Absorption and scattering properties in polarized bright soft X-ray selected ROSAT AGN
Abstract
We have surveyed the optical linear polarimetric properties of 65 soft X-ray selected ROSAT Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). Most of these sources show low polarization (<1%) and no optical reddening. This is in agreement with the X-ray results suggesting a direct view on the center. However, two of our AGN show polarization as high as 7--8% and high reddening. This optical reddening suggests a high column of dusty gas, but why does this gas not absorb the soft X-rays? We suggest that the dusty gas is actually ionized. There is evidence for these 'warm' absorbers from X-ray absorption features seen in ROSAT and ASCA spectra.
- Publication:
-
Highlights in X-ray Astronomy
- Pub Date:
- 1999
- DOI:
- 10.48550/arXiv.astro-ph/9810082
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/9810082
- Bibcode:
- 1999hxra.conf..136G
- Keywords:
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- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 3 pages, including 3 pages, to appear in the proc. of "Highlights in X-ray Astronomy" (Garching, June 1998), B Aschenbach et al. (eds)