Open AccessX‐ray absorption in Seyfert 2 galaxies
Author(s) -
Guainazzi M.,
Fiore F.,
Matt G.,
Perola G.C.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2001.04710.x
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , balmer series , galaxy , absorption (acoustics) , compton scattering , astronomy , optics , photon , spectral line , emission spectrum
We have studied the correlation among X‐ray absorption, optical reddening and nuclear dust morphology in Seyfert 2 galaxies. Two main conclusions emerge: (i) the Balmer decrement and the amount of X‐ray absorption are anticorrelated over a wide range of column density, – the correlation no longer applies to Compton‐thick objects , although they span a comparable range in Balmer decrement; (ii) Compton‐thin Seyfert 2s seem to prefer nuclear environments, which are rich in dust on scales of hundreds of parsecs. On the other hand, Compton‐thick Seyferts indifferently exhibit ‘dust‐poor’ and ‘dust‐rich’ environments. These results support an extension of the Seyfert unification scenario (as recently proposed by Matt), where Compton‐thick Seyfert 2s are observed through compact ‘torii’, whereas Compton‐thin ones are obscured by dust on much larger scales.