The rare active galactic nuclei (AGN) that are oriented toward us so that theiraccretion flow exhibits disk-like megamaser emission present a remarkableopportunity to study the geometry of the AGN obscurer on typically unresolvableparsec scales. Not only is their orientation highly constrained, but their blackhole masses are well measured, which is otherwise difficult to achieve inobscured AGN. Their high obscuring columns allow us to directly detect and morerobustly model the reprocessed X-ray spectra onto which features due to thegeometry of the obscuring gas are imprinted. With a total of 256 ks ofXMM-Newton and 310 ks of NuSTAR time, we propose to significantly expand thesample of nearby AGN for which obscurer geometry can be uniquely constrained using broadband X-ray data.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2022-07-15T14:55:53Z/2022-10-22T00:32:16Z
Version
20.09_20221024_1724
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs 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 Earths 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.
European Space Agency, Dr Mislav Balokovic, 2023, 'Disk Megamasers as the Golden Standard for Constraining AGN Obscurer Geometry', 20.09_20221024_1724, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.57780/esa-n55537v
