XMM-Newton Observations of the Seyfert 2 Galaxy NGC 7590: The Nature of X-ray Absorption
Abstract
We present the analysis of three XMM-Newton observations of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 7590. The source was found to have no X-ray absorption in the low spatial resolution ASCA data. The XMM-Newton observations provide a factor of ~10 better spatial resolution than previous ASCA data. We find that the X-ray emission of NGC 7590 is dominated by an off-nuclear ultra-luminous X-ray source and an extended emission from the host galaxy. The nuclear X-ray emission is rather weak compared with the host galaxy. Based on its very low X-ray luminosity as well as the small ratio between the 2-10 keV and the [O III] fluxes, we interpret NGC 7590 as Compton-thick rather than being an "unobscured" Seyfert 2 galaxy. Future higher resolution observations such as Chandra are crucial to shed light on the nature of the NGC 7590 nucleus.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- October 2010
- DOI:
- 10.1088/0004-637X/722/1/96
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1008.1502
- Bibcode:
- 2010ApJ...722...96S
- Keywords:
-
- galaxies: active;
- galaxies: individual: NGC 7590;
- galaxies: nuclei;
- X-rays: galaxies;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena;
- Astrophysics - Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- The Astrophysical Journal, Accepted (15 pages, 4 figures)