Abstract
We report the optical identification of the hardest X-ray source (AX J131501 + 3141) detected in an unbiased wide-area survey in the 0.5-10 keV band, the ASCA Large Sky Survey (LSS). The X-ray spectrum of the source is very hard and is well reproduced by a power-law component (Γ = 1.5-0.6+0.7) with NH = 6-2+4 × 1022 cm-2. We have found a galaxy with R = 15.62 mag near the center of the error circle for the X-ray source. The optical spectrum of the galaxy shows only narrow emission lines whose ratios correspond to those of a type 2 Seyfert galaxy at z = 0.072, implying an absorption-corrected X-ray luminosity of 2 × 1043 ergs s-1 (2-10 keV) and MB = -20.93 mag. A radio point source is also associated with the center of the galaxy. We thus identify the X-ray source with this galaxy as an obscured active galactic nucleus (AGN). The hidden nature of the nucleus of the galaxy in the optical band is consistent with the X-ray spectrum. These results support the idea that the obscured AGNs/QSOs contribute significantly to the cosmic X-ray background in the hard band at the faint flux level.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 173-180 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
Volume | 500 |
Issue number | 1 PART I |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1998 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science