Storm in a Teacup: X-ray view of an obscured quasar and superbubble

TL;DR

This paper investigates the X-ray properties of the 'Teacup AGN', revealing a highly obscured quasar with significant feedback effects on its host galaxy, including a large X-ray emitting bubble consistent with AGN-driven shocks.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed X-ray analysis of the Teacup AGN, showing a powerful obscured quasar and a large-scale X-ray bubble linked to AGN feedback, challenging previous fading quasar interpretations.

Findings

The quasar is highly obscured with N_H ~ 4.2-6.5 x 10^23 cm^-2.

A 10 kpc X-ray bubble is detected, consistent with shocked thermal gas.

The bubble's power ratio aligns with AGN feedback observed in galaxy clusters.

Abstract

We present the X-ray properties of the 'Teacup AGN' (SDSS J1430+1339), a $z=0.085$ type 2 quasar which is interacting dramatically with its host galaxy. Spectral modelling of the central quasar reveals a powerful, highly obscured AGN with a column density of $N_{\rm H}=(4.2$-$6.5)\times 10^{23}$ cm$^{-2}$ and an intrinsic luminosity of $L_{\rm 2\mbox{-}10\,keV}=(0.8$-$1.4)\times 10^{44}$ erg s$^{-1}$. The current high bolometric luminosity inferred ($L_{\rm bol}\approx 10^{45}$-$10^{46}$ erg s$^{-1}$) has ramifications for previous interpretations of the Teacup as a fading/dying quasar. High resolution Chandra imaging data reveal a $\approx 10$ kpc loop of X-ray emission, co-spatial with the 'eastern bubble' previously identified in luminous radio and ionised gas (e.g., [OIII] line) emission. The X-ray emission from this structure is in good agreement with a shocked thermal gas, with $T=(4$-$8)\times 10^{6}$ K, and there is evidence for an additional hot component with $T\gtrsim 3\times 10^{7}$ K. Although the Teacup is a radiatively dominated AGN, the estimated ratio between the bubble power and the X-ray luminosity is in remarkable agreement with observations of ellipticals, groups, and clusters of galaxies undergoing AGN feedback.