Weak Active Galactic Nuclei Research Articles

The ‘Green Bean’ Galaxy SDSS J224024.1–092748: unravelling the emission signature of a quasar ionization echo

"Green Bean" Galaxies (GBs) are the most [O III]-luminous type-2 active galactic nuclei (AGN) at z~0.3. However, their infrared luminosities reveal AGN in very low activity states, indicating that their gas reservoirs must be ionized by photons from a recent high activity episode - we are observing quasar ionization echoes. We use integral field spectroscopy from the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph to analyse the 3D kinematics, ionization state, temperature and density of ionized gas in the GB SDSS J224024.1-092748. We model the emission line spectrum of each spaxel as a superposition of up to three Gaussian components and analyse the physical properties of each component individually. Two narrow components, tracing the velocity fields of the disc and an ionized gas cloud, are superimposed over the majority of the galaxy. Fast shocks produce hot ($T_e$ $\geq$ 20,000 K), dense ($n_e$ $\geq$ 100 cm$^{-3}$), turbulent ($\sigma$ $\geq$ 600 km s$^{-1}$), [O III]-bright regions with enhanced [N II]/H$\alpha$ and [S II]/H$\alpha$ ratios. The most prominent such spot is consistent with a radio jet shock-heating the interstellar medium. However, the AGN is still responsible for $\geq$ 82 per cent of the galaxy's total [O III] luminosity, strengthening the case for previous quasar activity. The ionized gas cloud has a strong kinematic link to the central AGN and is co-rotating with the main body of the galaxy, suggesting that it may be the remnant of a quasar-driven outflow. Our analysis of J224024.1-092748 indicates that GBs provide a unique fossil record of the transformation from the most luminous quasars to weak AGN.

The subarcsecond mid-infrared view of local active galactic nuclei – I. The N- and Q-band imaging atlas★

We present the first subarcsecond-resolution mid-infrared (MIR) atlas of local active galactic nuclei (AGN). Our atlas contains 253 AGN with a median redshift of z=0.016, and includes all publicly available MIR imaging performed to date with ground-based 8-m class telescopes, a total of 895 independent measurements. Of these, more than 60% are published here for the first time. We detect extended nuclear emission in at least 21% of the objects, while another 19% appear clearly point-like, and the remaining objects cannot be constrained. Where present, elongated nuclear emission aligns with the ionization cones in Seyferts. Subarcsecond resolution allows us to isolate the AGN emission on scales of a few tens of parsecs and to obtain nuclear photometry in multiple filters for the objects. Median spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for the different optical AGN types are constructed and individual MIR 12 and 18micron continuum luminosities are computed. These range over more than six orders of magnitude. In comparison to the arcsecond-scale MIR emission as probed by Spitzer, the continuum emission is much lower on subarcsecond scales in many cases. The silicate feature strength is similar on both scales and generally appears in emission (absorption) in type I (II) AGN. However, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission appears weaker or absent on subarcsecond scales. The differences of the MIR SEDs on both scales are particularly large for AGN/starburst composites and close-by (and weak) AGN. The nucleus dominates over the total emission of the galaxy only at luminosities >=10^(44)erg/s. The AGN MIR atlas is well suited not only for detailed investigation of individual sources but also for statistical studies of AGN unification.

Red-channel (6000−8000 Å) nuclear spectra of 376 local galaxies

We obtained long-slit optical spectra of the nuclear regions of 376 galaxies in the local Universe using the 1.5m Cassini telescope of Bologna Observatory. Of these spectra, 164 were either never taken before by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), or given by the Nasa Extragalactic Database (NED). With these new spectra, we contribute investigating the occurrence of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Nevertheless, we stress that the present sample is by no means complete, thus, it cannot be used to perform any demographic study. Following the method presented in Gavazzi et al. (2011), we classify the nuclear spectra using a six bin scheme: SEY (Seyfert), sAGN (strong AGN), and wAGN (weak AGN) represent active galactic nuclei of different levels of activity; HII accounts for star-forming nuclei; RET (retired) and PAS (passive) refer to nuclei with poor or no star-formation activity. The spectral classification is performed using the ratio of 6584 {\lambda} [NII] to H{\alpha} lines and the equivalent width (EW) of H{\alpha} versus [NII]/H{\alpha} (WHAN diagnostic introduced by Cid Fernandes and collaborators) after correcting H{\alpha} for underlying absorption. The obtained spectra are made available in machine readable format via the Strasbourg Astronomical Data Center (CDS) and NED.

WIDESPREAD AND HIDDEN ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI IN STAR-FORMING GALAXIES AT REDSHIFT >0.3

We characterize the incidence of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is 0.3 < z < 1 star-forming galaxies by applying multi-wavelength AGN diagnostics (X-ray, optical, mid-infrared, radio) to a sample of galaxies selected at 70-micron from the Far-Infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy survey (FIDEL). Given the depth of FIDEL, we detect "normal" galaxies on the specific star formation rate (sSFR) sequence as well as starbursting systems with elevated sSFR. We find an overall high occurrence of AGN of 37+/-3%, more than twice as high as in previous studies of galaxies with comparable infrared luminosities and redshifts but in good agreement with the AGN fraction of nearby (0.05 < z < 0.1) galaxies of similar infrared luminosities. The more complete census of AGNs comes from using the recently developed Mass-Excitation (MEx) diagnostic diagram. This optical diagnostic is also sensitive to X-ray weak AGNs and X-ray absorbed AGNs, and reveals that absorbed active nuclei reside almost exclusively in infrared-luminous hosts. The fraction of galaxies hosting an AGN appears to be independent of sSFR and remains elevated both on the sSFR sequence and above. In contrast, the fraction of AGNs that are X-ray absorbed increases substantially with increasing sSFR, possibly due to an increased gas fraction and/or gas density in the host galaxies.

Deep, wide-field, global VLBI observations of theHubbledeep field north (HDF-N) and flanking fields (HFF)

Dust is commonly present in weakly radio emitting star-forming galaxies and this dust may obscure the signatures of accreting black holes in these objects. We aim to uncover weak active galactic nuclei, AGN, in the faint radio source population by means of deep high-resolution radio observations. VLBI observations with a world-wide array at unparallelled sensitivity are carried out to assess the nature of the faint radio source population in the Hubble Deep Field North and its flanking fields. Images of twelve compact, AGN-driven radio sources are presented. These represent roughly one quarter of the detectable faint radio source sample. Most, but not all of these low power AGN have X-ray detections. The majority of the faint radio source population must be star-forming galaxies. Faint AGN occur in a variety of (distant) host galaxies, and these are often accompanied by a dust-obscured starburst. Deep, high-resolution VLBI is a unique, powerful technique to assess the occurrence of faint AGN.

AN ULTRAVIOLET ULTRA-LUMINOUS LYMAN BREAK GALAXY ATZ= 2.78 IN NDWFS BOÖTES FIELD,,

We present one of the most ultraviolet (UV) luminous Lyman Break Galaxies (LBGs) (J1432+3358) at z=2.78, discovered in the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey (NDWFS) Bootes field. The R-band magnitude of J1432+3358 is 22.29 AB, more than two magnitudes brighter than typical L* LBGs at this redshift. The deep z-band image reveals two components of J1432+3358 separated by 1.0" with flux ratio of 3:1. The high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) rest-frame UV spectrum shows Lya emission line and interstellar medium absorption lines. The absence of NV and CIV emission lines, the non-detection in X-ray and radio wavelengths and mid-infrared (MIR) colors indicate no or weak active galactic nuclei (AGN) (<10%) in this galaxy. The galaxy shows broader line profile with the full width half maximum (FWHM) of about 1000 km/s and larger outflow velocity (~500 km/s) than those of typical z~3 LBGs. The physical properties are derived by fitting the spectral energy distribution (SED) with stellar synthesis models. The dust extinction, E(B-V)=0.12, is similar to that in normal LBGs. The star formation rates (SFRs) derived from the SED fitting and the dust-corrected UV flux are consistent with each other, ~300 Msun/yr, and the stellar mass is 1.3e11 Msun. The SFR and stellar mass in J1432+3358 are about an order of magnitude higher than those in normal LBGs. The SED-fitting results support that J1432+3358 has a continuous star formation history with the star formation episode of 630 Myr. The morphology of J1432+3358 and its physical properties suggest that J1432+3358 is in an early phase of 3:1 merger process. The unique properties and the low space number density (~1e-7 Mpc^{-3})are consistent with the interpretation that such galaxies are either found in a short unobscured phase of the star formation or that small fraction of intensive star-forming galaxies are unobscured.

Peculiar early-type galaxies with central star formation

Early-type galaxies (ETGs) are very important for understanding the formation and evolution of galaxies. Recent observations suggest that ETGs are not simply old stellar spheroids as we previously thought. Widespread recent star formation, cool gas and dust have been detected in a substantial fraction of ETGs. We make use of the radial profiles of g — r color and the concentration index from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey database to pick out 31 peculiar ETGs with central blue cores. By analyzing the photometric and spectroscopic data, we suggest that the blue cores are caused by star formation activities rather than the central weak active galactic nucleus. From the results of stellar population synthesis, we find that the stellar population of the blue cores is relatively young, spreading from several Myr to less than one Gyr. In 14 galaxies with H I observations, we find that the average gas fraction of these galaxies is about 0.55. The bluer galaxies show a higher gas fraction, and the total star formation rate (SFR) correlates very well with the H I gas mass. The star formation history of these ETGs is affected by the environment, e.g. in the denser environment the H I gas is less and the total SFR is lower. We also discuss the origin of the central star formation of these early-type galaxies.

A CANDELS WFC3 GRISM STUDY OF EMISSION-LINE GALAXIES ATz∼ 2: A MIX OF NUCLEAR ACTIVITY AND LOW-METALLICITY STAR FORMATION

We present Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3 slitless grism spectroscopy of 28 emission-line galaxies at z~2, in the GOODS-S region of the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS). The high sensitivity of these grism observations, with 1-sigma detections of emission lines to f > 2.5x10^{-18} erg/s/cm^2, means that the galaxies in the sample are typically ~7 times less massive (median M_* = 10^{9.5} M_sun) than previously studied z~2 emission-line galaxies. Despite their lower mass, the galaxies have OIII/Hb ratios which are very similar to previously studied z~2 galaxies and much higher than the typical emission-line ratios of local galaxies. The WFC3 grism allows for unique studies of spatial gradients in emission lines, and we stack the two-dimensional spectra of the galaxies for this purpose. In the stacked data the OIII emission line is more spatially concentrated than the Hb emission line with 98.1 confidence. We additionally stack the X-ray data (all sources are individually undetected), and find that the average L(OIII)/L(0.5-10 keV) ratio is intermediate between typical z~0 obscured active galaxies and star-forming galaxies. Together the compactness of the stacked OIII spatial profile and the stacked X-ray data suggest that at least some of these low-mass, low-metallicity galaxies harbor weak active galactic nuclei.

The complete census of optically selected AGNs in the Coma supercluster: the dependence of AGN activity on the local environment

To investigate the dependence of the occurrence of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) on local galaxy density, we study the nuclear properties of ~5000 galaxies in the Coma Supercluster whose density spans 2 orders of magnitude from the sparse filaments to the cores of the rich clusters. We obtained optical spectra of the nuclei of 177 galaxies using the 1.5m Cassini telescope, which are added to the 4785 spectra available from SDSS (DR7) to fill-in the incomplete coverage by SDSS of luminous galaxies. We perform a spectral classification of the nuclei of galaxies (with a completeness of 98% at r<17.77), classifying the nuclear spectra in six classes: three of them (SEY, sAGN, LIN) refer to AGNs and the remaining three (HII, RET, PAS) refer to different stages of starburst activity. To perform such classification, we use the WHAN diagnostic, after correcting Halpha by 1.3 A for underlying absorption. We find that 482 (10%) of 5027 galaxies host an AGN: their frequency strongly increases with increasing luminosity of the parent galaxies, such that 32% of galaxies with Log(i-Lum)<10.2 (Solar) harbor an AGN at their interior. In addition to their presence in luminous galaxies, AGNs are also found in red galaxies with <g-i> < 1.15 \pm 0.15 mag. The majority of SEY and sAGN (strong AGNs) are associated with luminous late-type (or S0a) galaxies, while LIN (weak AGNs) and RET ("retired"), are mostly found among E/S0as. The number density of AGNs, HII region-like, and retired galaxies is found to anti-correlate with the local density of galaxies, such that their frequency drops by a factor of two near the cluster cores, while the frequency of galaxies containing passive nuclei increases by the same amount towards the center of rich clusters. The dependence of AGN number density on the local galaxy density is greater than the one implied by morphology segregation alone.

Molecular gas around low-luminosity AGN in late-type spirals

We have studied the molecular gas in the vicinity of low-luminosity active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in three bulge-less spiral galaxies: NGC 1042, NGC 4178, and NGC 4395. The (1-0) and (2-1) transitions of gaseous carbon monoxide (CO) are clearly detected within the central kpc of all three galaxies. In the case of NGC 4395, this constitutes the first reported detection of CO. In general, the CO emission is faint, as may be expected from their less-than-spectacular star formation activity. Interestingly, however, both face-on galaxies in our sample (which allow an unimpeded view of their nucleus) show an elevated intensity ratio CO(2-1)/CO(1-0) when compared to similar late-type spirals without an AGN. We discuss that this is unlikely due to a very compact CO source. Instead, we speculate that even energetically weak AGN can impact the physical state of the surrounding gas. We do not detect any tracers of dense molecular gas such as HCN or HCO+, but the sensitivity of our observations allows us to establish upper limits that lie at the low end of the range observed in more energetic AGN. The derived gas density is less than n(H2)\approx 2e03 cm^-3 which is significantly lower than in most other nearby galaxies. The scarcity of dense gas suggests that the conditions for star formation are poor in these nuclei.

Diffraction-Limited Subaru Imaging of M 82: Sharp Mid-Infrared View of the Starburst Core*

Abstract We present new imaging at 12.81 and 11.7 $\mu$m of the central $\sim$ 40$”$$\times$ 30$”$ ($\sim$ 0.7 kpc $\times$ 0.5 kpc) of the starburst galaxy M 82. The observations were carried out with the COMICS mid-infrared (mid-IR) imager on the 8.2 m Subaru Telescope, and are diffraction-limited at an angular resolution of $\lt$0$″$4. The images show extensive diffuse structures, including a 7-long linear chimneylike feature and another resembling the edges of a ruptured bubble. This is the clearest view to date of the base of the kpc-scale dusty wind known in this galaxy. These structures do not trace back to a single central point, implying multiple ejection sites for the dust. In general, the distribution of dust probed in the mid-IR anticorrelates with the locations of massive star clusters that appear in the near-infrared. The 10–21 $\mu$m mid-IR emission, spatially integrated over the field of view, may be represented by hot dust with temperature of $\sim$ 160 K. Most discrete sources are found to have extended morphologies. Several radio H II regions are identified for the first time in the mid-IR. The only potential radio supernova remnant to have a mid-IR counterpart is a source which has previously also been suggested to be a weak active galactic nucleus. This source has an X-ray counterpart in Chandra data which appears prominently above 3 keV and is best described as a hot ($\sim$ 2.6 keV) absorbed thermal plasma with a 6.7 keV Fe K emission line, in addition to a weaker and cooler thermal component. The mid-IR detection is consistent with the presence of strong [NeII]$\lambda$12.81 $\mu$m line emission. The broad-band source properties are complex, but the X-ray spectra do not support the active galactic nucleus hypothesis. We discuss possible interpretations regarding the nature of this source.

THE STELLAR KINEMATIC CENTER AND THE TRUE GALACTIC NUCLEUS OF NGC 253

We present the first sub-arcsecond resolution two-dimensional stellar kinematics and X-ray observations of the prototypical starburst galaxy NGC253 which define the position and nature of the galactic nucleus. We get an estimate of the stellar kinematic center location corresponding to an area of r~1.2" centered 0.7" southwest from the radio core (TH2). Newly processed Chandra data reveal a central hard X-ray source (X-1) lying 0.4" southwest from the kinematic center. Very accurate alignment between radio, infrared and X-ray sources shows that TH2, the IR photometric center and X-1 are not associated with each other. As the kinematic center is consistent with TH2 and X-1, we consider the two as possible galactic nucleus candidates. Although TH2 is the strongest radio source in the nuclear region, it does not have any infrared, optical or X-ray counterparts. If the kinematic center is associated with this source, by analogy we suggest that the nucleus of NGC253 resembles our Galactic Center SgrA*. On the other hand, X-1 is a heavily absorbed object only detected at energies >2 keV. If X-1 is instead associated with the kinematic center, the nucleus of NGC253 is compatible with an obscured low luminosity active galactic nucleus (AGN) or a spatially resolved super star cluster (SSC) brightening up in X-rays most probably due to young supernovae or supernova remnants. If no SSC is associated with the kinematic center, we conclude that NGC253 is a galaxy in which a strong starburst and a weak AGN (either TH2 or X-1) coexist. Results from few other high resolution studies of nearby starburst galaxies indicate that the AGN in these systems, if present, is always in the low luminosity regime. This may indicate that the onset of nuclear activity in galaxies is closely related with the occurrence of star formation, and that we are witnessing the emergence or disappearance of an AGN.

SPECTRAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTIONS OF WEAK ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI ASSOCIATED WITH LOW-IONIZATION NUCLEAR EMISSION REGIONS

We present a compilation of spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of 35 weak active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in low-ionization nuclear emission regions (LINERs) using recent data from the published literature. We make use of previously published compilations of data, after complementing and extending them with more recent data. The main improvement in the recent data is afforded by high-spatial-resolution observations with the Chandra X-Ray Observatory and high-spatial-resolution radio observations utilizing a number of facilities. In addition, a considerable number of objects have been observed with the Hubble Space Telescope in the near-IR through near-UV bands since the earlier compilations were published. The data include upper limits resulting from either non-detections or observations at low spatial resolution that do not isolate the AGN. For the sake of completeness, we also compute and present a number of quantities from the data, such as optical-to-X-ray spectral indices (αox), bolometric corrections, bolometric luminosities, Eddington ratios, and the average SED. We anticipate that these data will be useful for a number of applications. In a companion paper, we use a subset of these data ourselves to assess the energy budgets of LINERs.

THE INCIDENCE OF ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI IN PURE DISK GALAXIES: THESPITZERVIEW

Using the Spitzer telescope, we have conducted a high-resolution spectroscopic study of 18 bulgeless (Hubble type of Sd or Sdm) galaxies that show no definitive signatures of nuclear activity in their optical spectra. This is the first systematic mid-infrared (MIR) search for weak or hidden active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in a statistically significant sample of bulgeless (Sd/Sdm) disk galaxies. Based on the detection of the high-ionization [Ne v] 14.3 μm line, we report the discovery of an AGN in 1 out of the 18 galaxies in the sample. This galaxy, NGC 4178, is a nearby edge-on Sd galaxy, which likely hosts a prominent nuclear star cluster (NSC). The bolometric luminosity of the AGN inferred from the [Ne v] line luminosity is ∼8 × 1041 ergs s−1. This is almost 2 orders of magnitude greater than the luminosity of the AGN in NGC 4395, the best studied AGN in a bulgeless disk galaxy. Assuming that the AGN in NGC 4178 is radiating below the Eddington limit, the lower mass limit for the black hole is ∼6 × 103 M☉. The fact that none of the other galaxies in the sample shows any evidence for an AGN demonstrates that while the AGN detection rate based on MIR diagnostics is high (30%–40%) in optically quiescent galaxies with pseudobulges or weak classical bulges (Hubble type Sbc and Sc), it drops drastically in Sd/Sdm galaxies. Our observations, therefore, confirm that AGNs in completely bulgeless disk galaxies are not hidden in the optical but truly are rare. Of the three Sd galaxies with AGNs known so far, all have prominent NSCs, suggesting that in the absence of a well-defined bulge, the galaxy must possess an NSC in order to host an AGN. On the other hand, while the presence of an NSC appears to be a requirement for hosting an AGN in bulgeless galaxies, neither the properties of the NSC nor those of the host galaxy appear exceptional in late-type AGN host galaxies. The recipe for forming and growing a central black hole in a bulgeless galaxy therefore remains unknown.

The role of black holes in galaxy formation and evolution

Virtually all massive galaxies, including our own, host central black holes ranging in mass from millions to billions of solar masses. The growth of these black holes releases vast amounts of energy that powers quasars and other weaker active galactic nuclei. A tiny fraction of this energy, if absorbed by the host galaxy, could halt star formation by heating and ejecting ambient gas. A central question in galaxy evolution is the degree to which this process has caused the decline of star formation in large elliptical galaxies, which typically have little cold gas and few young stars, unlike spiral galaxies.

THE RADIO AGN POPULATION DICHOTOMY: GREEN VALLEY SEYFERTS VERSUS RED SEQUENCE LOW-EXCITATION ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

Radio outflows of active galactic nuclei (AGN) are invoked in cosmological models as a key feedback mechanism in the latest phases of massive galaxy formation. Recently it has been suggested that the two major radio AGN populations -- the powerful high-excitation, and the weak low-excitation radio AGN (HERAGN and LERAGN, resp.) -- represent two earlier and later stages of massive galaxy build-up. To test this, here we make use of a local (0.04<z<0.1) sample of ~500 radio AGN with available optical spectroscopy, drawn from the FIRST, NVSS, SDSS, and 3CRR surveys. A clear dichotomy is found between the properties of low-excitation (absorption line AGN, and LINERs) and high-excitation (Seyferts) radio AGN. The hosts of the first have the highest stellar masses, reddest optical colors, and highest mass black holes but accrete inefficiently (at low rates). On the other hand, the high-excitation radio AGN have lower stellar masses, bluer optical colors (consistent with the `green valley'), and lower mass black holes that accrete efficiently (at high rates). Such properties can be explained if these two radio AGN populations represent different stages in the formation of massive galaxies, and thus are also linked to different phases of the `AGN feedback'.

COSMIC EVOLUTION OF RADIO SELECTED ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI IN THE COSMOS FIELD

We explore the cosmic evolution of luminous active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with low powers (L_(1.4 GHz) ≾ 5 × 10^(25) W Hz^(–1)) out to z = 1.3 using to date the largest sample of ~600 low-luminosity AGN at intermediate redshift drawn from the VLA-COSMOS survey. We derive the radio-luminosity function for these AGNs, and its evolution with cosmic time assuming two extreme cases: (1) pure luminosity and (2) pure density evolution. The former and latter yield L_* α (1 + z)^(0.8 ± 0.1), and Φ_* α (1 + z)^(1.1 ± 0.1), respectively, both implying a fairly modest change in properties of low-radio-power AGNs since z = 1.3. We show that this is in stark contrast with the evolution of powerful (L_(1.4 GHz) > 5 × 10^25 W Hz^(–1)) AGN over the same cosmic time interval, constrained using the 3CRR, 6CE, and 7CRS surveys by Willot et al. We demonstrate that this can be explained through differences in black hole fueling and triggering mechanisms, and a dichotomy in host galaxy properties of weak and powerful AGNs. Our findings suggest that high- and low-radio-power AGN activities are triggered in different stages during the formation of massive red galaxies. We show that weak AGN occur in the most massive galaxies already at z ~ 1, and they may significantly contribute to the heating of their surrounding medium and thus inhibit gas accretion onto their host galaxies, as recently suggested for the radio mode in cosmological models.

NeV] Emission in Optically Classified Starbursts

Detecting Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) in galaxies dominated by powerful nuclear star formation and extinction effects poses a unique challenge. Due to the longer wavelength emission and the ionization potential of Ne^3+, infrared [Ne V] emission lines are thought to be excellent AGN diagnostics. However, stellar evolution models predict Wolf-Rayet stars in young stellar clusters emit significant numbers of photons capable of creating Ne^4+. Recent observations of [Ne V] emission in optically classified starburst galaxies require us to investigate whether [Ne V] can arise from star-formation activity and not an AGN. In this work, we calculate the optical and IR spectrum of gas exposed to a young starburst and AGN SED. We find: 1) a range of parameters where [Ne V] emission can be explained solely by star-formation and 2) a range of relative AGN to starburst luminosities that reproduce the [Ne V] observations, yet leaves the optical spectrum looking like a starburst. We also find infrared emission-line diagnostics are much more sensitive to the AGN than optical diagnostics, particularly for weak AGN. We apply our model to the optically classified, yet [Ne V] emitting, starburst galaxy NGC 3621. We find, when taking the IR and optical spectrum into account, about 30 - 50% of the galaxy's total luminosity is due to an AGN. Our calculations show that [Ne V] emission is almost always the result of AGN activity. The models presented in this work can be used to determine the AGN contribution to a galaxy's power output.

X-ray spectral variability in PG 1535+547: the changing look of a “soft X-ray weak” AGN

Context. PG 1535+547 is a bright Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxy, whose high-energy emission shows strong variability both in shape and flux. On the basis of ROSAT observations, it is classified as “soft X-ray weak quasi-stellar object (QSO)”, a class of objects whose X-ray-to-optical flux ratio is smaller than in typical QSOs. Their X-ray spectra are often characterized by highly-ionized, complex absorbers and/or reflection from the inner accretion disk, and the relative importance of the two is currently debated. Whatever the correct interpretation may be, the presence of such features implies that we are looking at matter located in the innermost regions of these AGN. Aims. We want to clarify the nature of the X-ray emission of PG 1535+547, and constrain the physical properties of its innermost regions, where this emission originates. Methods. We present new XMM-Newton observations of PG 1535+547 (90 ks exposure time, January 2006), from which we obtained two spectra European Photon Imaging Camera (EPIC) separated by about one week. We compare these spectra with those from a previous (November 2002) XMM-Newton observation. Results. These latest observations support the complex and variable nature of the X-ray emission of PG 1535+547. The broadband observed flux increases by a factor ∼2.3 in three years, and then decreases by a factor ∼1.3 in about one week. In the new spectra, strong absorption features at E < 3 keV and a complex spectral shape in the iron-line energy range are evident, coupled with a drop in the emission at higher energies. We describe all the different states in a consistent way, assuming either a warm absorber plus a relativistically-blurred ionized reflection, or a two-phase warm absorber partially covering the source with the addition of a scattered component. Conclusions. The observed variability can be ascribed mostly to warm absorbing gas in the innermost regions of PG 1535+547, which appears to vary in its physical properties on timescales of both years and days. In the blurred reflection scenario, all the analyzed states require a high fraction of reflection from the disk, calling for some mechanisms able to increase the reflection component with respect to the intrinsic continuum. Finally, the strong variability observed in the X-ray band opposed to a more constant emission at optical frequencies, changes the value of the X-ray-to-optical spectral index, implying that PG 1535+547 can not actually be classified as a soft X-ray weak active galactic nucleus (AGN).

Piecing together the X-ray background: bolometric corrections for active galactic nuclei

(Abridged) The X-ray background can be used to constrain the accretion history of Supermassive Black Holes (SMBHs) in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). A knowledge of the hard X-ray bolometric correction, \kappa_{2-10keV} is a vital input into these studies. Variations in the disk emission in the UV have not previously been taken into account in calculating \kappa_{2-10keV}; we show that such variations are important by constructing optical--to--X-ray SEDs for 54 AGN. In particular, we use FUSE UV and X-ray data from the literature to constrain the disk emission as well as possible. Previous work has suggested a dependence of \kappa_{2-10keV} on AGN luminosity, but we find significant spread in \kappa_{2-10keV} with no simple dependence on luminosity. Populations such as Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 nuclei (NLS1s), Radio Loud and X-ray Weak AGN may have values of \kappa_{2-10keV} differing systematically from the rest of the AGN population. Other sources of uncertainty include intrinsic extinction in the optical--UV, X-ray and UV variability and uncertainties in SMBH mass estimates. Our results suggest a more well-defined relationship between \kappa_{2-10keV} and Eddington ratio in AGN, with a transitional region at an Eddington ratio of ~0.1, below which the bolometric correction is typically 15 - 25, and above which it is typically 40 - 70. We consider the potential implied parallels with the low/hard and high/soft states in Galactic Black Hole (GBH) accretion, and present bolometric corrections for the GBH binary GX 339-4 for comparison. Our findings reinforce previous studies proposing a multi-state description of AGN accretion analogous to that for GBH binaries. Future calculations of the SMBH mass density may need to account for the possible dependence of \kappa_{2-10keV} on Eddington ratio.