Mapping the circumnuclear regions of the Circinus galaxy with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F67985815%3A_____%2F23%3A00569709" target="_blank" >RIV/67985815:_____/23:00569709 - isvavai.cz</a>

Výsledek na webu

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac3189" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac3189</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac3189" target="_blank" >10.1093/mnras/stac3189</a>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

Mapping the circumnuclear regions of the Circinus galaxy with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

We report on the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) observation of the closest and X-ray brightest Compton-thick active galactic nucleus (AGN), the Circinus galaxy. We find the source to be significantly polarized in the 2-6 keV band. From previous studies, the X-ray spectrum is known to be dominated by reflection components, both neutral (torus) and ionized (ionization cones). Our analysis indicates that the polarization degree is 28 +/- 7 per cent (at 68 per cent confidence level) for the neutral reflector, with a polarization angle of 18 degrees +/- 5 degrees, roughly perpendicular to the radio jet. The polarization of the ionized reflection is unconstrained. A comparison with Monte Carlo simulations of the polarization expected from the torus shows that the neutral reflector is consistent with being an equatorial torus with a half-opening angle of 45 degrees-55 degrees. This is the first X-ray polarization detection in a Seyfert galaxy, demonstrating the power of X-ray polarimetry in probing the geometry of the circumnuclear regions of AGNs, and confirming the basic predictions of standard Unification Models.

Název v anglickém jazyce

Mapping the circumnuclear regions of the Circinus galaxy with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer

Popis výsledku anglicky

We report on the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) observation of the closest and X-ray brightest Compton-thick active galactic nucleus (AGN), the Circinus galaxy. We find the source to be significantly polarized in the 2-6 keV band. From previous studies, the X-ray spectrum is known to be dominated by reflection components, both neutral (torus) and ionized (ionization cones). Our analysis indicates that the polarization degree is 28 +/- 7 per cent (at 68 per cent confidence level) for the neutral reflector, with a polarization angle of 18 degrees +/- 5 degrees, roughly perpendicular to the radio jet. The polarization of the ionized reflection is unconstrained. A comparison with Monte Carlo simulations of the polarization expected from the torus shows that the neutral reflector is consistent with being an equatorial torus with a half-opening angle of 45 degrees-55 degrees. This is the first X-ray polarization detection in a Seyfert galaxy, demonstrating the power of X-ray polarimetry in probing the geometry of the circumnuclear regions of AGNs, and confirming the basic predictions of standard Unification Models.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

10308 - Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science)

Projekt

<a href="/cs/project/GX21-06825X" target="_blank" >GX21-06825X: Akreující černé díry v nové éře polarizačních rentgenových misí</a><br>

Návaznosti

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Rok uplatnění

2023

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

ISSN

0035-8711

e-ISSN

1365-2966

Svazek periodika

519

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

1

Stát vydavatele periodika

GB - Spojené království Velké Británie a Severního Irska

Počet stran výsledku

9

Strana od-do

50-58

Kód UT WoS článku

000920876000004

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-85150010052