Computer Science
Scientific paper
Sep 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009cfdd.confe.166m&link_type=abstract
Chandra's First Decade of Discovery, Proceedings of the conference held 22-25 September, 2009 in Boston, MA. Edited by Scott Wo
Computer Science
Accretion And Outflows
Scientific paper
New theoretical model results for Compton-thick reprocessors show that the effects of geometry on the X-ray spectra of AGN are large enough that constraints from real data are possible. Signatures of absorption and Compton scattering of high-energy photons in circumnuclear material, which are critically dependent on the geometry and structure of the reprocessor, are evident in the X-ray spectra of a variety of AGN. However, in order to derive robust constraints from the data, one must model the reflection continuum and line emission self-consistently. The results from our model now allow us to extract such information from high-resolution X-ray data. We show that the X-ray reflection continuum, in addition to being highly sensitive to the column density of the reprocessor and to inclination angle effects, has a dramatic dependence on the geometry of the reprocessor that has hitherto been unexploited. We highlight, in particular, the observable differences between a reflection continuum arising from a toroidal geometry and that resulting from a disk. The equivalent width of the Fe K line core, as well as the detailed shape and relative magnitude of its Compton shoulder, prove to be additional, important diagnostics of the geometry, column density, and inclination of the structure. The velocity width of the Fe K line core has the potential to reveal the spatial location of the reprocessor. However, we emphasize that the velocity width can only be accurately measured if the continuum emission and the Compton shoulder are accounted for with an appropriate model that accommodates a range of geometrical configurations. We demonstrate that new information may be deduced from current data with the application of our Compton-thick reprocessor model. We discuss further insights into AGN systems that will be made possible through measurement and modeling of relevant spectral features with future high-resolution, high-throughput spectroscopic instruments.
Murphy Kendrah
Yaqoob Tahir
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