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Hard X-ray Variability in M82: Evidence for a Nascent AGN?

A. Ptak·R. Griffiths
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Abstract

We report on the detection of hard (2-10 keV) X-ray variability in the starburst galaxy M82 over the course of 9 ASCA observations. Long-term variability occurred on a time scale of days, with a change in flux by a factor of up to 4, corresponding to a point-source luminosity of L(2-10 keV) ~ 6e40 ergs/s. Short-term variability with an amplitude of ~ 1.4 on a time scale of hours was observed during the longest observation. This demonstrates that a large fraction of the hard X-ray emission of M82 (depending on the flux state) is from a compact region and is probably due to an accreting source. The 2-10 keV luminosity of the source is a lower limit to its Eddington luminosity, implying a blackhole mass of at least ~ 460 solar masses, or a mass intermediate to that of normal AGN and stellar-mass blackhole candidates.

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A. Ptak, R. Griffiths. 1999-03-24. Hard X-ray Variability in M82: Evidence for a Nascent AGN?. https://doi.org/10.1086/312032

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