A consistent radio to sub-mm pc-scale study of the nucleus of NGC 1068

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Mutie, Isaac M., del Palacio, Santiago, Beswick, Robert J., Williams-Baldwin, David, Gallimore, Jack F., Gallagher, John S., Aalto, Susanne E., Baki, Paul O.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Mutie, Isaac M.
del Palacio, Santiago
Beswick, Robert J.
Williams-Baldwin, David
Gallimore, Jack F.
Gallagher, John S.
Aalto, Susanne E.
Baki, Paul O.
author_facet Mutie, Isaac M.
del Palacio, Santiago
Beswick, Robert J.
Williams-Baldwin, David
Gallimore, Jack F.
Gallagher, John S.
Aalto, Susanne E.
Baki, Paul O.
contents The origin of radio emission in radio-quiet (RQ) AGN remains a long-standing mystery. We present a detailed study of the cm to sub-mm emission from the nucleus of the nearby prototypical RQ Seyfert 2 galaxy, NGC 1068. We analyse observations between 4.5-706 GHz using $e$-MERLIN, VLA and ALMA. We restricted all data used for imaging to a matching $uv-$range of 15$-$3300 k$λ$, to ensure that all data sampled the same spatial scales. All images were restored with a $\sim$ 0.06$''$ beam. To derive the spectral energy distribution (SED), we fit synchrotron, free-free, dust and coronal component models to these data. We report that the sub-mm excess between $\sim$ 200-700 GHz is consistent with synchrotron emission from a compact and optically thick corona with a radius $R_\mathrm{c}\approx 70\pm5 \,R_\mathrm{g}$, a fraction of $\sim$\,$10\pm2$% of the energy density in the form of non-thermal electrons, and a magnetic field strength $B\approx 148$ G. The luminosity of the corona is roughly consistent with -- though higher than -- the expected from mm--X-ray correlations derived in recent studies of RQ AGN. This difference is likely due to the corona SED peaking at ($\approx$550 GHz). Between 10 and $\sim$ 200 GHz, the SED is dominated by free-free emission. High angular resolution observations at frequencies below 5 GHz are needed to constrain a putative optically thin synchrotron component and the amount of free-free absorption.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_20303
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A consistent radio to sub-mm pc-scale study of the nucleus of NGC 1068
Mutie, Isaac M.
del Palacio, Santiago
Beswick, Robert J.
Williams-Baldwin, David
Gallimore, Jack F.
Gallagher, John S.
Aalto, Susanne E.
Baki, Paul O.
Astrophysics of Galaxies
The origin of radio emission in radio-quiet (RQ) AGN remains a long-standing mystery. We present a detailed study of the cm to sub-mm emission from the nucleus of the nearby prototypical RQ Seyfert 2 galaxy, NGC 1068. We analyse observations between 4.5-706 GHz using $e$-MERLIN, VLA and ALMA. We restricted all data used for imaging to a matching $uv-$range of 15$-$3300 k$λ$, to ensure that all data sampled the same spatial scales. All images were restored with a $\sim$ 0.06$''$ beam. To derive the spectral energy distribution (SED), we fit synchrotron, free-free, dust and coronal component models to these data. We report that the sub-mm excess between $\sim$ 200-700 GHz is consistent with synchrotron emission from a compact and optically thick corona with a radius $R_\mathrm{c}\approx 70\pm5 \,R_\mathrm{g}$, a fraction of $\sim$\,$10\pm2$% of the energy density in the form of non-thermal electrons, and a magnetic field strength $B\approx 148$ G. The luminosity of the corona is roughly consistent with -- though higher than -- the expected from mm--X-ray correlations derived in recent studies of RQ AGN. This difference is likely due to the corona SED peaking at ($\approx$550 GHz). Between 10 and $\sim$ 200 GHz, the SED is dominated by free-free emission. High angular resolution observations at frequencies below 5 GHz are needed to constrain a putative optically thin synchrotron component and the amount of free-free absorption.
title A consistent radio to sub-mm pc-scale study of the nucleus of NGC 1068
topic Astrophysics of Galaxies
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.20303