Spectral and polarimetric signatures of X-ray eclipses in AGNs
Result description
In this work, we aim to model the spectral and polarization variability arising from X-ray obscuration events, serving as probes of the relativistic effects that dominate the emission from the innermost regions. We show that asymmetries can be clearly detected in the AGNs spectra as the cloud is shading different parts of the accretion disc. We also show that these effects can be detected in the temporal evolution of the polarization degree (P) and the polarization position angle (Ψ). The variations in P and Ψ are highly dependent on the inclination of the system, the position of the primary source and its intrinsic polarization. Considering the disc-corona system only, for an inclination θ = 30° (60°), P increases up to ˜20 per cent (30 per cent) in the 4-8 keV band, when the unpolarized primary source is obscured. However, after accounting for the contribution of parsec-scale material scattering the light in our line of sight (narrow-line region and molecular torus), the variability is smoothed out and the polarization degree can be reduced down to {˜ } 1{{ per cent}} (2 per cent). Our results suggest that the study of eclipses in AGNs with the next generation of X-ray spectral and polarimetric missions could provide unique information on the physics and structure of the innermost regions as well as of the parsec-scale material.
Keywords
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
Result on the web
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Spectral and polarimetric signatures of X-ray eclipses in AGNs
Original language description
In this work, we aim to model the spectral and polarization variability arising from X-ray obscuration events, serving as probes of the relativistic effects that dominate the emission from the innermost regions. We show that asymmetries can be clearly detected in the AGNs spectra as the cloud is shading different parts of the accretion disc. We also show that these effects can be detected in the temporal evolution of the polarization degree (P) and the polarization position angle (Ψ). The variations in P and Ψ are highly dependent on the inclination of the system, the position of the primary source and its intrinsic polarization. Considering the disc-corona system only, for an inclination θ = 30° (60°), P increases up to ˜20 per cent (30 per cent) in the 4-8 keV band, when the unpolarized primary source is obscured. However, after accounting for the contribution of parsec-scale material scattering the light in our line of sight (narrow-line region and molecular torus), the variability is smoothed out and the polarization degree can be reduced down to {˜ } 1{{ per cent}} (2 per cent). Our results suggest that the study of eclipses in AGNs with the next generation of X-ray spectral and polarimetric missions could provide unique information on the physics and structure of the innermost regions as well as of the parsec-scale material.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
Jimp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
10308 - Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science)
Result continuities
Project
—
Continuities
I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace
Others
Publication year
2018
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
ISSN
1365-2966
e-ISSN
—
Volume of the periodical
480
Issue of the periodical within the volume
3
Country of publishing house
GB - UNITED KINGDOM
Number of pages
14
Pages from-to
3243-3256
UT code for WoS article
000449616200033
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-85054771131
Basic information
Result type
Jimp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
OECD FORD
Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science)
Year of implementation
2018