Investigating Model Dependencies for Obscured Active Galactic
Nuclei: A Case Study of NGC 3982

J 2024

Investigating Model Dependencies for Obscured Active Galactic Nuclei: A Case Study of NGC 3982

KALLOVÁ, Kristína, Peter G. BOORMAN and Claudio RICCI

Basic information

Original name

Investigating Model Dependencies for Obscured Active Galactic Nuclei: A Case Study of NGC 3982

Authors

KALLOVÁ, Kristína (703 Slovakia, belonging to the institution), Peter G. BOORMAN and Claudio RICCI

Edition

Astrophysical Journal, IOP Publishing Ltd, 2024, 0004-637X

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10308 Astronomy

Country of publisher

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL URL

Impact factor

Impact factor: 4.900 in 2022

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad3235

UT WoS

001209441100001

Keywords in English

X-ray active galactic nuclei; Active galactic nuclei; Low-luminosity active galactic nuclei

Abstract

V originále

X-ray spectroscopy of heavily obscured active galactic nuclei (AGN) offers a unique opportunity to study the circumnuclear environment of accreting supermassive black holes. However, individual models describing the obscurer have unique parameter spaces that give distinct parameter posterior distributions when fit to the same data. To assess the impact of model-specific parameter dependencies, we present a case study of the nearby heavily obscured low-luminosity AGN NGC 3982, which has a variety of column density estimations reported in the literature. We fit the same broadband XMM-Newton+NuSTAR spectra of the source with five unique obscuration models and generate posterior parameter distributions for each. By using global parameter exploration, we traverse the full prior-defined parameter space to accurately reproduce complex posterior shapes and inter-parameter degeneracies. The unique model posteriors for the line-of-sight column density are broadly consistent, predicting Compton-thick NH > 1.5 × 1024 cm−2 at the 3σ confidence level. The posterior median intrinsic X-ray luminosity in the 2–10 keV band was found to differ substantially, however, with values in the range log L2–10 keV/ erg s−1 = 40.9–42.1 for the individual models. We additionally show that the posterior distributions for each model occupy unique regions of their respective multidimensional parameter spaces and how such differences can propagate into the inferred properties of the central engine. We conclude by showcasing the improvement in parameter inference attainable with the High Energy X-ray Probe, with its uniquely broad, simultaneous, and high-sensitivity bandpass of 0.2–80 keV.

Citovat

KALLOVÁ, Kristína, Peter G. BOORMAN and Claudio RICCI. Investigating Model Dependencies for Obscured Active Galactic Nuclei: A Case Study of NGC 3982. Astrophysical Journal. IOP Publishing Ltd, 2024, vol. 966, No 1, p. 1-20. ISSN 0004-637X. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad3235.

@article{2400420,
   author = {Kallová, Kristína and Boorman, Peter G. and Ricci, Claudio},
   article_number = {1},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad3235},
   keywords = {X-ray active galactic nuclei; Active galactic nuclei; Low-luminosity active galactic nuclei},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {0004-637X},
   journal = {Astrophysical Journal},
   title = {Investigating Model Dependencies for Obscured Active Galactic Nuclei: A Case Study of NGC 3982},
   url = {https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ad3235},
   volume = {966},
   year = {2024}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 2400420
AU  - Kallová, Kristína - Boorman, Peter G. - Ricci, Claudio
PY  - 2024
TI  - Investigating Model Dependencies for Obscured Active Galactic Nuclei: A Case Study of NGC 3982
JF  - Astrophysical Journal
VL  - 966
IS  - 1
SP  - 1-20
EP  - 1-20
PB  - IOP Publishing Ltd
SN  - 0004637X
KW  - X-ray active galactic nuclei
KW  - Active galactic nuclei
KW  - Low-luminosity active galactic nuclei
UR  - https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ad3235
N2  - X-ray spectroscopy of heavily obscured active galactic nuclei (AGN) offers a unique opportunity to study the circumnuclear environment of accreting supermassive black holes. However, individual models describing the obscurer have unique parameter spaces that give distinct parameter posterior distributions when fit to the same data. To assess the impact of model-specific parameter dependencies, we present a case study of the nearby heavily obscured low-luminosity AGN NGC 3982, which has a variety of column density estimations reported in the literature. We fit the same broadband XMM-Newton+NuSTAR spectra of the source with five unique obscuration models and generate posterior parameter distributions for each. By using global parameter exploration, we traverse the full prior-defined parameter space to accurately reproduce complex posterior shapes and inter-parameter degeneracies. The unique model posteriors for the line-of-sight column density are broadly consistent, predicting Compton-thick NH > 1.5 × 1024 cm−2 at the 3σ confidence level. The posterior median intrinsic X-ray luminosity in the 2–10 keV band was found to differ substantially, however, with values in the range log L2–10 keV/ erg s−1 = 40.9–42.1 for the individual models. We additionally show that the posterior distributions for each model occupy unique regions of their respective multidimensional parameter spaces and how such differences can propagate into the inferred properties of the central engine. We conclude by showcasing the improvement in parameter inference attainable with the High Energy X-ray Probe, with its uniquely broad, simultaneous, and high-sensitivity bandpass of 0.2–80 keV.
ER  -

KALLOVÁ, Kristína, Peter G. BOORMAN and Claudio RICCI. Investigating Model Dependencies for Obscured Active Galactic Nuclei: A Case Study of NGC 3982. \textit{Astrophysical Journal}. IOP Publishing Ltd, 2024, vol.~966, No~1, p.~1-20. ISSN~0004-637X. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad3235.

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