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Kiloparsec-scale binary active galactic nuclei (AGNs) signal activesupermassive black hole (SMBH) pairs in merging galaxies. Despite theirsignificance, unambiguously confirmed cases remain scarce and most have beendiscovered serendipitously. In a previous systematic search, we opticallyidentified four kpc-scale binary AGNs from candidates selected withdouble-peaked narrow emission lines at redshifts of 0.1--0.2. Here we presentChandra and Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) imaging of thesefour systems. We critically examine and confirm the binary-AGN scenario for twoof the four targets, by combining high angular resolution X-ray imagingspectroscopy with Chandra ACIS-S, better nuclear position constraints from WFC3F105W imaging, and direct starburst estimates from WFC3 F336W imaging; for theother two targets, the existing data are still consistent with the binary-AGNscenario, but we cannot rule out the possibility of only one AGN ionizing gasin both merging galaxies. We find tentative evidence for a systematicallysmaller X-ray-to-[O III] luminosity ratio and/or higher Compton-thick fractionin optically selected kpc-scale binary AGNs than in single AGNs, possiblycaused by a higher nuclear gas column due to mergers and/or a viewing anglebias related to the double-peak narrow line selection. While our result lendssome further support to the general approach of optically identifying kpc-scalebinary AGNs, it also highlights the challenge and ambiguity of X-rayconfirmation.

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Chandra X-ray and Hubble Space Telescope Imaging of Optically Selected  kiloparsec-Scale Binary Active Galactic Nuclei I. Nature of the Nuclear  Ionizing Sources