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Register a new userThe soft X-ray counterpart of Hannys Voorwerp near IC 2497
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Added by
Giuseppina Fabbiano
Publication date
2019
fields
Physics
and research's language is
English
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We report the detection in Chandra ACIS archival data of an elongated soft (<3 keV) X-ray feature tp the south of the Compton Thick Active Galactic Nucleus (CT AGN) galaxy IC 2497, coincident with the emission feature known as Hannys Voorwerp (HV). The data are consistent with the spatial correspondence between X-ray, optical emission line, and radio features detected in nearby obscured AGNs (e.g., ESO 428-G014). The X-ray luminosity of the (0.3-3.0 keV) soft feature is ~1.2x10^40 erg/s. We infer an [OIII]/Soft-X-ray ratio in the range of ~200, consistent with the highest values measured in some of the clouds of NGC 4151. Overall, given the uncertainties, Hannys Voorwerp appears to be a feature consistent with the ionization cone emission of nearby AGNs. We estimate an X-ray recombination time of 2x10^7 yr, longer than the [OIII] recombination time (~8000 yr). This suggests that extended soft X-ray components may be a better diagnostic of overall long-term activity, while detection of an [OIII] HV would point to a time-limited activity burst.
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We present multi-wavelength radio observations in the direction of the spiral galaxy IC 2497 and the neighbouring emission nebula known as Hannys Voorwerp. Our WSRT continuum observations at 1.4 GHz and 4.9 GHz, reveal the presence of extended emission at the position of the nebulosity, although the bulk of the emission remains unresolved at the centre of the galaxy. e-VLBI 1.65 GHz observations show that on the milliarcsecond-scale a faint central compact source is present in IC 2497 with a brightness temperature in excess of 4E5 K. With the WSRT, we detect a large reservoir of neutral hydrogen in the proximity of IC 2497. One cloud complex with a total mass of 5.6E9 Msol to the South of IC 2497, encompasses Hannys Voorwerp. Another cloud complex is located at the position of a small galaxy group ~100 kpc to the West of IC 2497 with a mass of 2.9E9 Msol. Our data hint at a physical connection between both complexes. We also detect HI in absorption against the central continuum source of IC 2497. Our observations strongly support the hypothesis that Hannys Voorwerp is being ionised by an AGN in the centre of IC 2497. In this scenario, a plasma jet associated with the AGN, clears a path through the ISM/IGM in the direction towards the nebulosity. The large-scale radio continuum emission possibly originates from the interaction between this jet and the large cloud complex that Hannys Voorwerp is embedded in. The HI kinematics do not fit regular rotation, thus the cloud complex around IC 2497 is probably of tidal origin. From the HI absorption against the central source, we derive a lower limit of 2.8E21 +- 0.4E21 atoms/sqcm to the HI column density. However, assuming non-standard conditions for the detected gas, we cannot exclude the possibility that the AGN in the centre of IC 2497 is Compton-thick.
We present new Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) observations of the core of IC 2497, the galaxy associated with Hannys Voorwerp. The combined fits of the Chandra (0.5-8 keV) and NuSTAR (3-24 keV) X-ray spectra, together with WISE mid-IR photometry, optical longslit spectroscopy and optical narrow-band imaging, suggest that the galaxy hosts a Compton-thick AGN ($N_{rm H} sim 2 times 10^{24}$ cm$^{-2}$, current intrinsic luminosity $L_{rm bol} sim 2-5 times 10^{44}$ erg s$^{-1}$) whose luminosity dropped by a factor of $sim$50 within the last $sim 100$ kyr. This corresponds to a change in Eddington ratio from $rm lambda_{Edd} sim$ 0.35 to $rm lambda_{Edd} sim$ 0.007. We argue that the AGN in IC 2497 should not be classified as a changing-look AGN, but rather we favour the interpretation where the AGN is undergoing a change in accretion state (from radiatively efficient to radiatively inefficient). In this scenario the observed drop in luminosity and Eddington ratio corresponds to the final stage of an AGN accretion phase. Our results are consistent with previous studies in the optical, X-ray and radio although the magnitude of the drop is lower than previously suggested. In addition, we discuss a possible analogy between X-ray binaries and an AGN.
We present deep Chandra X-ray observations of the core of IC 2497, the galaxy associated with Hannys Voorwerp and hosting a fading AGN. We find extended soft X-ray emission from hot gas around the low intrinsic luminosity (unobscured) AGN ($L_{rm bol} sim 10^{42}-10^{44}$ erg s$^{-1}$). The temperature structure in the hot gas suggests the presence of a bubble or cavity around the fading AGN ($mbox{E$_{rm bub}$} sim 10^{54} - 10^{55}$ erg). A possible scenario is that this bubble is inflated by the fading AGN, which after changing accretion state is now in a kinetic mode. Other possibilities are that the bubble has been inflated by the past luminous quasar ($L_{rm bol} sim 10^{46}$ erg s$^{-1}$), or that the temperature gradient is an indication of a shock front from a superwind driven by the AGN. We discuss the possible scenarios and the implications for the AGN-host galaxy interaction, as well as an analogy between AGN and X-ray binaries lifecycles. We conclude that the AGN could inject mechanical energy into the host galaxy at the end of its lifecycle, and thus provide a source for mechanical feedback, in a similar way as observed for X-ray binaries.
We present high- and intermediate resolution radio observations of the central region in the spiral galaxy IC 2497, performed using the European VLBI Network (EVN) at 18 cm, and the Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN) at 18 cm and 6 cm. We detect two compact radio sources, with brightness temperatures above 10e5 K, suggesting that they are related to AGN activity. We show that the total 18 cm radio emission from the galaxy is dominated neither by these compact sources nor large-scale emission, but extended emission confined within a sub-kpc central region. IC 2497 therefore appears as a typical luminous infrared galaxy that exhibits a nuclear starburst with a massive star formation rate (M > 5M_solar) of 12.4 M_solar/yr. These results are in line with the hypothesis that the ionisation nebula Hannys Voorwerp at a distance of approx. 15-25 kpc from the galaxy is ionised by the radiation cone of the AGN.
We present Hubble Space Telescope imaging and spectroscopy for the extended high-ionization cloud known as Hannys Voorwerp, near the spiral galaxy IC 2497. WFC3 images show complex dust absorption near the nucleus of IC 2497. STIS spectra show a type 2 Seyfert AGN of rather low luminosity. The ionization parameter log U = -3.5 is in accord with its weak X-ray emission. We find no high-ionization gas near the nucleus, adding to evidence that the AGN is currently at low radiative output (perhaps now dominated by kinetic energy). The nucleus is accompanied by an expanding ring of ionized gas 500 pc in projected diameter on the side opposite Hannys Voorwerp, with Doppler offset 300 km/s from the nucleus (kinematic age < 7 x10^5 years). [O III] and H-alpha + [N II] images show fine structure in Hannys Voorwerp, with limb-brightened sections and small areas where H-alpha is strong. We identify these as regions ionized by recent star formation, in contrast to the AGN ionization of the entire cloud. These candidate normal H II regions contain blue continuum objects, whose colors are consistent with young stellar populations; they appear only in a 2-kpc region toward IC 2497 in projection. The ionization-sensitive ratio [O III]/H-alpha shows no discernible pattern near the prominent hole in the ionized gas. The independence of ionization and surface brightness suggests that substantial spatial structure remains unresolved, to such an extent that the surface brightness sample the number of denser filaments rather than the characteristic density in emission regions. These results fit with our picture of an ionization echo from an AGN whose ionizing luminosity has dropped by a factor > 100 (and possibly much more) within the last 1-2 x 10^5 years; we suggest a sequence of events and discuss implications of such rapid fluctuations for AGN demographics. (Abridged)
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