Abstract
We present spatial, temporal and spectral analyses of ROSAT Position Sensitive Proportional Counter (PSPC) observations of the infrared-loud quasar IRAS 13349+2438. IRAS 13349+2438 is the archetypal highly polarized radio-quiet QSO and has an optical/infrared luminosity of ≈ 2 × 1046 erg s-1. We detect variability in the ROSAT count rate by a factor of 4.1 in about one year, and there is also evidence for ≈ 25 per cent variability within one week. We find no evidence for large intrinsic absorption of soft X-rays by 'cold' neutral matter. These two facts have important consequences for the scattering-plus-transmission model of this object which was developed to explain its high wavelength-dependent polarization and other properties. The soft X-ray variability makes electron scattering of most of the soft X-rays difficult without a very peculiar scattering mirror. The lack of significant intrinsic cold X-ray absorption together with the large observed E(B - V) suggests either a very peculiar system geometry or, more probably, absorption by 'warm' ionized gas with internal dust. There is evidence for an ionized oxygen edge in the X-ray spectrum. IRAS 13349+2438 has many properties that are similar to those of 'narrow-line' Seyfert 1s.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 326-336 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |
Volume | 278 |
Issue number | 1 |
State | Published - 1996 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science