Infrared spectra of obscuring dust tori around active galactic nuclei. I - Calculational method and basic trends

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (515) References (30) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Infrared Spectra of Obscuring Dust Tori around Active Galactic Nuclei. I. Calculational Method and Basic Trends Pier, Edward A. ; Krolik, Julian H. Abstract Using a new two-dimensional radiative transfer algorithm, we have calculated the thermally reradiated infrared spectra of the compact dust tori which are thought to surround many active galactic nuclei. These tori radiate anisotropically. Face-on tori may be from one-half to a few orders of magnitude brighter than edge-on tori throughout the infrared. Their spectra at nearly all viewing angles are basically "bumps" which are about 50% wider than blackbodies and peak in the mid-infrared at a wavelength determined mainly by the flux of nuclear radiation on the inner edge of the torus. The infrared color temperatures are hotter for face-on tori than edge-on tori by ~100 K. The 10 micron silicate feature often associated with dust can appear in absorption, emission, or not at all. There is a rough tendency for absorption features to be more prominent for edge-on tori than for face-on tori. In a subsequent paper we will compare these predictions with actual observations. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: December 1992 DOI: 10.1086/172042 Bibcode: 1992ApJ...401...99P Keywords: Active Galactic Nuclei; Infrared Spectra; Interstellar Matter; Toruses; Active Galaxies; Emission Spectra; Power Spectra; Radiation Distribution; Radiative Transfer; Seyfert Galaxies; Astrophysics; ISM: DUST; EXTINCTION; GALAXIES: ACTIVE; GALAXIES: INTERSTELLAR MATTER; GALAXIES: SEYFERT; RADIATIVE TRANSFER full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (1) Related Materials (1) Part 2: 1993ApJ...418..673P