No Arabic abstract
We have explored the relationship between the [O III] $lambda$5007 and the 2--10 keV luminosities for a sample of Broad- and Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxies (BLSy1 and NLSy1, respectively). We find that both types of Seyferts span the same range in luminosity and possess similar [O III]/X-ray ratios. The NLSy1s are more luminous than BLSy1s, when normalized to their central black hole masses, which is attributed to higher mass accretion rates. However, we find no evidence for elevated [O III]/X-ray ratios in NLSy1s, which would have been expected if they had excess EUV continuum emission compared to BLSy1s. Also, other studies suggest that the gas in narrow-line regions (NLR) of NLSy1s and NLSy1s span a similar range in ionization, contrary to what is expected if those of the former are exposed to a stronger flux of EUV radiation. The simplest interpretation is that, like BLSy1s, a large EUV bump is not present in NLSy1s. However, we show that the [OIII]/X-ray ratio can be lowered as a result of absorption of the ionizing continuum by gas close to the central source, although there is no evidence that intrinsic line-of-sight absorption is more common among NLSy1s, as would be expected if there were a larger amount of circumnuclear gas. Other possible explanations include: 1) anisotropic emission of the ionizing radiation, 2) higher gas densities in the NLR of NLSy1s, resulting in lower average ionization, or 3) the presence of strong winds in the the nuclei of NLSy1s which may drive off much of the gas in the narrow-line region, resulting in lower cover fraction and weaker [O III] emission.
Studying simultaneous optical and X-ray light curves of radio-quiet AGN can help to probe the relationship between very different physical components - the cool, optically thick disk and hot, optically thin corona. Here, we review the relationship between optical and X-ray variability in Seyfert galaxies, which due to observing constraints was difficult to study for many years, but was given a huge boost with the launch of the RXTE satellite in 1995. We summarise the diverse results of several monitoring campaigns, which pose a challenge for standard theories relating optical and X-ray variability, with sources showing either correlated optical and X-ray flux variations, correlated optical flux and X-ray spectral variations, or no correlation at all. We discuss possible explanations for these results, some of which may be explained using a more standard AGN picture, while others may require additional components, such as the 2-phase accretion flows suggested to explain black hole X-ray binary behaviour.
It is arguably in the X-ray regime that Narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLS1s) exhibit the most extreme behaviour. Spectral complexity, rapid and large amplitude flux variations, and exceptional spectral variability are well known characteristics. However, NLS1s are not eccentric, but form a continuous sequence with typical Seyfert 1 galaxies. Understanding the extreme behaviour displayed by NLS1s will provide insight to the general AGN phenomenon. In this review, I will examine some of the important NLS1 X-ray discoveries over the past twenty years. I will then explore recent work that looks at the nature of the primary X-ray source (i.e. the corona) in NLS1s, demonstrating how the corona can be compact, dynamic, and in some cases consistent with collimated outflow. X-ray observations of NLS1s will be key in determining the nature of the corona, resolving the disc-jet connection, and determining the origin of the radio loud/quiet dichotomy in AGN.
We present a detailed study of 11 narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLS1s) from the Six-degree Field Galaxy Survey (6dFGS) that both have optical and X-ray spectroscopic observations. There are five complex NLS1s (C-NLS1s) and six simple NLS1s (S-NLS1s). We propose a possible correlation between [O III] line asymmetry and X-ray complexity. The outflow or wind from the inner accretion disk is commonly present in NLS1s and mostly directed along the system axis. In C-NLS1s only weak wind effects are measured, the X-ray spectral complexity might be caused by the presence of ionized material in the wind. On the contrary, the wind in S-NLS1s is fast, the ionized material could be swept by such a strong wind, thus the complex feature is missing which results in a simple X-ray spectrum. Furthermore, this outflow scenario seems to be an inclination effect. Since the speed of the wind is higher in a small inclination while lower in a large inclination, S-NLS1s might be sources viewed at small angles while C-NLS1s might be sources viewed at large angles.
Broadband spectrum of AGN consists of multiple components such as jet emission and accretion disk emission. Temporal correlation study is useful to understand emission components and their physical origins. We have performed optical monitoring using Kanata telescope for 4 radio galaxies and 6 radio-loud Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 (RL-NLSy1): 2 gamma-ray-loud RL-NLSy1s, 1H 0323+342 and PMN J0948+0022, and 4 gamma-ray-quiet RL-NLSy1s. From these results, it is suggested that RL-NLSy1s show a disk-dominant phase and a jet-dominant phase in the optical band, but it is not well correlated with brightness.
This paper presents the results of a dense and intensive X-ray and optical monitoring of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 4051 carried out in 2000. Results of the optical analysis are consistent with previous measurements. The amplitude of optical emission line variability is a factor of two larger than that of the underlying optical continuum, but part or all of the difference can be due to host-galaxy starlight contamination or due to the lines being driven by the unseen UV continuum, which is more variable than the optical continuum. We measured the lag between optical lines and continuum and found a lower, more accurate broad line region size of 3.0+-1.5 light days in this object. The implied black hole mass is M_BH=5(+6,-3)x10^5 M_sun; this is the lowest mass found, so far, for an active nucleus. We find significant evidence for an X-ray-optical (XO) correlation with a peak lag of about <1 day, although the centroid of the asymmetric correlation function reveals that part of the optical flux varies in advance of the X-ray flux by 2.4+-1.0 days. This complex XO correlation is explained as a possible combination of X-ray reprocessing and perturbations propagating from the outer (optically emitting) parts of the accretion disc into its inner (X-ray emitting) region.