The X-Ray to Mid-Infrared Relation of AGN at High Luminosity

TL;DR

This paper revises the relationship between X-ray and mid-infrared emissions in active galactic nuclei across a wide luminosity range, providing a more accurate model for high-luminosity quasars based on WISE and SDSS data.

Contribution

It introduces a new formulation of the X-ray to mid-IR relation for AGN that is valid from Seyfert galaxies to the most luminous quasars.

Findings

Revised X-ray to mid-IR relation applicable to high-luminosity AGN

Uses WISE and SDSS data for the most luminous quasars

Addresses discrepancies in previous parameterizations at high luminosities

Abstract

The X-ray and mid-IR emission from active galactic nuclei (AGN) are strongly correlated. However, while various published parameterizations of this correlation are consistent with the low-redshift, local Seyfert galaxy population, extrapolations of these relations to high luminosity differ by an order of magnitude at nuL(nu)(6um) = 1e47 erg/s. Using data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, we determine the mid-IR luminosities of the most luminous quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and present a revised formulation of the X-ray to mid-IR relation of AGN which is appropriate from the Seyfert regime to the powerful quasar regime.