Bibcode
Dicken, D.; Tadhunter, C.; Morganti, R.; Axon, D.; Robinson, A.; Magagnoli, M.; Kharb, P.; Ramos Almeida, C.; Mingo, B.; Hardcastle, M.; Nesvadba, N. P. H.; Singh, V.; Kouwenhoven, M. B. N.; Rose, M.; Spoon, H.; Inskip, K. J.; Holt, J.
Bibliographical reference
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 788, Issue 2, article id. 98, 22 pp. (2014).
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2014
Journal
Citations
42
Refereed citations
42
Description
It remains uncertain which continuum and emission line diagnostics best
indicate the bolometric powers of active galactic nuclei (AGNs),
especially given the attenuation caused by the circumnuclear material
and the possible contamination by components related to star formation.
Here we use mid-IR spectra along with multiwavelength data to
investigate the merit of various diagnostics of AGN radiative power,
including the mid-IR [Ne III] λ25.89 μm and [O IV]
λ25.89 μm fine-structure lines, the optical [O III]
λ5007 forbidden line, and mid-IR 24 μm, 5 GHz radio, and X-ray
continuum emission, for complete samples of 46 2Jy radio galaxies (0.05
< z < 0.7) and 17 3CRR FRII radio galaxies (z < 0.1). We find
that the mid-IR [O IV] line is the most reliable indicator of AGN power
for powerful radio-loud AGNs. By assuming that the [O IV] is emitted
isotropically, and comparing the [O III] and 24 μm luminosities of
the broad- and narrow-line AGNs in our samples at fixed [O IV]
luminosity, we show that the [O III] and 24 μm emission are both
mildly attenuated in the narrow-line compared to the broad-line objects
by a factor of ≈2. However, despite this attenuation, the [O III] and
24 μm luminosities are better AGN power indicators for our sample
than either the 5 GHz radio or the X-ray continuum luminosities. We also
detect the mid-IR 9.7 μm silicate feature in the spectra of many
objects but not ubiquitously: at least 40% of the sample shows no clear
evidence for these features. We conclude that, for the majority of
powerful radio galaxies, the mid-IR lines are powered by AGN
photoionization.
Related projects
Nuclear Activity in Galaxies: a 3D Perspective from the Nucleus to the Outskirts
This project consists of two main research lines. First, the study of quasar-driven outflows in luminous and nearby obscured active galactic nuclei (AGN) and the impact that they have on their massive host galaxies (AGN feedback). To do so, we have obtained Gran Telescopio CANARIAS (GTC) infrared and optical observations with the instruments
Cristina
Ramos Almeida