Related papers: Polarization of AGN in UV Spectral Range
Within the standard accretion disk theory for active galactic nuclei (AGN), the observed X-rays are often modeled by Compton up-scattering of ultraviolet (UV) disk photons inside a hot disk corona. Here, we point out that for many AGN,…
Correlated variability between coronal X-rays and disc optical/UV photons provides a very useful diagnostic of the interplay between the different regions around an active galactic nucleus (AGN) and how they interact. AGN that reveal strong…
The impact of axion-like particles on the light polarization around the horizon of suppermassive black hole (SMBH) is discussed in the light of the latest polarization measurement of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). We investigate…
Recent spectropolarimetry of QSOs has revealed a surprising rise in polarization in the Lyman continuum of several objects. We discuss several recent attempts to interpret this feature, including the role of Lyman limit absorption in PG…
We present measurements and statistical properties of the optical and ultraviolet emission lines present in the spectra of 85 bright quasars which have detailed spectral energy distributions. This heterogeneous sample has redshifts up to…
We continue our earlier studies of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in the power spectra of accreting, rapidly-rotating black holes that originate from the geometric "light echoes" of X-ray flares occurring within the black hole…
We analyse different photometric and spectroscopic properties of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and quasars (QSOs) selected by their mid-IR power-law and X-ray emission from the COSMOS survey. We use a set of star-forming galaxies as a…
Using an X-ray stacking procedure, we provide a robust upper limit to the X-ray luminosity per object of a set of 54 z~5.8 galaxy candidates in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, which is within the 1 Ms-exposure Chandra Deep Field-South (CDF-S).…
X-ray studies of active galactic nuclei (AGN) with powerful nuclear winds are important for constraining the physics of the inner accretion/ejection flow around supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and for understanding the impact of such winds…
Based on a sample of 355 quasars with significant optical polarization, we found that quasar polarization vectors are not randomly oriented over the sky as naturally expected. The probability that the observed distribution of polarization…
We present optical observations of two remarkable new AGN discovered by the Two-Micron All Sky Survey. Both are classified as QSOs based on their optical spectra, near-IR colors, and near-IR and [O III]5007 luminosities, but their optical…
HST observations of some QSOs show a strong, abrupt increase in polarization at rest wavelength about 750 A, suggestive of a connection with the Lyman edge of hydrogen. Blaes and Agol (1996) have proposed an explanation in terms of stellar…
A tight non-linear relation exists between the X-ray and UV emission in quasars (i.e. $L_{\rm X}\propto L_{\rm UV}^{\gamma}$), with a dispersion of $\sim$0.2~dex over $\sim$3~orders of magnitude in luminosity. Here we propose a modified…
The UV/optical and X-ray variability of active galactic nuclei (AGN) have long been expected to be well correlated as a result of the X-ray illumination of the accretion disk. Recent monitoring campaigns of nearby AGN, however, found that…
We present a detailed calculation of the propagation of AGN-like ionizing radiation through the intergalactic space. We model the ionization state of absorbing clouds, and show that the universe will be more opaque above $4\,$Ryd than…
To improve our knowledge of nuclear emission in luminous QSOs at Cosmic Noon, we studied the X-ray emission of the WISE/SDSS-selected hyper-luminous (WISSH) QSO sample: 85 broad-line AGN with $L_{bol}>few\times 10^{47}\,erg\,s^{-1}$ at…
Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) are believed to be powered by accretion of matter onto a supermassive black hole. A fundamental ingredient in shaping our understanding of AGN is their variability across the entire electromagnetic spectrum.…
Various types of active galactic nuclei (AGN) are briefly discussed, with an emphasis on the theory of recent X-ray and $\gamma$-ray observations of the subclass, Seyfert 1 galaxies. The large radiation power from AGN is thought to…
The quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) found in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are a very interesting observational phenomenon implying an unknown physical mechanism around supermassive black holes. Several AGNs have been found to have QPO…
Light bosonic fields may suffer an instability around a rotating compact object. This process, known as superradiance, leads to the exponential amplification of the field around a black hole or neutron star, while the spin of the central…