| Name | 055356 |
| Title | Luminous Supersoft X-ray Quasars |
| URL | https://nxsa.esac.esa.int/nxsa-sl/servlet/data-action-aio?obsno=0553560401 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-0jfdk5o |
| Author | European Space Agency |
| Description | We will make short observations of 18 sources in a newly identified class of objects we call supersoft X-ray quasars (SXQs). These are high-luminosity quasars (Lx virgul4x10^44 - 10^46 erg/s) with extremely soft (i.e., steep) spectra that were discovered during the ROSAT All-Sky Survey. The proposed XMM observations will more than double the number of such objects for which spectra are available. In addition, we will observe for 40 ks one SXQ with a power-law spectral index of virgul7. Our objectives are (i) to characterize the spectra of SXQs over the full range of 0.2-10 keV, and (ii) to measure a multicomponent thermal disk spectrum. The latter will provide a direct handle on the black hole mass and spin. |
| Publication | No observations found associated with the current proposal |
| Instrument | EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2 |
| Temporal Coverage | 2008-11-02T02:08:31Z/2009-04-29T07:25:23Z |
| 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 | 2010-05-27T00:00:00Z |
| Publisher And Registrant | European Space Agency |
| Credit Guidelines | European Space Agency, 2010, Luminous Supersoft X-Ray Quasars, 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-0jfdk5o |