Sengupta, D., Torres-Albà, N., Pizzetti, A., López, I. E., Marchesi, S., Vignali, C., ... & Esposito, F. (2024). A Multi-Wavelength Characterization of the Obscuring Medium at the Center of NGC 6300. Astronomy & Astrophysics manuscript no. NGC6300_Sengupta.
This study investigates the properties of the obscuring medium and nuclear emission of the nearby Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 6300 using multi-wavelength observations spanning from X-ray to infrared. The primary goal is to characterize the geometry and variability of the obscuring torus surrounding the central supermassive black hole.
The researchers analyzed archival X-ray data from NuSTAR, Chandra, and Suzaku telescopes, covering a period from 2007 to 2020. They employed physically motivated torus models (borus02, UXCLUMPY, XClumpy) to fit the X-ray spectra and determine parameters like column density, covering factor, and inclination angle. Additionally, they performed optical-FIR spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting using XCIGALE, incorporating photometric data from HST, 2MASS, Spitzer, and Herschel telescopes. This joint analysis allowed them to constrain the torus properties and the accretion rate of the supermassive black hole.
The study provides a comprehensive multi-wavelength characterization of the obscuring medium in NGC 6300. The constant column density challenges the traditional clumpy torus model and suggests a more homogeneous obscuring structure. The observed flux drop in 2020 might indicate changes in the accretion rate or obscuration events not captured by column density variations.
This research contributes to our understanding of the structure and dynamics of obscuring tori in active galactic nuclei. The findings highlight the importance of long-term multi-wavelength monitoring to unravel the complexities of AGN obscuration and accretion processes.
The study acknowledges the limitations of using a limited number of epochs to fully characterize the variability of the obscuring medium. Future research with more frequent observations is crucial to confirm the homogeneity of the torus and investigate the nature of the observed flux drop. Further studies incorporating higher-resolution X-ray data can provide more detailed insights into the torus geometry and dynamics.
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