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Main Authors: Foord, Adi, Civano, Francesca, Comerford, Julia M., Elvis, Martin, Fabbiano, Giuseppina, Liu, Tingting, Lusso, Elisabeta, Marchesi, Stefano, Mezcua, Mar, Muller-Sanchez, Francisco, Nevin, Rebecca, Nyland, Kristina
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.03839
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author Foord, Adi
Civano, Francesca
Comerford, Julia M.
Elvis, Martin
Fabbiano, Giuseppina
Liu, Tingting
Lusso, Elisabeta
Marchesi, Stefano
Mezcua, Mar
Muller-Sanchez, Francisco
Nevin, Rebecca
Nyland, Kristina
author_facet Foord, Adi
Civano, Francesca
Comerford, Julia M.
Elvis, Martin
Fabbiano, Giuseppina
Liu, Tingting
Lusso, Elisabeta
Marchesi, Stefano
Mezcua, Mar
Muller-Sanchez, Francisco
Nevin, Rebecca
Nyland, Kristina
contents We present a multi-wavelength analysis of MCG+11-11-032, a nearby AGN with the unique classification of both a binary and a dual AGN candidate. With new Chandra observations we aim to resolve any dual AGN system via imaging data, and search for signs of a binary AGN via analysis of the X-ray spectrum. Analyzing the Chandra spectrum, we find no evidence of previously suggested double-peaked Fe K$α$ lines; the spectrum is instead best fit by an absorbed powerlaw with a single Fe K$α$ line, as well as an additional line centered at $\approx$7.5 keV. The Chandra observation reveals faint, soft, and extended X-ray emission, possibly linked to low-level nuclear outflows. Further analysis shows evidence for a compact, hard source -- MCG+11-11-032 X2 -- located 3.27'' from the primary AGN. Modeling MCG+11-11-032 X2 as a compact source, we find that it is relatively luminous ($L_{\text{2$-$10 keV}} = 1.52_{-0.48}^{+0.96}\times 10^{41}$ erg s$^{-1}$), and the location is coincident with an compact and off-nuclear source resolved in Hubble Space Telescope infrared (F105W) and ultraviolet (F621M, F547M) bands. Pairing our X-ray results with a 144 MHz radio detection at the host galaxy location, we observe X-ray and radio properties similar to those of ESO 243-49 HLX-1, suggesting that MCG+11-11-032 X2 may be a hyper-luminous X-ray source. This detection with Chandra highlights the importance of a high-resolution X-ray imager, and how previous binary AGN candidates detected with large-aperture instruments benefit from high-resolution follow-up. Future spatially resolved optical spectra, and deeper X-ray observations, can better constrain the origin of MCG+11-11-032 X2.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2409_03839
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Chandra Discovery of a Candidate Hyper-Luminous X-ray Source in MCG+11-11-032
Foord, Adi
Civano, Francesca
Comerford, Julia M.
Elvis, Martin
Fabbiano, Giuseppina
Liu, Tingting
Lusso, Elisabeta
Marchesi, Stefano
Mezcua, Mar
Muller-Sanchez, Francisco
Nevin, Rebecca
Nyland, Kristina
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
We present a multi-wavelength analysis of MCG+11-11-032, a nearby AGN with the unique classification of both a binary and a dual AGN candidate. With new Chandra observations we aim to resolve any dual AGN system via imaging data, and search for signs of a binary AGN via analysis of the X-ray spectrum. Analyzing the Chandra spectrum, we find no evidence of previously suggested double-peaked Fe K$α$ lines; the spectrum is instead best fit by an absorbed powerlaw with a single Fe K$α$ line, as well as an additional line centered at $\approx$7.5 keV. The Chandra observation reveals faint, soft, and extended X-ray emission, possibly linked to low-level nuclear outflows. Further analysis shows evidence for a compact, hard source -- MCG+11-11-032 X2 -- located 3.27'' from the primary AGN. Modeling MCG+11-11-032 X2 as a compact source, we find that it is relatively luminous ($L_{\text{2$-$10 keV}} = 1.52_{-0.48}^{+0.96}\times 10^{41}$ erg s$^{-1}$), and the location is coincident with an compact and off-nuclear source resolved in Hubble Space Telescope infrared (F105W) and ultraviolet (F621M, F547M) bands. Pairing our X-ray results with a 144 MHz radio detection at the host galaxy location, we observe X-ray and radio properties similar to those of ESO 243-49 HLX-1, suggesting that MCG+11-11-032 X2 may be a hyper-luminous X-ray source. This detection with Chandra highlights the importance of a high-resolution X-ray imager, and how previous binary AGN candidates detected with large-aperture instruments benefit from high-resolution follow-up. Future spatially resolved optical spectra, and deeper X-ray observations, can better constrain the origin of MCG+11-11-032 X2.
title Chandra Discovery of a Candidate Hyper-Luminous X-ray Source in MCG+11-11-032
topic High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.03839