Related papers: The 3.4 micron absorption feature towards three ob…

The nucleus of the nearby galaxy, NGC 1097, is known to host a young, compact (r < 9 parsec) nuclear star cluster as well as a low-luminosity active galactic nucleus (AGN). It has been suggested both that the nuclear stellar cluster is…

We present observational evidences that dust in the circumnuclear region of AGNs has different properties than in the Galactic diffuse interstellar medium. By comparing the reddening of optical and infrared broad lines and the X-ray…

We present the results of infrared 2.8-4.1 micron (L-band) spectroscopy of nearby infrared luminous galaxies with possible signatures of dust-obscured active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in data at other wavelengths. The samples are chosen to…

In order to constrain the properties of dense and warm gas around active galactic nuclei, we have searched Infrared Space Observatory spectra of local active galactic nuclei for the signature of the 4.7micron fundamental ro-vibrational band…

We report the detection of a 9.7 $\mu$m silicate dust absorption feature toward the Cygnus A nucleus. Its optical depth is, however, significantly smaller than that expected from the dust extinction toward the background $L$-band emission…

The unified model of active galactic nuclei (AGN) claims that the properties of AGN depend on the viewing angle of the observer with respect to a toroidal distribution of dust surrounding the nucleus. Both the mid-infrared (MIR) attenuation…

In a companion paper, Maiolino et al. (2000) presented various observational evidences for "anomalous" dust properties in the circumnuclear region of AGNs and, in particular, the reduced E(B-V)/N_H and Av/N_H ratios, the absence of the…

We use mid-infrared spectroscopy of unobscured active galactic nuclei (AGNs) to reveal their native dusty environments. We concentrate on Seyfert 1 galaxies, observing a sample of 31 with the Infrared Spectrograph aboard the Spitzer Space…

We present new spectroscopic observations of the 3.4 micron absorption feature in the Seyfert galaxies, NGC1068 and NGC7674, and the ultraluminous infrared galaxy, IRAS08572+3915. A signature of C-H bonds in aliphatic hydrocarbons, the 3.4…

Highly obscured active galactic nuclei (AGN) are common in nearby galaxies, but are difficult to observe beyond the local Universe, where they are expected to significantly contribute to the black hole accretion rate density. Furthermore,…

Dust plays a central role in the unification theory of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). However, little is known about the nature (e.g., size, composition) of the dust which forms a torus around the AGN. In this Letter we report a systematic…

Dust plays a central role in the unification theory of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Whether the dust that forms the torus around an AGN is tenth-$\mu$m-sized like interstellar grains or much larger has a profound impact on correcting for…

We present the first detections of the 3um water ice and 3.4um amorphous hydrocarbon (HAC) absorption features in z~2 ULIRGs. These are based on deep rest-frame 2-8um Spitzer IRS spectra of 11 sources selected for their appreciable silicate…

Obscured AGN represent a significant fraction of the entire AGN population, especially at high redshift (~70% at z=3--5). They are often characterized by the presence of large gas and dust reservoirs that are thought to sustain and possibly…

Spectroscopy at 8-13 microns with T-ReCS on Gemini-S is presented for 3 galaxies with substantial silicate absorption features, NGC 3094, NGC 7172 and NGC 5506. In the galaxies with the deepest absorption bands, the silicate profile towards…

We have re-analyzed the 6-12 micron ISO spectrum of the ultra-luminous infrared galaxy Arp220 with the conclusion that it is not consistent with that of a scaled up version of a typical starburst. Instead, both template fitting with spectra…

Type 2 AGN are by definition nuclei in which the broad-line region and continuum light are hidden at optical/UV wavelengths by dust. Via accurate registration of infrared (IR) Very Large Telescope adaptive optics images with optical…

We present the results of infrared L-band (3-4 micron) slit spectroscopy of 30 PG QSOs at z < 0.17, the representative sample of local high-luminosity, optically selected AGNs. The 3.3 micron polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission…

The primary source of emission of active galactic nuclei (AGN), the accretion disk, is surrounded by an optically and geometrically thick dusty structure ("the so-called dusty torus"). The infrared radiation emitted by the dust is nothing…

We present mid-infrared (MIR) 8-13micron spectroscopy of the nuclear regions of the interacting galaxy Arp299 (IC694+NGC3690) obtained with CanariCam (CC) on the 10.4m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). The high angular resolution…