arXiv subjects

J. X. Wang

Publications and source records attributed to J. X. Wang.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2006

On the fraction of X-ray obscured quasars in the local universe

Recent wide area hard X-ray and soft Gamma ray surveys have shown that the fraction of X-ray obscured AGNs in the local universe significantly decreases with intrinsic luminosity. In this letter we point out that two correction have to be made to the samples: 1) radio loud AGNs have to be excluded since their X-ray emission might be dominated by the jet component; 2) Compton thick sources have to be excluded too since their hard X-ray and soft gamma ray emission are also strongly attenuated by Compton scattering. The soft gamma-ray selected AGN samples obtained by SWIFT and INTEGRAL provide the best opportunity to study the fraction of obscured AGN in the local universe in the least biased way. We choose these samples to check if the corrections could alter the above result on the fraction of obscured AGNs. We find that before the corrections both samples show significant anti-correlation between L_X and N_H, indicating obvious decrease in the fraction of obscured AGNs with luminosity. However, after the corrections, we find only marginal evidence of anti-correlation (at 98% confidence level) in the SWIFT sample, and no evidence at all in the INTEGRAL sample which consists of comparable number of objects. We conclude that current samples only show a marginal decrease in the fraction of obscured AGNs in the local universe, and much larger samples are required to reach a more robust conclusion.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Density Matrix Renormalization Group study on incommensurate quantum Frenkel-Kontorova model

By using the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) technique, the incommensurate quantum Frenkel-Kontorova model is investigated numerically. It is found that when the quantum fluctuation is strong enough, the \emph{g}-function featured by a saw-tooth map in the depinned state will show a different kind of behavior, similar to a standard map, but with reduced magnitude. The related position correlations are studied in details, which leads to a potentially interesting application to the recently well-explored phase transitions in cold atoms loaded in optical lattices.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2006

On the X-ray Baldwin effect for narrow Fe Kalpha emission line

Most Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) exhibit a narrow Fe Kalpha line at ~ 6.4 keV in the X-ray spectra, due to the fluorescent emission from cold material far from the inner accretion disk. Using XMM-Newton observations, Page et al. found that the equivalent width (EW) of the narrow Fe Kalpha line decreases with increasing luminosity (EW ~ L^-0.17pm0.08), suggesting a decrease in the covering factor of the material emitting the line (presumably the torus). By combining the archival Chandra HETG observations of 34 type 1 AGNs with XMM observations in literature, we build a much large sample with 101 AGNs. We find a similar X-ray Baldwin effect in the sample (EW ~ L^-0.2015pm0.0426), however, we note that the anti-correlation is dominated by the radio loud AGN in the sample, whose X-ray spectra might be contaminated by the relativistic jet. Excluding the radio loud AGN, we find a much weaker anti-correlation (EW ~ L^-0.1019pm0.0524). We present Monte-Carlo simulations showing that such a weak anti-correlation can be attributed to the relative short time scale variations of the X-ray continuum.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Two-Current-Sheet Reconnection Model of Interdependent Flare and Coronal Mass Ejection

Time-dependent resistive magnetohydrodynamic simulations are carried out to study a flux rope eruption caused by magnetic reconnection with implication in coexistent flare-CME (coronal mass ejection) events. An early result obtained in a recent analysis of double catastrophe of a flux rope system is used as the initial condition, in which an isolated flux rope coexists with two current sheets: a vertical one below and a transverse one above the flux rope. The flux rope erupts when reconnection takes place in the current sheets, and the flux rope dynamics depends on the reconnection sequence in the two current sheets. Three cases are discussed: reconnection occurs (1) simultaneously in the two current sheets, (2) first in the transverse one and then in the vertical, and (3) in an order opposite to case 2. Such a two-current-sheet reconnection exhibits characteristics of both magnetic breakout for CME initiation and standard flare model. We argue that both breakout-like and tether-cutting reconnections may be important for CME eruptions and associated surface activities.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

X-ray spectral properties of AGN in the Chandra Deep Field South

We present a detailed X-ray spectral analysis of the sources in the 1Ms catalog of the Chandra Deep Field South (CDFS) taking advantage of optical spectroscopy and photometric redshifts for 321 sources. As a default spectral model, we adopt a power law with slope Gamma with an intrinsic redshifted absorption N_H, a fixed Galactic absorption and an unresolved Fe emission line. For 82 X-ray bright sources, we perform the X-ray spectral analysis leaving both Gamma and N_H free. The weighted mean value is ~ 1.75+-0.02, with an intrinsic dispersion of sigma~0.30. We do not find hints of a correlation between Gamma and the N_H. We detect the presence of a scattered component at soft energies in 8 sources, and a pure reflection spectrum, typical of Compton-thick AGN, in 14 sources (Compton-thick AGN candidates). The intrinsic N_H distribution shows a lognormal shape, peaking around log(N_H)~23.1 and with sigma~1.1. We find that the fraction of absorbed sources (with N_H>10^{22} cm^{-2}) in the sample is constant (at the level of about 75%) or moderately increasing with redshift. Finally, we compare the optical classification to the X-ray spectral properties, confirming that the correspondence of unabsorbed (absorbed) X-ray sources to optical Type I (Type II) AGN is accurate for at least 80% of the sources with spectral identification (1/3 of the total X-ray sample).

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

Relativistic outflow in CXO CDFS J033260.0-274748

In this letter we report the detection of a strong and extremely blueshifted X-ray absorption feature in the 1 Ms Chandra spectrum of CXO CDFS J033260.0-274748, a quasar at z = 2.579 with L_2-10keV ~ 4x10^44 ergs/s. The broad absorption feature at ~ 6.3 keV in the observed frame can be fitted either as an absorption edge at 20.9 keV or as a broad absorption line at 22.2 keV rest frame. The absorber has to be extremely ionized with an ionization parameter ξ~ 10^4, and a high column density N_H >5x10^23 cm^-2. We reject the possibility of a statistical or instrumental artifact. The most likely interpretation is an extremely blueshifted broad absorption line or absorption edge, due to H or He--like iron in a relativistic jet-like outflow with bulk velocity of ~ 0.7-0.8 c. Similar relativistic outflows have been reported in the X-ray spectra of several other AGNs in the past few years.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

Two extreme double-peaked line emitters in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Double-peaked Balmer lines have been observed in about 150 AGNs and were interpreted preferably as emission from relativistic accretion disks. In this paper, we report the discovery of extreme double-peaked lines in SDSS J0942+0900 and SDSS J1417+6141. The FWHM of the Halpha line ~40,600 km/s in the first object is almost twice as large as the broadest one previously known. By comparing the line profile with accretion disk models, we find that most of the line flux is emitted from a narrow annulus around 100Rg in SDSS J0942+0900, and from a disk of radii between 100 and 400Rg in SDSS J1417+6141. This is the first time that an accretion disk at radii below 100Rg can be directly probed through optical emission lines. A certain asymmetry in the disk is required for both objects. Another much weaker broad Halpha component (EW~20A, and FWHM 4000km/s) is also detected in both objects. Both objects show weak radio emission and strong high-ionization narrow lines.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

An Overdensity of Lyman-alpha Emitters at Redshift z=5.7 near the Hubble Ultra Deep Field

We have identified an obvious and strong large scale structure at redshift z=5.75 in a wide (31 by 33 arcminute) field, narrowband survey of the Chandra Deep Field South region. This structure is traced by 17 candidate Lyman alpha emitters, among which 12 are found in an 823nm filter (corresponding to Lyman alpha at z=5.77 +- 0.03) and 5 in an 815nm image (z=5.70 +- 0.03). The Lyman alpha emitters in both redshift bins are concentrated in one quadrant of the field. The Hubble Ultra Deep Field, Chandra Deep Field South, and GOODS-South fields all lie near the edge of this overdense region. Our results are consistent with reports of an overdensity in the UDF region at z=5.9. This structure is the highest redshift overdensity found so far.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Identifying high redshift AGNs using X-ray hardness

The X-ray color (hardness ratio) of optically undetected X-ray sources can be used to distinguish obscured active galactic nuclei (AGNs) at low and intermediate redshift from viable high-redshift (i.e., z>5) AGN candidates. This will help determine the space density, ionizing photon production, and X-ray background contribution of the earliest detectable AGNs. High redshift AGNs should appear soft in X-rays, with hardness ratio HR ~ -0.5, even if there is strong absorption by a hydrogen column density N_H up to 10^23 cm^-2, simply because the absorption redshifts out of the soft X-ray band in the observed frame. Here the X-ray hardness ratio is defined as HR= (H-S)/(H+S), where S and H are the soft and hard band net counts detected by Chandra. High redshift AGNs that are Compton thick (N_H>~10^24 cm^-2) could have HR~0.0 at z>5. However, these should be rare in deep Chandra images, since they have to be >~10 times brighter intrinsically, which implies >~100 times drop in their space density. Applying the hardness criterion (HR<0.0) can filter out about 50% of the candidate high redshift AGNs selected from deep Chandra images.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

The Chandra Deep Field South: Optical Spectroscopy I

We present the results of our spectroscopic follow-up program of the X-ray sources detected in the 942 ks exposure of the Chandra Deep Field South (CDFS). 288 possible counterparts were observed at the VLT with the FORS1/FORS2 spectrographs for 251 of the 349 Chandra sources (including three additional faint X-ray sources). Spectra and R-band images are shown for all the observed sources and R-K colours are given for most of them. Spectroscopic redshifts were obtained for 168 X-ray sources, of which 137 have both reliable optical identification and redshift estimate (including 16 external identifications). The R<24 observed sample comprises 161 X-ray objects (181 optical counterparts) and 126 of them have unambiguous spectroscopic identification. We introduce a new classification based solely on X-ray properties, HR and X-ray luminosity, consistent with the unified AGN model. This X-ray classification uncovers a large fraction of optically obscured, X-ray luminous AGNs missed by the classical optical classification.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Photometric Redshift of X-Ray Sources in the Chandra Deep Field South

Based on the photometry of 10 near-UV, optical, and near-infrared bands of the Chandra Deep Field South, we estimate the photometric redshifts for 342 X-ray sources, which constitute ~99% of all the detected X-ray sources in the field. The models of spectral energy distribution are based on galaxies and a combination of power-law continuum and emission lines. Color information is useful for source classifications: Type-I AGN show non-thermal spectral features that are distinctive from galaxies and Type-II AGN. The hardness ratio in X-ray and the X-ray-to-optical flux ratio are also useful discriminators. Using rudimentary color separation techniques, we are able to further refine our photometric redshift estimations. Among these sources, 137 have reliable spectroscopic redshifts, which we use to verify the accuracy of photometric redshifts and to modify the model inputs. The average relative dispersion in redshift distribution is ~8%, among the most accurate for photometric surveys. The high reliability of our results is attributable to the high quality and broad coverage of data as well as the applications of several independent methods and a careful evaluation of every source. We apply our redshift estimations to study the effect of redshift on broadband colors and to study the redshift distribution of AGN. Our results show that both the hardness ratio and U-K color decline with redshift, which may be the result of a K-correction. The number of Type-II AGN declines significantly at z>2 and that of galaxies declines at z>1. However, the distribution of Type-I AGN exhibits less redshift dependence. As well, we observe a significant peak in the redshift distribution at z=0.6. We demonstrate that our photometric redshift estimation produces a reliable database for the study of X-ray luminosity of galaxies and AGN.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

X-ray nondetection of the Lyman-alpha Emitters at z ~ 4.5

The Lyman-alpha emitters found at z ~ 4.5 by the Large Area Lyman Alpha (LALA) survey have high equivalent widths in the Lyman-alpha line, which can be produced by either narrow-lined active galactic nuclei (AGNs) or by stellar populations with a very high proportion of young, massive stars. To investigate the AGN scenario, we obtained two deep Chandra exposures to study the X-ray nature of the Lyman-alpha emitters. The 172 ks deep Chandra image on the LALA Bootes field was presented in a previous paper (Malhotra et al. 2003), and in this paper we present a new Chandra deep exposure (174 ks) on the LALA Cetus field, which doubled our sample of X-ray imaged Lyman-alpha sources, and imaged the brightest source among our Lyman-alpha emitters. None of the 101 Lyman-alpha sources covered by two Chandra exposures was detected individually in X-ray, with a 3 sigma limiting X-ray flux of F_{0.5-10.0 keV} < 3.3 x 10^{-16} ergs/cm^2/s for on-axis targets. The sources remain undetectable in the stacked image, implying a 3 sigma limit to the average luminosity of L_{2-8keV} < 2.8 x 10^{42} ergs/s. The resulting X-ray to Lyman-alpha ratio is > 21 times lower than the ratios for known high redshift type-II quasars. Together with optical spectra obtained at Keck, we conclude that no evidence of AGN activity was found among our Lyman-alpha emitters at z ~ 4.5.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

172 ks Chandra Exposure of the LALA Boötes Field: X-ray Source Catalog

We present an analysis of a deep, 172 ks Chandra observation of the Large Area Lyman Alpha Survey (LALA) Boötes field, obtained with the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS-I) on the Chandra X-ray Observatory. This is one of the deepest Chandra images of the extragalactic sky; only the 2 Ms CDF-N and 1 Ms CDF-S are substantially deeper. A total of 168 X-ray sources were detected. The X-ray source counts were derived and compared with those from other Chandra deep surveys; the hard X-ray source density of the LALA Boötes field is 33% higher than that of CDF-S at the flux level of 2.0E-15 ergs/cm^2/s, confirming the field-to-field variances of the hard band source counts reported by previous studies. The deep exposure resolves > 72% of the 2-10 keV X-ray background. Our primary optical data are R-band imaging from NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey (NDWFS), with limiting magnitude of R = 25.7 (Vega, 3sigma, 4" diameter aperture). We have found optical counterparts for 152 of the 168 Chandra sources (90%). Among the R-band non-detected sources, not more than 11 of them can possibly be at z > 5, based on the hardness ratios of their X-ray emission and nondetections in bluer bands. The majority (~76%) of the X-ray sources are found to have log(f_X/f_R) within 0.0+-1, which are believed to be AGNs.Most of the X-ray faint/optically bright sources (log(f_X/f_R) < -1.0) are optically extended, which are low-z normal galaxies or low luminosity AGNs. There is also a population of sources which are X-ray overluminous for their optical magnitudes (log(f_X/f_R) > 1.0), which are harder in X-ray and are probably obscured AGNs. (abridged)

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

No X-ray Bright Type II Quasars Among the Lyman-alpha Emitters

The Lyman-alpha emitters found at z=4.5 and 5.7 by the Large Area Lyman Alpha (LALA) survey have high equivalent widths in the Lyman-alpha line. Such lines can be produced by narrow-lined active galactic nuclei (AGNs) or by stellar populations with a very high proportion of young, massive stars. To check for Type-II (i.e., narrow-lined) quasars, we obtained a deep X-ray image of 49 Lyman-alpha sources in a single field of the ACIS instrument on the Chandra X-ray Observatory. None of these sources were detected with a 3-sigma limiting X-ray luminosity of 2.9x10^{43} ergs/s. For comparison, the two known high redshift type-II quasars have luminosities of 4x10^{43} ergs/s before extinction correction. The sources remain undetected in stacked images of the 49 lyman-alpha sources (with 6.5 Mega-seconds effective Chandra on-axis exposure) at 3-sigma limits of 4.9x10^{42} ergs/s. The resulting X-ray to lyman-alpha ratio is about 4-24 times lower than the ratio for known type-II quasars, while the average Lyman-alpha luminosity of the LALA sample is in between the two type-II's. The cumulative X-ray to Lyman-alpha ratio limit is also below that of 90% of low-redshift Seyfert galaxies.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Real-space renormalization group study of the Hubbard model on a non-bipartite lattice

We present the real-space block renormalization group equations for fermion systems described by a Hubbard Hamiltonian on a triangular lattice with hexagonal blocks. The conditions that keep the equations from proliferation of the couplings are derived. Computational results are presented including the occurrence of a first-order metal-insulator transition at the critical value of $U/t \approx 12.5$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2001

The Chandra Deep Field South: the 1 Million Second

We present the main results from our 940 ksec observation of the Chandra Deep Field South (CDFS), using the source catalog described in an accompanying paper (Giacconi et al. 2001). We extend the measurement of source number counts to 5.5e-17 erg/cm^2/s in the soft 0.5-2 keV band and 4.5e-16 erg/cm^2/s in the hard 2-10 keV band. The hard band LogN-LogS shows a significant flattening (slope~=0.6) below ~1e-14 erg/cm^2/s, leaving at most 10-15% of the X-ray background (XRB) to be resolved, the main uncertainty lying in the measurement of the total flux of the XRB. On the other hand, the analysis in the very hard 5-10 keV band reveals a relatively steep LogN-LogS (slope ~=1.3) down to 1e-15 erg/cm^2/s. Together with the evidence of a progressive flattening of the average X-ray spectrum near the flux limit, this indicates that there is still a non negligible population of faint hard sources to be discovered at energies not well probed by Chandra, which possibly contribute to the 30 keV bump in the spectrum of the XRB. We use optical redshifts and identifications, obtained with the VLT, for one quarter of the sample to characterize the combined optical and X-ray properties of the CDFS sample. Different source types are well separated in a parameter space which includes X-ray luminosity, hardness ratio and R-K color. Type II objects, while redder on average than the field population, have colors which are consistent with being hosted by a range of galaxy types. Type II AGN are mostly found at z<~1, in contrast with predictions based on AGN population synthesis models, thus suggesting a revision of their evolutionary parameters.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

Ultraviolet Broad Absorption Features and the Spectral Energy Distribution of the QSO PG 1351+64

We present a moderate-resolution (~20 km/s) spectrum of the mini broad-absorption-line QSO PG1351+64 between 915-1180 A, obtained with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE). Additional spectra at longer wavelengths were also obtained with the HST and ground-based telescopes. Broad absorption is present on the blue wings of CIII 977, Ly-beta, OVI 1032,1038, Ly-alpha, NV 1238,1242, SiIV 1393,1402, and CIV 1548,1450. The absorption profile can be fitted with five components at velocities of ~ -780, -1049, -1629, -1833, and -3054 km/s with respect to the emission-line redshift of z = 0.088. All the absorption components cover a large fraction of the continuum source as well as the broad-line region. The OVI emission feature is very weak, and the OVI/Lyalpha flux ratio is 0.08, one of the lowest among low-redshift active galaxies and QSOs. The UV continuum shows a significant change in slope near 1050 A in the restframe. The steeper continuum shortward of the Lyman limit extrapolates well to the observed weak X-ray flux level. The absorbers' properties are similar to those of high-redshift broad absorption-line QSOs. The derived total column density of the UV absorbers is on the order of 10^21 cm^-2, unlikely to produce significant opacity above 1 keV in the X-ray. Unless there is a separate, high-ionization X-ray absorber, the QSO's weak X-ray flux may be intrinsic. The ionization level of the absorbing components is comparable to that anticipated in the broad-line region, therefore the absorbers may be related to broad-line clouds along the line of sight.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

New Results from the X-ray and Optical Survey of the Chandra Deep Field South: The 300ks Exposure

We present results from 300 ks of X-ray observations of the Chandra Deep Field South. The field of the four combined exposures is now 0.1035 deg^2 and we reach a flux limit of 10^{-16} erg s^{-1} cm^{-2} in the 0.5-2 keV soft band and 10^{-15} erg s^{-1} cm^{-2} in the 2-10 keV hard band, thus a factor 2 fainter than the previous 120 ks exposure. The total catalogue is composed of 197 sources including 22 sources detected only in the hard band, 51 only in the soft band, and 124 detected in both bands. We have now the optical spectra for 86 optical counterparts. We compute the total contribution to the X-ray background in the 2-10 keV band, which now amounts to (1.45\pm 0.15)*10^{-11} erg cm^{-2} s^{-1} deg^{-2} (after the inclusion of the ASCA sources to account for the bright end) to a flux limit of 10^{-15} erg s^{-1} cm^{-2}. This corresponds to 60-90% of the unresolved hard X-ray background (XRB), given the uncertainties on its actual value.[ABRIDGED]

astro-ph↗