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Motivated by recent work indicating that the UV continuum in AGN may beproduced by reradiation of energy absorbed from X-rays irradiating an accretiondisk, we present a calculation of the vertical structures and ultravioletspectra of X-ray irradiated accretion disks around massive non-rotating blackholes. After finding the radial dependence of vertically-integrated quantitiesfor these disks, we solve the equations of hydrostatic equilibrium, energybalance, and frequency-dependent radiation transfer as functions of altitude.To solve the last set of equations, we use a variable Eddington factor method.We include electron scattering, free-free, and HI, HeI, and HeII bound-freeopacities and the corresponding continuum cooling processes.  While the overall spectral shape predicted by X-ray irradiation may becompatible with observations, the Lyman edge emission feature it predicts isnot. This finding raises questions for many otherwise plausible models in whichX-ray irradiation plays a major role.Comment: 43 pages, 10 figure

The Vertical Structure and Ultraviolet Spectrum of X‐Ray–irradiated Accretion Disks in Active Galactic Nuclei