Uncovering the geometry of the hot X-ray corona in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151 with IXPE

V. E. Gianolli; D. E. Kim; S. Bianchi; B. Agís-González; G. Madejski; F. Marin; A. Marinucci; G. Matt; R. Middei; P. O. Petrucci; P. Soffitta; D. Tagliacozzo; F. Tombesi; F. Ursini; T. Barnouin; A. De Rosa; L. Di Gesu; A. Ingram; V. Loktev; C. Panagiotou; J. Podgorny; J. Poutanen; S. Puccetti; A. Ratheesh; A. Veledina; W. Zhang; I. Agudo; L. A. Antonelli; M. Bachetti; L. Baldini; W. H. Baumgartner; R. Bellazzini; S. D. Bongiorno; R. Bonino; A. Brez; N. Bucciantini; F. Capitanio; S. Castellano; E. Cavazzuti; C. T. Chen; S. Ciprini; E. Costa; E. Del Monte; N. Di Lalla; A. Di Marco; I. Donnarumma; V. Doroshenko; M. Dovčiak; S. R. Ehlert; T. Enoto; Y. Evangelista; S. Fabiani; R. Ferrazzoli; J. A. García; S. Gunji; J. Heyl; W. Iwakiri; S. G. Jorstad; P. Kaaret; V. Karas; F. Kislat; T. Kitaguchi; J. J. Kolodziejczak; H. Krawczynski; F. La Monaca; L. Latronico; I. Liodakis; S. Maldera; A. Manfreda; A. P. Marscher; H. L. Marshall; F. Massaro; I. Mitsuishi; T. Mizuno; F. Muleri; M. Negro; C. Y. Ng; S. L. O'dell; N. Omodei; C. Oppedisano; A. Papitto; G. G. Pavlov; A. L. Peirson; M. Perri; M. Pesce-Rollins; M. Pilia; A. Possenti; B. D. Ramsey; J. Rankin; O. J. Roberts; R. W. Romani; C. Sgrò; P. Slane; G. Spandre; D. A. Swartz; T. Tamagawa; F. Tavecchio; R. Taverna; Y. Tawara; A. F. Tennant; N. E. Thomas; A. Trois; S. S. Tsygankov; R. Turolla; J. Vink; M. C. Weisskopf; K. Wu; F. Xie; S. Zane

doi:10.1093/mnras/stad1697

Uncovering the geometry of the hot X-ray corona in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151 with IXPE

V. E. Gianolli, D. E. Kim, S. Bianchi, B. Agís-González, G. Madejski, F. Marin, A. Marinucci, G. Matt, R. Middei, P. O. Petrucci, P. Soffitta, D. Tagliacozzo, F. Tombesi, F. Ursini, T. Barnouin, A. De Rosa, L. Di Gesu, A. Ingram, V. Loktev, C. PanagiotouJ. Podgorny, J. Poutanen, S. Puccetti, A. Ratheesh, A. Veledina, W. Zhang, I. Agudo, L. A. Antonelli, M. Bachetti, L. Baldini, W. H. Baumgartner, R. Bellazzini, S. D. Bongiorno, R. Bonino, A. Brez, N. Bucciantini, F. Capitanio, S. Castellano, E. Cavazzuti, C. T. Chen, S. Ciprini, E. Costa, E. Del Monte, N. Di Lalla, A. Di Marco, I. Donnarumma, V. Doroshenko, M. Dovčiak, S. R. Ehlert, T. Enoto, Y. Evangelista, S. Fabiani, R. Ferrazzoli, J. A. García, S. Gunji, J. Heyl, W. Iwakiri, S. G. Jorstad, P. Kaaret, V. Karas, F. Kislat, T. Kitaguchi, J. J. Kolodziejczak, H. Krawczynski, F. La Monaca, L. Latronico, I. Liodakis, S. Maldera, A. Manfreda, A. P. Marscher, H. L. Marshall, F. Massaro, I. Mitsuishi, T. Mizuno, F. Muleri, M. Negro, C. Y. Ng, S. L. O'dell, N. Omodei, C. Oppedisano, A. Papitto, G. G. Pavlov, A. L. Peirson, M. Perri, M. Pesce-Rollins, M. Pilia, A. Possenti, B. D. Ramsey, J. Rankin, O. J. Roberts, R. W. Romani, C. Sgrò, P. Slane, G. Spandre, D. A. Swartz, T. Tamagawa, F. Tavecchio, R. Taverna, Y. Tawara, A. F. Tennant, N. E. Thomas, A. Trois, S. S. Tsygankov, R. Turolla, J. Vink, M. C. Weisskopf, K. Wu, F. Xie, S. Zane

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Abstract

We present an X-ray spectropolarimetric analysis of the bright Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151. The source has been observed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) for 700 ks, complemented with simultaneous XMM-Newton (50 ks) and NuSTAR (100 ks) pointings. A polarization degree Π = 4.9 ± 1.1 per cent and angle ψ = 86° ± 7° east of north (68 per cent confidence level) are measured in the 2-8 keV energy range. The spectropolarimetric analysis shows that the polarization could be entirely due to reflection. Given the low reflection flux in the IXPE band, this requires, however, a reflection with a very large (>38 per cent) polarization degree. Assuming more reasonable values, a polarization degree of the hot corona ranging from ∼4 to ∼8 per cent is found. The observed polarization degree excludes a 'spherical' lamppost geometry for the corona, suggesting instead a slab-like geometry, possibly a wedge, as determined via Monte Carlo simulations. This is further confirmed by the X-ray polarization angle, which coincides with the direction of the extended radio emission in this source, supposed to match the disc axis. NGC 4151 is the first active galactic nucleus with an X-ray polarization measure for the corona, illustrating the capabilities of X-ray polarimetry and IXPE in unveiling its geometry.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	4468-4476
Number of pages	9
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume	523
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad1697
State	Published - Aug 1 2023

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1093/mnras/stad1697

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Gianolli, V. E., Kim, D. E., Bianchi, S., Agís-González, B., Madejski, G., Marin, F., Marinucci, A., Matt, G., Middei, R., Petrucci, P. O., Soffitta, P., Tagliacozzo, D., Tombesi, F., Ursini, F., Barnouin, T., De Rosa, A., Di Gesu, L., Ingram, A., Loktev, V., ... Zane, S. (2023). Uncovering the geometry of the hot X-ray corona in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151 with IXPE. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 523(3), 4468-4476. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad1697

@article{cfc9d82fe31a4cfb8ec6e1e1b5ece15a,

title = "Uncovering the geometry of the hot X-ray corona in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151 with IXPE",

abstract = "We present an X-ray spectropolarimetric analysis of the bright Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151. The source has been observed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) for 700 ks, complemented with simultaneous XMM-Newton (50 ks) and NuSTAR (100 ks) pointings. A polarization degree Π = 4.9 ± 1.1 per cent and angle ψ = 86° ± 7° east of north (68 per cent confidence level) are measured in the 2-8 keV energy range. The spectropolarimetric analysis shows that the polarization could be entirely due to reflection. Given the low reflection flux in the IXPE band, this requires, however, a reflection with a very large (>38 per cent) polarization degree. Assuming more reasonable values, a polarization degree of the hot corona ranging from ∼4 to ∼8 per cent is found. The observed polarization degree excludes a 'spherical' lamppost geometry for the corona, suggesting instead a slab-like geometry, possibly a wedge, as determined via Monte Carlo simulations. This is further confirmed by the X-ray polarization angle, which coincides with the direction of the extended radio emission in this source, supposed to match the disc axis. NGC 4151 is the first active galactic nucleus with an X-ray polarization measure for the corona, illustrating the capabilities of X-ray polarimetry and IXPE in unveiling its geometry.",

author = "Gianolli, {V. E.} and Kim, {D. E.} and S. Bianchi and B. Ag{\'i}s-Gonz{\'a}lez and G. Madejski and F. Marin and A. Marinucci and G. Matt and R. Middei and Petrucci, {P. O.} and P. Soffitta and D. Tagliacozzo and F. Tombesi and F. Ursini and T. Barnouin and {De Rosa}, A. and {Di Gesu}, L. and A. Ingram and V. Loktev and C. Panagiotou and J. Podgorny and J. Poutanen and S. Puccetti and A. Ratheesh and A. Veledina and W. Zhang and I. Agudo and Antonelli, {L. A.} and M. Bachetti and L. Baldini and Baumgartner, {W. H.} and R. Bellazzini and Bongiorno, {S. D.} and R. Bonino and A. Brez and N. Bucciantini and F. Capitanio and S. Castellano and E. Cavazzuti and Chen, {C. T.} and S. Ciprini and E. Costa and {Del Monte}, E. and {Di Lalla}, N. and {Di Marco}, A. and I. Donnarumma and V. Doroshenko and M. Dov{\v c}iak and Ehlert, {S. R.} and T. Enoto and Y. Evangelista and S. Fabiani and R. Ferrazzoli and Garc{\'i}a, {J. A.} and S. Gunji and J. Heyl and W. Iwakiri and Jorstad, {S. G.} and P. Kaaret and V. Karas and F. Kislat and T. Kitaguchi and Kolodziejczak, {J. J.} and H. Krawczynski and {La Monaca}, F. and L. Latronico and I. Liodakis and S. Maldera and A. Manfreda and Marscher, {A. P.} and Marshall, {H. L.} and F. Massaro and I. Mitsuishi and T. Mizuno and F. Muleri and M. Negro and Ng, {C. Y.} and O'dell, {S. L.} and N. Omodei and C. Oppedisano and A. Papitto and Pavlov, {G. G.} and Peirson, {A. L.} and M. Perri and M. Pesce-Rollins and M. Pilia and A. Possenti and Ramsey, {B. D.} and J. Rankin and Roberts, {O. J.} and Romani, {R. W.} and C. Sgr{\`o} and P. Slane and G. Spandre and Swartz, {D. A.} and T. Tamagawa and F. Tavecchio and R. Taverna and Y. Tawara and Tennant, {A. F.} and Thomas, {N. E.} and A. Trois and Tsygankov, {S. S.} and R. Turolla and J. Vink and Weisskopf, {M. C.} and K. Wu and F. Xie and S. Zane",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society.",

year = "2023",

month = aug,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1093/mnras/stad1697",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "523",

pages = "4468--4476",

journal = "Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society",

issn = "0035-8711",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

number = "3",

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Gianolli, VE, Kim, DE, Bianchi, S, Agís-González, B, Madejski, G, Marin, F, Marinucci, A, Matt, G, Middei, R, Petrucci, PO, Soffitta, P, Tagliacozzo, D, Tombesi, F, Ursini, F, Barnouin, T, De Rosa, A, Di Gesu, L, Ingram, A, Loktev, V, Panagiotou, C, Podgorny, J, Poutanen, J, Puccetti, S, Ratheesh, A, Veledina, A, Zhang, W, Agudo, I, Antonelli, LA, Bachetti, M, Baldini, L, Baumgartner, WH, Bellazzini, R, Bongiorno, SD, Bonino, R, Brez, A, Bucciantini, N, Capitanio, F, Castellano, S, Cavazzuti, E, Chen, CT, Ciprini, S, Costa, E, Del Monte, E, Di Lalla, N, Di Marco, A, Donnarumma, I, Doroshenko, V, Dovčiak, M, Ehlert, SR, Enoto, T, Evangelista, Y, Fabiani, S, Ferrazzoli, R, García, JA, Gunji, S, Heyl, J, Iwakiri, W, Jorstad, SG, Kaaret, P, Karas, V, Kislat, F, Kitaguchi, T, Kolodziejczak, JJ, Krawczynski, H, La Monaca, F, Latronico, L, Liodakis, I, Maldera, S, Manfreda, A, Marscher, AP, Marshall, HL, Massaro, F, Mitsuishi, I, Mizuno, T, Muleri, F, Negro, M, Ng, CY, O'dell, SL, Omodei, N, Oppedisano, C, Papitto, A, Pavlov, GG, Peirson, AL, Perri, M, Pesce-Rollins, M, Pilia, M, Possenti, A, Ramsey, BD, Rankin, J, Roberts, OJ, Romani, RW, Sgrò, C, Slane, P, Spandre, G, Swartz, DA, Tamagawa, T, Tavecchio, F, Taverna, R, Tawara, Y, Tennant, AF, Thomas, NE, Trois, A, Tsygankov, SS, Turolla, R, Vink, J, Weisskopf, MC, Wu, K, Xie, F & Zane, S 2023, 'Uncovering the geometry of the hot X-ray corona in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151 with IXPE', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. 523, no. 3, pp. 4468-4476. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad1697

TY - JOUR

T1 - Uncovering the geometry of the hot X-ray corona in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151 with IXPE

AU - Gianolli, V. E.

AU - Kim, D. E.

AU - Bianchi, S.

AU - Agís-González, B.

AU - Madejski, G.

AU - Marin, F.

AU - Marinucci, A.

AU - Matt, G.

AU - Middei, R.

AU - Petrucci, P. O.

AU - Soffitta, P.

AU - Tagliacozzo, D.

AU - Tombesi, F.

AU - Ursini, F.

AU - Barnouin, T.

AU - De Rosa, A.

AU - Di Gesu, L.

AU - Ingram, A.

AU - Loktev, V.

AU - Panagiotou, C.

AU - Podgorny, J.

AU - Poutanen, J.

AU - Puccetti, S.

AU - Ratheesh, A.

AU - Veledina, A.

AU - Zhang, W.

AU - Agudo, I.

AU - Antonelli, L. A.

AU - Bachetti, M.

AU - Baldini, L.

AU - Baumgartner, W. H.

AU - Bellazzini, R.

AU - Bongiorno, S. D.

AU - Bonino, R.

AU - Brez, A.

AU - Bucciantini, N.

AU - Capitanio, F.

AU - Castellano, S.

AU - Cavazzuti, E.

AU - Chen, C. T.

AU - Ciprini, S.

AU - Costa, E.

AU - Del Monte, E.

AU - Di Lalla, N.

AU - Di Marco, A.

AU - Donnarumma, I.

AU - Doroshenko, V.

AU - Dovčiak, M.

AU - Ehlert, S. R.

AU - Enoto, T.

AU - Evangelista, Y.

AU - Fabiani, S.

AU - Ferrazzoli, R.

AU - García, J. A.

AU - Gunji, S.

AU - Heyl, J.

AU - Iwakiri, W.

AU - Jorstad, S. G.

AU - Kaaret, P.

AU - Karas, V.

AU - Kislat, F.

AU - Kitaguchi, T.

AU - Kolodziejczak, J. J.

AU - Krawczynski, H.

AU - La Monaca, F.

AU - Latronico, L.

AU - Liodakis, I.

AU - Maldera, S.

AU - Manfreda, A.

AU - Marscher, A. P.

AU - Marshall, H. L.

AU - Massaro, F.

AU - Mitsuishi, I.

AU - Mizuno, T.

AU - Muleri, F.

AU - Negro, M.

AU - Ng, C. Y.

AU - O'dell, S. L.

AU - Omodei, N.

AU - Oppedisano, C.

AU - Papitto, A.

AU - Pavlov, G. G.

AU - Peirson, A. L.

AU - Perri, M.

AU - Pesce-Rollins, M.

AU - Pilia, M.

AU - Possenti, A.

AU - Ramsey, B. D.

AU - Rankin, J.

AU - Roberts, O. J.

AU - Romani, R. W.

AU - Sgrò, C.

AU - Slane, P.

AU - Spandre, G.

AU - Swartz, D. A.

AU - Tamagawa, T.

AU - Tavecchio, F.

AU - Taverna, R.

AU - Tawara, Y.

AU - Tennant, A. F.

AU - Thomas, N. E.

AU - Trois, A.

AU - Tsygankov, S. S.

AU - Turolla, R.

AU - Vink, J.

AU - Weisskopf, M. C.

AU - Wu, K.

AU - Xie, F.

AU - Zane, S.

PY - 2023/8/1

Y1 - 2023/8/1

N2 - We present an X-ray spectropolarimetric analysis of the bright Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151. The source has been observed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) for 700 ks, complemented with simultaneous XMM-Newton (50 ks) and NuSTAR (100 ks) pointings. A polarization degree Π = 4.9 ± 1.1 per cent and angle ψ = 86° ± 7° east of north (68 per cent confidence level) are measured in the 2-8 keV energy range. The spectropolarimetric analysis shows that the polarization could be entirely due to reflection. Given the low reflection flux in the IXPE band, this requires, however, a reflection with a very large (>38 per cent) polarization degree. Assuming more reasonable values, a polarization degree of the hot corona ranging from ∼4 to ∼8 per cent is found. The observed polarization degree excludes a 'spherical' lamppost geometry for the corona, suggesting instead a slab-like geometry, possibly a wedge, as determined via Monte Carlo simulations. This is further confirmed by the X-ray polarization angle, which coincides with the direction of the extended radio emission in this source, supposed to match the disc axis. NGC 4151 is the first active galactic nucleus with an X-ray polarization measure for the corona, illustrating the capabilities of X-ray polarimetry and IXPE in unveiling its geometry.

AB - We present an X-ray spectropolarimetric analysis of the bright Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151. The source has been observed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) for 700 ks, complemented with simultaneous XMM-Newton (50 ks) and NuSTAR (100 ks) pointings. A polarization degree Π = 4.9 ± 1.1 per cent and angle ψ = 86° ± 7° east of north (68 per cent confidence level) are measured in the 2-8 keV energy range. The spectropolarimetric analysis shows that the polarization could be entirely due to reflection. Given the low reflection flux in the IXPE band, this requires, however, a reflection with a very large (>38 per cent) polarization degree. Assuming more reasonable values, a polarization degree of the hot corona ranging from ∼4 to ∼8 per cent is found. The observed polarization degree excludes a 'spherical' lamppost geometry for the corona, suggesting instead a slab-like geometry, possibly a wedge, as determined via Monte Carlo simulations. This is further confirmed by the X-ray polarization angle, which coincides with the direction of the extended radio emission in this source, supposed to match the disc axis. NGC 4151 is the first active galactic nucleus with an X-ray polarization measure for the corona, illustrating the capabilities of X-ray polarimetry and IXPE in unveiling its geometry.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85163967361&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85163967361&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/mnras/stad1697

DO - 10.1093/mnras/stad1697

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85163967361

SN - 0035-8711

VL - 523

SP - 4468

EP - 4476

JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

IS - 3

ER -

Uncovering the geometry of the hot X-ray corona in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151 with IXPE

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