Work

ChandraMultiwavelength Project: Normal Galaxies at Intermediate Redshift

Year: 2006

Type: article

Abstract: We have investigated 136 Chandra extragalactic sources, including 93 galaxies with narrow emission lines (NELGs) and 43 with only absorption lines (ALGs). Based on f X / f O , L X , X-ray spectral hardness, and optical emission-line diagnostics, we have conservatively classified 36 normal galaxies and 71 AGNs. Their redshift ranges from 0.01 to 1.2, with normal galaxies in the range z = 0.01-0.3. Our normal galaxies appear to share characteristics with local galaxies, as expected from the X-ray binary populations and the hot interstellar matter (ISM). In conjunction with normal galaxies found in other surveys, we found no statistically significant evolution in L X / L B , within the limited z range (≲0.1). The best-fit slope of our log( N )-log( S ) relationship is -1.5 for both S (0.5-2 keV) and B (0.5-8 keV) energy bands, which is considerably steeper than that of the AGN-dominated cosmic background sources, but slightly flatter than the previous estimate, indicating that normal galaxies will not exceed the AGN population until f X (0.5-2.0 keV) ~ 2 × 10 -18 ergs s -1 cm -2 (a factor of ~5 lower than the previous estimate). A group of NELGs appear to be heavily obscured in X-rays. After correcting for intrinsic absorption, their X-ray luminosities could be L X > 10 44 ergs s -1 , making them type 2 quasar candidates. While most X-ray-luminous ALGs do not appear to be significantly absorbed, we found two heavily obscured objects that could be as luminous as an unobscured broad-line quasar. Among 43 ALGs, we found two E+A galaxy candidates. The X-ray spectra of both galaxies are soft, and one of them has a nearby close companion galaxy, supporting the merger/interaction scenario rather than the dusty starburst hypothesis.

Source: The Astrophysical Journal

DOI: 10.1086/503828