| Name | 055195 |
| Title | The hunt for Compton-thick AGN |
| URL | https://nxsa.esac.esa.int/nxsa-sl/servlet/data-action-aio?obsno=0551950401 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-6ynp5kn |
| Author | Prof Christopher Reynolds |
| Description | We request 13ks XMM observations of 4 candidate Compton-thick AGN that we have selected from the 22 month Swift-BAT survey on the basis of their flat X-ray spectra. Our principal purpose is to confirm the Compton-thick nature of these AGN by searching for the strong 6.4keV iron line, and hence validate the criteria that we used to find these rare objects. We will also search for signatures of optically-thin scattering, constrain the size of the absorber through using via variability studies, and constrain the true X-ray luminosity of the central engine and hence the impact of the obscuration on the number counts of Compton-thick sources in hard X-ray surveys. |
| Publication | No observations found associated with the current proposal |
| Instrument | EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2 |
| Temporal Coverage | 2008-08-24T23:09:41Z/2009-02-01T04:17:38Z |
| Version | 17.56_20190403_1200 |
| Mission Description | The European Space Agency's (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESA's second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earth's atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis. |
| Creator Contact | https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/xmm-newton/xmm-newton-helpdesk |
| Date Published | 2010-03-06T00:00:00Z |
| Publisher And Registrant | European Space Agency |
| Credit Guidelines | European Space Agency, 2010-03-06T00:00:00Z, 055195, 17.56_20190403_1200. https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-6ynp5kn |