Ashton, C.E.;
(2005)
A study of warm absorbers in active galactic nuclei.
Masters thesis , University of London.
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Abstract
This thesis explores the 'warm absorber' phenomenon observed in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). Warm absorbers are clouds of ionised gas within AGN, that cause absorption at soft X-ray wavelengths. They are observed in half of all Type 1 AGN, hence they play an important part in the framework of our under standing of Active Galactic Nuclei. Observations with the satellite XMM-Newton have given us the highest signal-to-noise data yet. XMM-Newton observations of the quasars PG 1114+445 and PG 1309+355 are studied. Both quasars exhibit evidence for absorption by warm material in the line-of-sight. We define a 'phase' of absorption to have a single ionisation param eter and column density. From fits to the data, the absorption in PG 1114+445 is found to be in two phases, a 'hot' phase with a log ionisation parameter f of 2.57 and a column of 1022 cm-2, and a 'cooler' one with log f of 0.83 and a column of 1021 cm-2. The absorption in PG 1309+355 consists of a single phase, with log f of 1.87 and a column of 1021 cm-2. The absorbing gas lies at distances of 1019 - 1022 cm from the continuum radiation sources in these AGN, suggesting origins in a wind emanating from a molecular torus, according to the 'Standard Model' of AGN. The kinetic luminosities of the outflowing absorbers represent insignificant fractions (< 10 3) of the energy budgets of the AGN. Using data for the Seyfert 1 H 0557 385, the warm absorption is characterised by two phases, a phase with log £ of 0.48 and a column of 1021 cm-2, and a phase with log f of 1.63 and a column of 1022 cm-2. Neutral absorption is also present in the source, and possible origins for this are discussed. For a large sample, observations of warm absorbers are collated and compared with models.
| Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Title: | A study of warm absorbers in active galactic nuclei. |
| Identifier: | PQ ETD:593875 |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Thesis digitised by Proquest |
| UCL classification: | UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Space and Climate Physics |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1446357 |
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