L^\mathrm{int}(\rm {2-10\,keV})\ge 10^{42}$ erg s−1 in the volume to be $362^{+145}_{-116}$ ($8.6^{+3.5}_{-2.8}\, \times$ 10−5 Mpc−3). X-ray brightness estimates indicate the CT fraction to be 40–55 per cent to explain the Swift non-detections of the infrared selected objects. One third of the AGN within 100 Mpc remain to be identified, and we discuss the prospects for the eROSITA all-sky survey to detect them.
ABSTRACT
We present NuSTAR (Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array) observations of four active galactic nuclei (AGNs) located within 15 Mpc. These AGNs, namely ESO 121-G6, NGC 660, NGC 3486, and NGC ...5195, have observed X-ray luminosities of L2–10 keV,obs ≲ 1039 erg s−1, classifying them as low-luminosity AGN (LLAGN). We perform broad-band X-ray spectral analysis for the AGN by combining our NuSTAR data with Chandra or XMM–Newton observations to directly measure their column densities (NH) and infer their intrinsic power. We complement our X-ray data with archival and new high-angular resolution mid-infrared (mid-IR) data for all objects, except NGC 5195. Based on our X-ray spectral analysis, we found that both ESO 121-G6 and NGC 660 are heavily obscured (NH > 1023 cm−2; L2–10 keV,int ∼ 1041 erg s−1), and NGC 660 may be Compton thick. We also note that the X-ray flux and spectral slope for ESO 121-G6 have significantly changed over the last decade, indicating significant changes in the obscuration and potentially accretion rate. On the other hand, NGC 3486 and NGC 5195 appear to be unobscured and just mildly obscured, respectively, with L2–10 keV,int < 1039 erg s−1, i.e. genuine LLAGN. Both of the heavily obscured AGNs have Lbol > 1041 erg s−1 and λEdd ≳ 10−3, and are detected in high-angular resolution mid-IR imaging, indicating the presence of obscuring dust on nuclear scale. NGC 3486, however, is undetected in high-resolution mid-IR imaging, and the current data do not provide stringent constraints on the presence or absence of obscuring nuclear dust in the AGN.
ABSTRACT
All 280 of the statistically complete Palomar sample of nearby (<120 Mpc) galaxies δ > 20° have been observed at 1.5 GHz as part of the LeMMINGs e-MERLIN legacy survey. Here, we present ...Chandra X-ray observations of the nuclei of 213 of these galaxies, including a statistically complete sub-set of 113 galaxies in the declination range 40° <δ < 65°. We observed galaxies of all optical spectral types, including ‘active’ galaxies e.g. low-ionization nuclear emission line regions (LINERs) and Seyferts and ‘inactive’ galaxies like ${\rm H\, \small {II}}$ galaxies and absorption line galaxies (ALG). The X-ray flux limit of our survey is 1.65 × 10−14 erg s−1 cm−2 (0.3−10 keV). We detect X-ray emission coincident within 2 arcsec of the nucleus in 150/213 galaxies, including 13/14 Seyferts, 68/77 LINERs, 13/22 ALGs and 56/100 ${\rm H\, \small {II}}$ galaxies, but cannot completely rule out contamination from non-AGN processes in sources with nuclear luminosities $\lesssim 10^{39}$ erg s−1. We construct an X-ray Luminosity function (XLF) and find that the local galaxy XLF, when including all active galactic nucleus (AGN) types, can be represented as a single power law of slope −0.54 ± 0.06. The Eddington ratio of the Seyferts is usually 2−4 decades higher than that of the LINERs, ALGs, and ${\rm H\, \small {II}}$ galaxies, which are mostly detected with Eddington ratios $\lesssim 10^{-3}$. Using ${\rm O\, \small {III}}$ line measurements and black hole masses from the literature, we show that LINERs, ${\rm H\, \small {II}}$ galaxies and ALGs follow similar correlations to low luminosities, suggesting that some ‘inactive’ galaxies may harbour AGN.
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