Ion-heated thermal Comptonization models and x-ray spectral correlations in active galactic nuclei [electronic resource].
- Published
- Washington, D.C : United States. Dept. of Energy. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Defense Programs, 1989.
Oak Ridge, Tenn. : Distributed by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Dept. of Energy. - Physical Description
- Pages: (7 pages) : digital, PDF file
- Additional Creators
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, United States. Department of Energy. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Defense Programs, and United States. Department of Energy. Office of Scientific and Technical Information
Access Online
- Restrictions on Access
- Free-to-read Unrestricted online access
- Summary
- Recent Ginga observations of the Seyfert 1 galaxies NGC 4051 and MCG 6-30-15 show a positive correlation between the 2-10 keV luminosity and photon spectral index α. Similar behavior has also been reported in Exosat and Einstein observations of other active galactic nuclei, and is suggested in hard x-ray low-state data of the galactic black-hole candidate Cygnus X-1. A two-temperature thermal Comptonization model with internal soft-photon production provides a simple explanation for this correlation. The electron temperature, determined by a balance between ion heating and radiative cooling, decreases in response to an enhancement of the soft photon flux, resulting in a softening of the spectrum and an increase in the soft x-ray luminosity. The bulk of the soft photons are produced through pion production in collisions between the hot ions. Pivoting of the spectrum at photon energies {var epsilon} > 50 keV is a consequence of variations in the ion temperature. An important test of the model would be time correlations between soft and hard x-ray bands. 17 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab.
- Report Numbers
- E 1.99:ucrl-102238
E 1.99: conf-8909275--1
conf-8909275--1
ucrl-102238 - Subject(s)
- Other Subject(s)
- Note
- Published through SciTech Connect.
11/01/1989.
"ucrl-102238"
" conf-8909275--1"
"DE90003597"
23. ESLAB symposium on X-ray astronomy, Bologna (Italy), 13-20 Sep 1989.
Dermer, C.D. - Funding Information
- W-7405-ENG-48
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