Optical and X-ray Properties of the Swift BAT-detected AGN

TL;DR

This study analyzes the optical and X-ray properties of a sample of local AGN detected by Swift BAT, providing insights into their luminosities, host galaxy stellar populations, and implications for bolometric measurements.

Contribution

It presents a comprehensive multi-wavelength analysis of Swift BAT-detected AGN, including optical classification, black hole mass estimation, and host galaxy characterization, which is novel for this sample.

Findings

Correlation between X-ray and [OIII] luminosities.

Insights into host galaxy stellar populations.

Implications for bolometric luminosity estimates.

Abstract

The Swift Gamma-Ray Burst satellite has detected a largely unbiased towards absorption sample of local ($<z> \approx 0.03$) AGN, based solely on their 14--195 keV flux. In the first 9 months of the survey, 153 AGN sources were detected. The X-ray properties in the 0.3--10 keV band have been compiled and presented based on analyses with XMM-Newton, Chandra, Suzaku, and the Swift XRT (Winter et al. 2009). Additionally, we have compiled a sub-sample of sources with medium resolution optical ground-based spectra from the SDSS or our own observations at KPNO. In this sample of 60 sources, we have classified the sources using standard emission line diagnostic plots, obtained masses for the broad line sources through measurement of the broad H$\beta$ emission line, and measured the [OIII] 5007\AA luminosity of this sample. Based on continuum fits to the intrinsic absorption features, we have obtained clues about the stellar populations of the host galaxies. We now present the highlights of our X-ray and optical studies of this unique sample of local AGNs, including a comparison of the 2--10 keV and 14--195 keV X-ray luminosities with the [OIII] 5007\AA luminosity and the implications of our results towards measurements of bolometric luminosities.