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Register a new userXMM-Newton Survey of a Distance-limited Sample of Seyfert Galaxies: Preliminary Spectral Results
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An unbiased estimate of the average intrinsic X-ray properties and column density distribution of Seyfert galaxies in the local Universe is crucial to validate unified models of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and to synthesis models for the X-ray background. We present here preliminary results obtained from an on-going XMM-Newton study (~250 ks awarded in the EPIC GT) on a well-defined, statistically complete, and significant sample of nearby Seyfert galaxies.
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We report here preliminary results from a survey of nearby Seyfert galaxies using the EPIC CCDs on board XMM-Newton. The total sample consists of 28 Seyfert galaxies, and constitute a well-defined, complete (B<12.5 mag), and volume-limited (D<22 Mpc) sample of Seyfert galaxies in the northern (Delta > 0 deg.) hemisphere. The survey has been initiated in June, 2001, and we report here the results for the 6 objects analyzed so far, namely: NGC3185, NGC3486, NGC3941, NGC4138, NGC4565, and NGC5033. The main goal of this survey is to obtain a better and unbiased understanding of the ``typical Seyfert X-ray spectrum (e.g. the distribution of their absorption column density) in the local Universe. This is crucial to verify the predictions and, thus, to validate unified models, and is a fundamental parameter of synthesis models for the X-ray background. A companion poster (paper II: L. Foschini et al., these proceedings) illustrates how this survey will also allow a comprehensive spectral study of the brightest (highest-luminosity) off-nuclear sources in the galaxies.
Results obtained from an X-ray spectral survey of nearby Seyfert galaxies using XMM--Newton are reported. The sample was optically selected, well defined, complete in B mag, and distance limited: it consists of the nearest (D<22 Mpc) 27 Seyfert galaxies (9 of type 1, 18 of type 2) taken from the Ho et al. (1997) sample. This is one of the largest atlases of hard X-ray spectra of low-L active galaxies ever assembled. All nuclear sources except two Sey 2s are detected between 2-10 keV, half for the first time ever, and average spectra are obtained for all of them. Nuclear luminosities reach values down to 10**38 erg/s. The shape of the distribution of X-ray parameters is affected by the presence of Compton-thick objects (> 30% among type 2s). The latter have been identified either directly from their intense FeK line and flat X-ray spectra, or indirectly with flux diagnostic diagrams which use isotropic indicators. After taking into account these highly absorbed sources, we find that (i) the intrinsic X-ray spectral properties (i.e., spectral shapes and luminosities above 2 keV) are consistent between type 1 and type 2 Sey, as expected from ``unified models, (ii) Sey galaxies as a whole are distributed fairly continuously over the entire range of Nh, between 10**20 and 10**25 cm**-2, and (iii) while Sey 1s tend to have lower Nh and Sey 2s tend to have the highest, we find 30% and 10% exceptions, respectively. Overall the sample well represents the average intrinsic X-ray spectral properties of nearby AGN, including a proper estimate of the distribution of their absorbing columns. Finally, we conclude that, with the exception of a few cases, the present study agrees with predictions of unified models of Sey galaxies, and extends their validity down to very low luminosities.
(abridged)The majority of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) suffer from significant obscuration by surrounding dust and gas. X-ray surveys in the 2-10 keV band will miss the most heavily-obscured AGN in which the absorbing column density exceeds $sim10^{24}$cm$^{-2}$ (the Compton-thick AGN). It is therefore vital to know the fraction of AGN that are missed in such X-rays surveys and to determine if these AGN represent some distinct population in terms of the fundamental properties of AGN and/or their host galaxies. In this paper we present the analysis of textit{XMM-Newton} X-ray data for a complete sample of 17 low-redshift Type 2 Seyfert galaxies chosen from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey based solely on the high observed flux of the [OIII]$lambda$5007 emission-line. This line is formed in the Narrow Line Region hundreds of parsecs away from the central engine. Thus, unlike the X-ray emission, it is not affected by obscuration due to the torus surrounding the black hole. It therefore provides a useful isotropic indicator of the AGN luminosity. As additional indicators of the intrinsic AGN luminosity, we use the Spitzer Space Telescope to measure the luminosities of the mid-infrared continuum and the [OIV]25.89$mu$m narrow emission-line. We then use the ratio of the 2-10 keV X-ray luminosity to the [OIII], [OIV], and mid-infrared luminosities to assess the amount of X-ray obscuration and to distinguish between Compton-thick and Compton-thin objects. We find that the majority of the sources suffer significant amounts of obscuration: the observed 2-10 keV emission is depressed by more than an order-of-magnitude in 11 of the 17 cases (as expected for Compton-thick sources).
We have attempted to analyse all the available data taken by XMM-Newton as it slews between targets. This slew survey, the resultant source catalogue and the analysis procedures used are described in an accompanying paper. In this letter we present the initial science results from the survey. To date, detailed source-searching has been performed in three X-ray bands (soft, hard and total) in the EPIC-pn 0.2-12 keV band over ~6300 sq.degrees (~15% of the sky), and of order 4000 X-ray sources have been detected (~55% of which have IDs). A great variety of sources are seen, including AGN, galaxies, clusters and groups, active stars, SNRs, low- and high-mass XRBs and white dwarfs. In particular, as this survey constitutes the deepest ever hard-band 2-12 keV all-sky survey, a large number of hard sources are detected. Furthermore, the great sensitivity and low-background of the EPIC-pn camera are especially suited to emission from extended sources, and interesting spatial structure is observed in many supernova remnants and clusters of galaxies. The instrument is very adept at mapping large areas of the X-ray sky. Also, as the slew survey is well matched to the ROSAT all-sky survey, long-term variability studies are possible, and a number of extremely variable X-ray sources, some possibly due to the tidal disruption of stars by central supermassive black holes, have been discovered.
Clusters of galaxies contain a hot gas, which emits in X-rays. X-ray telescopes such as XMM-Newton allow to study this plasma to obtain information on physical quantities of these objects. We present here some results on the total mass density distribution of clusters obtained with XMM-Newton based on the hydrostatic approach. These results can be compared to models based on cold dark matter. Generally good agreement is found between observations and models. Furthermore we present a study on physical properties of a distant merging cluster of galaxies, which demonstrates the potential of XMM-Newton studies on this class of objects.
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