Constraints on Accretion Disk Physics in Low Luminosity Radio Galaxies

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It is currently believed that essentially all galaxies harbor a massive black hole in their nuclei. If this is true, then it becomes hard to understand why we do not see the luminosity released by the inevitable accretion of the galaxy ISM onto the black hole in all galaxies. The differences in AGN output between the two classes of narrow-line radio galaxies (FRI and FRII) may hold the vital clue. High radio luminosity FRIIs generally show strong high-excitation narrow lines and are believed to be the obscured counterparts of radio loud quasars. Low radio luminosity FRIs by contrast have weaker, low-ionization lines and low ratios of optical to radio luminosities. A large difference in accretion rate and radiative efficiency between FRI and FRIIs would explain the difference in the optical properties and also provide a new unification between different classes of active galaxies in which the dominant parameter is accretion rate. Spitzer IRAC and MIPS observations already exist for most of a well defined sample of FRIs. However, the previously observed objects are the 'famous' ones, e.g., M87, M84, NGC315, 3C264, 3C31. Thus, the existing datasets are highly selected. Here we propose a very small request to complete the sample. We propose IRAC observations in all 4 bands, and MIPS photometry at 24 and 70 microns of 8, and 7 sources, respectively, for a total request of 1.7 hrs. These observations will complete the sample at very little cost in observing time. The large amount of existing complmentary data at multiple wavebands will greatly enhance the legacy value of the proposed observations. By completing the sample, the proposed IRAC and MIPS observations will produce a well defined and very well studied sample of nearby low luminosity radio galaxies. We will use the completed sample to investigate the properties of the accretion disk radiation, and the circumnuclear obscuring material.

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