Program: GN-2006A-Q-11
Title: | High Spatial Resolution MIR Observations of Seyfert Nuclei |
PI: | Chris Packham |
Co-I(s): | Justin Schaefer, Rachel Mason, James Radomski, Nancy Levenson, Moshe Elitzur, Eric Perlman, Charlie Telesco |
Abstract
In the classical unified model of Seyfert AGN, the classification as a Seyfert 1 or 2 is dependent on the orientation to the line of sight of an optically and geometrically thick torus surrounding the central engine (i.e. Antonucci & Miller 1985). Detailed observations and models of the spatial extent and SED of the torus are therefore crucial to the advancement of unified models. The torus must intercept a significant fraction of the energy from the central engine, and will re-radiate this energy with the observed emission peaking at mid-infrared (MIR) wavelengths. Thus mid-IR observations of AGN provide a powerful diagnostic of the torus and central activity in AGN. However, recent MIR imaging and spectroscopy of AGN have demonstrated that a significant amount of mid-IR emission is commonly found to be extended around the nucleus and ionization cones, with properties that differ significantly from those of the nucleus. Hence, torus models based on low-spatial resolution (1 arcsec or worse) observations suffer significant contamination which greatly detracts from the validity of those models. To advance these models, we plan to make high spatial resolution imaging and spectroscopy of the central regions of bright, nearby AGN and then use new models to account for the observed emission.
Publications using this program's data
-
[data]
[ADS] The Infrared Nuclear Emission of Seyfert Galaxies on Parsec Scales: Testing the Clumpy Torus Models
-
[data]
[ADS] Isotropic Mid-Infrared Emission from the Central 100 pc of Active Galaxies
-
[data]
[ADS] The subarcsecond mid-infrared view of local active galactic nuclei - I. The N- and Q-band imaging atlas
-
[data]
[ADS] The nuclear and extended infrared emission of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 2992 and the interacting system Arp 245
-
[data]
[ADS] Investigating the dusty torus of Seyfert galaxies using SOFIA/FORCAST photometry
-
[data]
[ADS] Nuclear obscuration in LINERs. Clues from Spitzer/IRS spectra on the Compton thickness and the existence of the dusty torus
-
[data]
[ADS] The nuclear and extended mid-infrared emission of Seyfert galaxies
-
[data]
[ADS] A mid-infrared statistical investigation of clumpy torus model predictions
-
[data]
[ADS] Torus model properties of an ultra-hard X-ray selected sample of Seyfert galaxies
-
[data]
[ADS] Active Galactic Nucleus Ghosts: A Systematic Search for Faded Nuclei
-
[data]
[ADS] On the origin of X-ray oxygen emission lines in obscured AGN
-
[data]
[ADS] Torus and polar dust dependence on active galactic nucleus properties