Browsing by Author "Harrison, Fiona A."

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    BASS. XXV. DR2 Broad-line-based Black Hole Mass Estimates and Biases from Obscuration
    (2022) Mejía-Restrepo, Julian E.; Trakhtenbrot, Benny; Koss, Michael J.; Oh, Kyuseok; den Brok, Jakob; Stern, Daniel; Powell, Meredith C.; Ricci, Federica; Caglar, Turgay; Ricci, Claudio; Bauer, Franz Erik; Treister , Ezequiel; Harrison, Fiona A.; Urry, C. M.; Ananna, Tonima Tasnim; Asmus, Daniel; Assef, Roberto J.; Bär, Rudolf E.; Bessiere, Patricia S.; Burtscher, Leonard; Ichikawa, Kohei; Kakkad, Darshan; Kamraj, Nikita; Mushotzky, Richard; Privon, George C.; Rojas, Alejandra F.; Sani, Eleonora; Schawinski, Kevin; Veilleux, Sylvain
    We present measurements of broad emission lines and virial estimates of supermassive black hole masses (M _{BH} ) for a large sample of ultrahard X-ray-selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs) as part of the second data release of the BAT AGN Spectroscopic Survey (BASS/DR2). Our catalog includes M _{BH} estimates for a total of 689 AGNs, determined from the Hα, Hβ, Mg II λ2798, and/or C_{IV} λ1549 broad emission lines. The core sample includes a total of 512 AGNs drawn from the 70 month Swift/BAT all-sky catalog. We also provide measurements for 177 additional AGNs that are drawn from deeper Swift/BAT survey data. We study the links between M _{BH} estimates and line-of-sight obscuration measured from X-ray spectral analysis. We find that broad Hα emission lines in obscured AGNs (Log(N_{H} / cm^{-2} > 22.0) are on average a factor of 8.0_{-2.4}^{+4.1} weaker relative to ultrahard X-ray emission and about 35_{-12}^{,+7} % narrower than those in unobscured sources (i.e.(Log(N_{H} / cm^{-2} > 21.5). This indicates that the innermost part of the broad-line region is preferentially absorbed. Consequently, current single-epoch M _{BH} prescriptions result in severely underestimated (>1 dex) masses for Type 1.9 sources (AGNs with broad Hα but no broad Hβ) and/or sources with Log(N_{H} / cm^{-2} >= 22.0 . We provide simple multiplicative corrections for the observed luminosity and width of the broad Hα component (LbHα and FWHMbHα) in such sources to account for this effect and to (partially) remedy M _{BH} estimates for Type 1.9 objects. As a key ingredient of BASS/DR2, our work provides the community with the data needed to further study powerful AGNs in the low-redshift universe.
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    BAT AGN Spectroscopic Survey - XIII. The nature of the most luminous obscured AGN in the low-redshift universe
    (2019) Bar, Rudolf E.; Trakhtenbrot, Benny; Oh, Kyuseok; Koss, Michael J.; Wong, Ivy; Ricci, Claudio; Schawinski, Kevin; Weigel, Anna K.; Sartori, Lia F.; Ichikawa, Kohei; Secrest, Nathan J.; Stern, Daniel; Pacucci, Fabio; Mushotzky, Richard; Powell, Meredith C.; Ricci, Federica; Sani, Eleonora; Smith, Krista L.; Harrison, Fiona A.; Lamperti, Isabella; Urry, C. Megan
    We present a multiwavelength analysis of 28 of the most luminous low-redshift narrow-line, ultra-hard X-ray-selected active galactic nuclei (AGN) drawn from the 70-month Swift/BAT all-sky survey, with bolometric luminosities of log(L-bol/erg s(-1)) greater than or similar to 45.25. The broad goal of our study is to determine whether these objects have any distinctive properties, potentially setting them aside from lower luminosity obscured AGN in the local Universe. Our analysis relies on the first data release of the BAT AGN Spectroscopic Survey (BASS/DR1) and on dedicated observations with the VLT, Palomar, and Keck observatories. We find that the vast majority of our sources agree with commonly used AGN selection criteria which are based on emission line ratios and on mid-infrared colours. Our AGN are pre-dominantly hosted in massive galaxies (9.8 less than or similar to log (M-*/M-circle dot) less than or similar to 11.7); based on visual inspection of archival optical images, they appear to be mostly ellipticals. Otherwise, they do not have distinctive properties. Their radio luminosities, determined from publicly available survey data, show a large spread of almost four orders of magnitude- much broader than what is found for lower X-ray luminosity obscured AGN in BASS. Moreover, our sample shows no preferred combination of black hole masses (M-BH) and/or Eddington ratio (lambda(Edd)), covering 7.5 less than or similar to log (M-BH/M-circle dot) less than or similar to 10.3 and 0.01 less than or similar to lambda(Edd) less than or similar to 1. Based on the distribution of our sources in the lambda(Edd)-N-H plane, we conclude that our sample is consistent with a scenario where the amount of obscuring material along the line of sight is determined by radiation pressure exerted by the AGN on the dusty circumnuclear gas.
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    G359.97-0.038: A HARD X-RAY FILAMENT ASSOCIATED WITH A SUPERNOVA SHELL–MOLECULAR CLOUD INTERACTION
    (2015) Nynka, Melania; Hailey, Charles J.; Zhang, Shuo; Morris, Mark M.; Zhao, Jun-Hui; Goss, Miller; Bauer, Franz Erik; Boggs, Stephen E.; Craig, William W.; Christensen, Finn E.; Gotthelf, Eric V.; Harrison, Fiona A.; Mori, Kaya; Perez, Kerstin M.; Stern, Daniel; Zhang, William W.
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    HARD X-RAY MORPHOLOGICAL AND SPECTRAL STUDIES OF THE GALACTIC CENTER MOLECULAR CLOUD SGR B2: CONSTRAINING PAST SGR A☆ FLARING ACTIVITY
    (2015) Zhang, Shuo; Hailey, Charles J.; Mori, Kaya; Clavel, Maica; Terrier, Regis; Ponti, Gabriele; Goldwurm, Andrea; Bauer, Franz E.; Boggs, Steven E.; Christensen, Finn E.; Craig, William W.; Harrison, Fiona A.; Hong, Jaesub; Nynka, Melania; Soldi, Simona; Stern, Daniel; Tomsick, John A.; Zhang, William W.
    In 2013, NuSTAR observed the Sgr B2 region and for the first time resolved its hard X-ray emission on subarcminute scales. Two prominent features are detected above 10 keV:. a newly emerging cloud, G0.66-0.13, and the central 90 '' radius region containing two compact cores, Sgr B2(M) and Sgr B2(N), surrounded by diffuse emission. It is inconclusive whether the remaining level of Sgr. B2 emission is still decreasing or has reached a constant background level. A decreasing X-ray emission can be best explained by the X-ray reflection nebula scenario, where the cloud reprocesses a past giant outburst from Sgr A(star). In the X-ray reflection nebula (XRN) scenario, the 3-79 keV Sgr. B2 spectrum allows us to self-consistently test the XRN model using both the Fe K alpha line and the continuum emission. The peak luminosity of the past Sgr A(star) outburst is constrained to L3-79keV similar to 5 x 10(38) ergs s(-1). A newly discovered cloud feature, G0.66-0.13, shows different timing variability. We suggest that it could be a molecular clump located in the Sgr B2 envelope reflecting the same Sgr A(star) outburst. In contrast, if the Sgr. B2 X-ray emission has reached a constant background level, it would imply an origin of low-energy cosmic-ray (CR) proton bombardment. In this scenario, from the NuSTAR measurements we infer a CR ion power of dW/dt = (1 - 4) x 10(39) erg s(-1) and a CR ionization rate of zeta(H) = (6 - 10) x 10(-15) H-1 s(-1). measurements can become powerful tools to constrain the GC CR population.
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    High-energy x-rays from j174545.5-285829, the cannonball: a candidate pulsar wind nebula associated with Sgr a east
    (2013) Nynka, Melania; Hailey, Charles J.; Mori, Kaya; Baganoff, Frederick K; Bauer, Franz Erik; Boggs, Steven E.; Craig, William W.; Christensen, Finn E.; Gotthelf, Eric V.; Harrison, Fiona A.
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    NuSTAR RESOLVES THE FIRST DUAL AGN ABOVE 10 keV IN SWIFT J2028.5+2543
    (2016) Koss, Michael J.; Glidden, Ana; Baloković, Mislav; Stern, Daniel; Lamperti, Isabella; Assef, Roberto; Bauer, Franz Erik; Ballantyne, David; Boggs, Steven E.; Craig, William W.; Farrah, Duncan; Fürst, Felix; Gandhi, Poshak; Gehrels, Neil; Hailey, Charles J.; Harrison, Fiona A.; Markwardt, Craig; Masini, Alberto; Ricci, Claudio; Treister, Ezequiel; Koss, Michael J.; Glidden, Ana; Baloković, Mislav; Stern, Daniel; Lamperti, Isabella; Assef, Roberto; Bauer, Franz Erik; Ballantyne, David; Boggs, Steven E.; Craig, William W.; Farrah, Duncan; Fürst, Felix; Gandhi, Poshak; Gehrels, Neil; Hailey, Charles J.; Harrison, Fiona A.; Markwardt, Craig; Masini, Alberto; Ricci, Claudio; Treister, Ezequiel
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    PHASE-RESOLVED NuSTAR AND SWIFT-XRT OBSERVATIONS OF MAGNETAR 4U 0142+61
    (2015) Tendulkar, Shriharsh P.; Hascoeet, Romain; Yang, Chengwei; Kaspi, Victoria M.; Beloborodov, Andrei M.; An, Hongjun; Bachetti, Matteo; Boggs, Steven E.; Christensen, Finn E.; Craig, William W.; Guiilot, Sebastien; Hailey, Charles A.; Harrison, Fiona A.; Stern, Daniel; Zhang, William
    We present temporal and spectral analysis of simultaneous 0.5-79 keV Swift-XRT and Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array observations of the magnetar 4U 0142+61. The pulse profile changes significantly with photon energy between 3 and 35 keV. The pulse fraction increases with energy, reaching a value of approximate to 20%, similar to that observed in 1E 1841-045 and much lower than the approximate to 80% pulse fraction observed in 1E 2259+586. We do not detect the 55 ks phase modulation reported in previous Suzaku-HXD observations. The phase-averaged spectrum of 4U 0142+61 above 20 keV is dominated by a hard power law (PL) with a photon index Gamma(H) similar to 0.65, and the spectrum below 20 keV can be described by two blackbodies, a blackbody plus a soft PL, or by a Comptonized blackbody model. We study the full phase-resolved spectra using the e(+/-) outflow model of Beloborodov. Our results are consistent with the parameters of the active j-bundle derived from INTEGRAL data by Hascoet et al. We find that a significant degeneracy appears in the inferred parameters if the footprint of the j-bundle is allowed to be a thin ring instead of a polar cap. The degeneracy is reduced when the footprint is required to be the hot spot inferred from the soft X-ray data.