A remarkably stable accretion disc in the Seyfert galaxy MCG-5-23-16

Serafinelli, Roberto; Marinucci, Andrea; De Rosa, Alessandra; Bianchi, Stefano; Middei, Riccardo; Matt, Giorgio; Reeves, James N; Braito, Valentina; Tombesi, Francesco; Gianolli, Vittoria E; Ingram, Adam; Marin, Frédéric; Petrucci, Pierre-Olivier; Tagliacozzo, Daniele; Ursini, Francesco

doi:10.1093/mnras/stad2801

Cited by 8 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…Thus, despite ψ being estimated at a ∼1σ confidence level, considering the direction of the NLR estimated by the HST [O III] emission observations to be ∼40 • [88], and taking into account the perpendicular orientation of the NLR and the accretion disk, the results hint at a coronal geometry in the form of a slab or wedge rather than a lamppost or conical shape. Additionally, the disk inclination estimated in [89] of ∼30-50 • supports the results of a coronal structure like a slab or wedge. Finally, IC 4329A has a detected X-ray polarization of the hot corona of 3.3 ± 1.1% for Π X and 78 ± 10 • for ψ X in the 2-8 keV band, utilizing simultaneous observational data from IXPE , XMM-Newton, and NuSTAR for the spectropolarimetric analysis.…”

Section: Ixpe Observations Of Unobscured Radio-quiet Agnsupporting

confidence: 79%

Investigating the Properties of the Relativistic Jet and Hot Corona in AGN with X-ray Polarimetry

Kim,

Di Gesu,

Marin

et al. 2024

Galaxies

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X-ray polarimetry has been suggested as a prominent tool for investigating the geometrical and physical properties of the emissions from active galactic nuclei (AGN). The successful launch of the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) on 9 December 2021 has expanded the previously restricted scope of polarimetry into the X-ray domain, enabling X-ray polarimetric studies of AGN. Over a span of two years, IXPE has observed various AGN populations, including blazars and radio-quiet AGN. In this paper, we summarize the remarkable discoveries achieved thanks to the opening of the new window of X-ray polarimetry of AGN through IXPE observations. We will delve into two primary areas of interest: first, the magnetic field geometry and particle acceleration mechanisms in the jets of radio-loud AGN, such as blazars, where the relativistic acceleration process dominates the spectral energy distribution; and second, the geometry of the hot corona in radio-quiet AGN. Thus far, the IXPE results from blazars favor the energy-stratified shock acceleration model, and they provide evidence of helical magnetic fields inside the jet. Concerning the corona geometry, the IXPE results are consistent with a disk-originated slab-like or wedge-like shape, as could result from Comptonization around the accretion disk.

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Section: Ixpe Observations Of Unobscured Radio-quiet Agnsupporting

confidence: 79%

Investigating the Properties of the Relativistic Jet and Hot Corona in AGN with X-ray Polarimetry

Kim,

Di Gesu,

Marin

et al. 2024

Galaxies

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“…Hints of an alignment between Ψ and the position angle of the [OIII] emission are present (∼ 40 • , associated to the narrow line region and assumed to be aligned with the accretion disk axis [23]). The comparison between IXPE data and numerical simulations obtained with the Monte Carlo code MONK [24] in different geometries led to the inclination angle of the source (i <40 • ), in good agreement with the one estimated via the modelling of the broad Iron Kα profile (i = 32 • -51 • : [20]). Among the several geometrical configurations tested, the conical outflow scenario was ruled out.…”

Section: Mcg-05-23-16supporting

confidence: 74%

“…X-ray polarization, in this context, offers the opportunity of revealing the geometry of the scattering hot corona. Spectral features ascribed to reflection off the accretion disk and distant, cold material are also present in the X-ray spectrum of MCG-05-23-16 and they have been found to be rather stable throughout the years ( [20] and references therein). The source was therefore observed by IXPE in May and in November 2022 for a total net exposure time of 1.13 Ms, partly simultaneously with XMM-Newton and NuSTAR to separate and characterize the different spectral features [21,22]).…”

Section: Mcg-05-23-16mentioning

confidence: 99%

An Examination of the Very First Polarimetric X-ray Observations of Radio-quiet Active Galactic Nuclei

Marin,

Gianolli,

Ingram

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Active galactic nuclei (AGNs), either radio-quiet or radio-loud, had never been observed in X-ray polarized light until the advent of the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE [1]) in the end of 2021. This satellite opened a new observational window for studying supermassive black holes and their complex environment. In this regard, radio-quiet AGNs are probably better targets than radio-loud objects to probe accretion processes, due to the lack of synchrotron emission from jets that can dilute the polarized signal from the central engine. Their relatively clean environment not only allows to detect and measure the X-ray polarization originating from the hot corona responsible for X-ray emission, but also to assess the geometry of the media immediately surrounding the supermassive black hole. Such geometrical measurements work just as well for characterizing the corona morphology in pole-on AGNs as it does for determining the three-dimensional shape of the circumnuclear cold obscurer (the so-called torus) in edge-on AGNs. In this review paper, we will return to each of the observations made by IXPE so far in the field of radio-quiet AGNs and highlight the fundamental contribution of X-ray polarimetry to our understanding of how light is emitted and how matter is shaped around supermassive black holes.

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Spectro-polarimetric study to constrain accretion-ejection properties of MCG-5-23-16 using IXPE and NuSTAR observations

Mondal,

Chatterjee,

Agrawal

et al. 2024

Publ. Astron. Soc. Aust.

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We conducted a study on the X-ray polarisation properties of MCG-5-23-16 by analysing long-term monitoring data from NuSTAR jointly with IXPE observations made in May and November 2022. The re-analysis of IXPE data gives model-dependent polarisation degree, PD (%) = $1.08\pm0.66$ in the energy band 2–8 keV, which agrees with previous studies within error bars. The model-independent analysis of PD poses an upper limit of $\leq3.8$ ( $1\sigma$ level) for the same energy band. The observed upper limit of PD, along with broadband spectral analysis (2–79 keV) using an accretion-ejection based model, allowed us to derive the corona geometry (i.e. radius and height) and the accretion disc inclination ( $\sim33^\circ$ ). Additional NuSTAR observations were also analysed to gain insights into the accretion flow properties of the source and to estimate the expected polarisation during those epochs with PD $\sim 4.3\%$ . The radius and height of the corona varies between $28.2\pm3.1 - 39.8\pm4.6$ r $_s$ and $14.3\pm1.7-21.4\pm1.9$ r $_s$ respectively, with a mass outflow rate from the corona measuring $0.14\pm0.03-0.2\pm0.03$ Eddington rate ( $\dot m_{\mathrm{Edd}}$ ). The estimated PD values were nearly constant up to a certain radial distance and height of the corona and then decreased for increasing corona geometry. The spectral analysis further provided an estimate for the mass of the central black hole $\sim2\times 10^7$ M $_\odot$ and the velocity of the outflowing gas $\sim0.16-0.19c$ . A comparative broadband spectral study using reflection-based models estimates the disc inclination between $\sim 31^\circ\pm8^\circ-45^\circ\pm7^\circ$ , and yields an expected PD of 3.4–6.0%. We also found a weak reflection fraction and a less ionised distant reflecting medium. The expected PD measured using accretion-ejection and reflection models is less compared to the expected PD measured for a given disc inclination of $45^\circ$ . Our modelling of the disc-corona-outflows and polarisation connection can be extended and validated with data from the recently launched XPoSat, India’s first X-ray Polarimeter Satellite, offering potential applications to other sources.

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A remarkably stable accretion disc in the Seyfert galaxy MCG-5-23-16

Cited by 8 publications

References 58 publications

Investigating the Properties of the Relativistic Jet and Hot Corona in AGN with X-ray Polarimetry

Investigating the Properties of the Relativistic Jet and Hot Corona in AGN with X-ray Polarimetry

An Examination of the Very First Polarimetric X-ray Observations of Radio-quiet Active Galactic Nuclei

Spectro-polarimetric study to constrain accretion-ejection properties of MCG-5-23-16 using IXPE and NuSTAR observations

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