Full Spectral Survey of Active Galactic Nuclei in the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer Archive

TL;DR

This study analyzes X-ray spectra of 100 active galactic nuclei from the RXTE archive, revealing insights into their spectral properties, reflection geometries, and differences across classifications, challenging classical models of AGN structure.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive spectral analysis of AGN in the RXTE archive, highlighting complex reflection geometries and challenging traditional unification models.

Findings

Compton reflection present in ~85% of Seyferts

40% of Fe line emission arises from Compton-thick material

Distributions of photon indices are consistent across Seyfert types

Abstract

We have analyzed spectra for all active galactic nuclei in the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) archive. We present long-term average values of absorption, Fe line equivalent width, Compton reflection and photon index, as well as calculating fluxes and luminosities in the 2-10 keV band for 100 AGN with sufficient brightness and overall observation time to yield high quality spectral results. We compare these parameters across the different classifications of Seyferts and blazars. Our distributions of photon indices for Seyfert 1's and 2's are consistent with the idea that Seyferts share a common central engine, however our distributions of Compton reflection hump strengths do not support the classical picture of absorption by a torus and reflection off a Compton-thick disk with type depending only on inclination angle. We conclude that a more complex reflecting geometry such as a combined disk and torus or clumpy torus is likely a more accurate picture of the Compton-thick material. We find that Compton reflection is present in ~85% of Seyferts and by comparing Fe line EW's to Compton reflection hump strengths we have found that on average 40% of the Fe line arises in Compton thick material, however this ratio was not consistent from object to object and did not seem to be dependent on optical classification.