2009A&A...494..905P


Query : 2009A&A...494..905P

2009A&A...494..905P - Astronomy and Astrophysics, volume 494, 905-913 (2009/2-2)

A correlation between the spectral and timing properties of AGN.

PAPADAKIS I.E., SOBOLEWSKA M., AREVALO P., MARKOWITZ A., McHARDY I.M., MILLER L., REEVES J.N. and TURNER T.J.

Abstract (from CDS):

We present the results from a combined study of the average X-ray spectral and timing properties of 14 nearby AGN. We investigate whether a ``spectral-timing'' AGN correlation exists, similar to the one observed in Cyg X-1, compare the two correlations, and constrain possible physical mechanisms responsible for the X-ray emission in compact, accreting objects. For 11 of the sources in the sample, we used all the available data from the RXTE archive, which were taken until the end of 2006. There are 7795 RXTE observations in total for these AGN, obtained over a period of ∼7-11years. We extracted their 3-20keV spectra and fitted them with a simple power-law model, modified by the presence of a Gaussian line (at 6.4keV) and cold absorption, when necessary. We used the best-fit slopes to construct their sample distribution function, and we used the median of the distribution, and the mean of the best-fit slopes, which are above the 80th percentile of the distributions, to estimate the mean spectral slope of the objects. The latter estimate is more appropriate in the case when the energy spectra of the sources are significantly affected by absorption and/or reflection effects. We also used results from the literature to estimate the average spectral slope of the three remaining objects. The AGN average spectral slopes are not correlated either with the black hole mass or the characteristic frequencies that were detected in the power spectra. They are positively correlated, though, with the characteristic frequency when normalised to the sources black hole mass. This correlation is similar to the spectral-timing correlation that has been observed in Cyg X-1, but not the same. The AGN spectral-timing correlation can be explained if we assume that the accretion rate determines both the average spectral slope and the characteristic time scales in these systems. The spectrum should steepen and the characteristic frequency should increase, proportionally, with increasing accretion rate. We also provide a quantitative expression between spectral slope and accretion rate. Thermal Comptonisation models are broadly consistent with our result, and can also explain the difference between the spectral-timing correlations in Cyg X-1 and AGN, but only if the ratio of the soft photons' luminosity to the power injected to the hot corona is proportionally related to the accretion rate.

Abstract Copyright:

Journal keyword(s): galaxies: active - galaxies: Seyfert - X-rays: galaxies

Simbad objects: 17

goto Full paper

goto View the references in ADS

Number of rows : 17
N Identifier Otype ICRS (J2000)
RA
ICRS (J2000)
DEC
Mag U Mag B Mag V Mag R Mag I Sp type #ref
1850 - 2023
#notes
1 ESO 113-45 Sy1 01 23 45.7631533440 -58 48 20.808928944   14.08 13.83 13.34   ~ 855 0
2 2MASS J08105865+7602424 Sy1 08 10 58.6641543864 +76 02 42.450451260   15.03 14.71     ~ 462 0
3 NGC 3227 AGN 10 23 30.5765149296 +19 51 54.282206700   12.61 11.79     ~ 1675 1
4 NGC 3516 Sy1 11 06 47.4632200800 +72 34 07.298374656   13.12 12.40     ~ 1523 0
5 NGC 3783 Sy1 11 39 01.7096819040 -37 44 19.009642992   12.46 13.43 11.33 12.1 ~ 1619 0
6 NGC 4051 Sy1 12 03 09.6101337312 +44 31 52.682601288   11.08 12.92 9.94   ~ 2143 1
7 NGC 4151 Sy1 12 10 32.5759813872 +39 24 21.063527532   12.18 11.48     ~ 3633 2
8 NGC 4253 Sy1 12 18 26.5163572920 +29 48 46.531535472   14.34 13.57     ~ 1024 1
9 M 106 Sy2 12 18 57.620 +47 18 13.39   9.14 8.41 8.11   ~ 2318 3
10 NGC 4395 Sy2 12 25 48.8633109888 +33 32 48.700168152 10.84 10.54 10.11 9.98   ~ 1146 1
11 IC 4271 Sy2 13 29 21.4493074392 +37 24 50.460172056   15.6       ~ 125 1
12 ESO 383-35 Sy1 13 35 53.7691256160 -34 17 44.160716796   13.89 13.61 8.9   ~ 1467 0
13 NGC 5506 AGN 14 13 14.8761010056 -03 12 27.556909272   15.25 14.38     ~ 1074 0
14 NGC 5548 Sy1 14 17 59.5400291832 +25 08 12.603122268   14.35 13.73     ~ 2652 0
15 Granat 1915+105 HXB 19 15 11.55576 +10 56 44.9052           ~ 2560 0
16 HD 226868 HXB 19 58 21.6757355952 +35 12 05.784512688 9.38 9.72 8.91 8.42   O9.7Iabpvar 4269 0
17 UGC 12163 Sy1 22 42 39.3363009144 +29 43 31.302092640   14.86 14.16     ~ 691 1

To bookmark this query, right click on this link: simbad:objects in 2009A&A...494..905P and select 'bookmark this link' or equivalent in the popup menu


2023.10.04-08:22:46

© Université de Strasbourg/CNRS

    • Contact