Central Engine and Host Galaxy of RXJ 1301.9+2747: A Multiwavelength View of a Low-mass Black Hole Active Galactic Nuclei with Ultra-soft X-Ray Emission
Abstract
RXJ 1301.9+2747 is an optically identified very-low-mass AGN candidate with {M}{BH}∼ 1× {10}6 {M}⊙ , which shows extremely soft X-ray emission and unusual X-ray variability in the form of short-lived flares. We present an analysis of multiwavelength observations of RXJ 1301.9+2747 in order to study the properties of the active nucleus and its host galaxy. The UV-to-X-ray spectrum in the quiescent state can be well and self-consistently described by a thermal and a Comptonized emission from the accretion disk, with the black body dominating ∼70% of the X-rays in the 0.2-2 keV. The same model can describe the X-ray spectrum in the flare state, but the Comptonized component becomes dominant (∼80%). The best fit implies an Eddington ratio of ∼0.14 and a black-hole mass of (1.7-2.8)× {10}6 M ⊙, in agreement with the estimation from the optical data within errors. However, the best-fitting model under predicts the optical flux for the HST point source by a factor of ∼2. The excess of nuclear optical emission could be attributed to a nuclear stellar cluster, which is frequently seen in low-mass AGNs. The X-ray to optical spectral slope ({α }{ox}) is lower than in most other active galaxies, which may be attributed to intrinsically X-ray weakness due to very little hot and optically thin coronal emission. We performed a pilot search for weak or hidden broad emission lines using optical spectropolarimetry observations, but no polarized broad lines are detected. The host galaxy appears to be a disk galaxy with a boxy pseudobulge or nuclear bar accounting for ∼15% of the total starlight, which is consistent with the general characteristics of the host of low-mass AGNs.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- March 2017
- DOI:
- 10.3847/1538-4357/aa5eb3
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1704.02886
- Bibcode:
- 2017ApJ...837....3S
- Keywords:
-
- galaxies: active;
- galaxies: individual: RXJ 1301.9+2747;
- galaxies: nuclei;
- X-rays: galaxies;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
- E-Print:
- Published in ApJ, 16 pages, 13 figures