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PDS 456: an Extreme Accretion Rate Quasar?

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 نشر من قبل James Reeves
 تاريخ النشر 1999
  مجال البحث فيزياء
والبحث باللغة English
 تأليف J. N. Reeves




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We present quasi-simultaneous ASCA and RXTE observations of the most luminous known AGN in the local (z<0.3) Universe, the recently discovered quasar PDS 456. Multiwavelength observations have been conducted which show that PDS 456 has a bolometric luminosity of 10^47 erg/s peaking in the UV part of the spectrum. In the X-ray band the 2-10 keV (rest-frame) luminosity is 10^45 erg/s. The broad-band X-ray spectrum obtained with ASCA and RXTE contains considerable complexity. The most striking feature observed is a very deep, ionised iron K edge, observed at 8.7 keV in the quasar rest-frame. We find that these features are consistent with reprocessing from highly ionised matter, probably the inner accretion disk. PDS 456 appeared to show a strong (factor of 2.1) outburst in just 17ksec, although non-intrinsic sources cannot be completely ruled out. If confirmed, this would be an unusual event for such a high-luminosity source, with the light-crossing-time corresponding to 2 Schwarzschild radii. The implication would be that flaring occurs within the very central regions, or else that PDS 456 is a `super-Eddington or relativistically beamed system. Overall we conclude on the basis of the extreme blue/UV luminosity, the rapid X-ray variability and from the imprint of highly ionised material on the X-ray spectrum, that PDS 456 is a quasar with an unusually high accretion rate.

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380 - J.Reeves 2000
X-ray and multi-wavelength observations of the most luminous known local (z<0.3) AGN, the recently discovered radio-quiet quasar PDS 456, are presented. The spectral energy distribution shows that PDS 456 has a bolometric luminosity of 1e47 erg/s, pe aking in the UV. The X-ray spectrum obtained by ASCA and RXTE shows considerable complexity. The most striking feature observed is a deep, highly-ionised, iron K edge (8.7 keV, rest-frame), originating via reprocessing from highly ionised material, possibly the inner accretion disk. PDS 456 was found to be remarkably variable for its luminosity; in one flare the X-ray flux doubled in just about 15 ksec. If confirmed this would be an unprecedented event in a high-luminosity source, with a light-crossing time corresponding to about 2RS. The implications are that either flaring occurs within the very central regions, or else that PDS 456 is a super-Eddington or relativistically beamed system.
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