arXiv subjects

M. Brusa

Publications and source records attributed to M. Brusa.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The SRG/eROSITA All-Sky Survey DR2: Cumulative X-ray catalogues from the first three surveys and multi-wavelength counterparts in the western Galactic hemisphere

The eROSITA telescope array on board the Spektrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG) mission began its all-sky survey program in December 2019, scanning the sky at an approximately six-month cadence. Here, we present new catalogues of point-like and extended X-ray sources derived from the first three completed eROSITA all-sky surveys (eRASS:3), covering the western Galactic hemisphere, which Germany's eROSITA consortium holds proprietary rights for. We describe the observational strategy, data processing, and analysis pipelines. We also characterise the resulting X-ray source populations. The eRASS:3 main catalogue contains nearly two million sources, including 1,911,744 point-like and 63,796 extended sources, detected in the 0.2-2.3 keV energy band, eROSITA's most sensitive energy window. This volume has doubled the X-ray source content of eRASS1 and provides a comprehensive census of X-ray-emitting objects across diverse astrophysical classes. We also released a secondary hard catalogue of nearly 15,000 sources detected in the harder 2.3-5.0 keV energy band. In addition, we released six catalogues, three for the main sample and three for the hard sample, in which we identify and classify the optical and infrared counterparts of eRASS:3 point-like sources. This approach delivers a homogeneous, high-quality identification of mostly extragalactic X-ray emitters; for example, we estimate that approximately 88% of the 1.4 million counterparts identified within the footprints of the Legacy Survey Imaging for DESI are extragalactic sources. This work has enabled the generation of samples optimised for completeness and purity, while expanding the discovery space for rare populations. The second data release (DR2) of the SRG/eROSITA all-sky survey is a catalogue-only release, comprising the catalogues presented in this work together with an updated version of the eROSITA upper flux limit server.

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arXiv2026

The eROSITA X-ray luminosity function of active galactic nuclei

The X-ray luminosity function (XLF) of active galactic nuclei (AGN) provides an observational probe of the growth of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) across cosmic time. With its large survey grasp, Spectrum Roentgen Gamma (SRG)/eROSITA samples the luminosity--redshift plane with a depth--area balance complementary to pencil-beam surveys, providing the volume needed to detect rare luminous AGN, previously limited by small-number statistics. We measure the soft XLF, leveraging an eROSITA sample spanning approximately eight orders of magnitude in luminosity out to $z\simeq6$. This enables us to study luminosity-dependent evolution with improved constraints, and to infer both the SMBH accretion history and optical/UV missed AGN population. We introduce a new redshift-dependent smoothly broken power-law parameterisation in which all XLF model parameters are allowed to evolve continuously with redshift. We find lower space densities for moderately and very luminous AGN at low redshift, while the abundance is higher than previously found at the highest redshifts. Comparisons to optical/UV quasar LFs converted to rest-frame $2\!-\!10\,\mathrm{keV}$ show that the UV-missed fraction decreases with luminosity, and, in the most luminous bin, increases with redshift. Integrating the XLF yields a black-hole accretion-rate density peaking at $z \simeq 1.5$, with the corresponding cumulative black-hole mass density indicating $\sim80^{+11}_{-23}\%$ obscured growth relative to locally-inferred BH mass estimates derived from scaling relations and missed by the soft X-ray selection of our sample. With this work, we release the eROSITA DR2 AGN catalogue, including counterparts and their redshift information. We then discuss how these results can inform future spectroscopic, photometric, and X-ray survey strategies aimed at improving AGN demographic constraints.

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arXiv2026

The WISSHFUL program: the highest redshift UFO discovered in a non-lensed QSO

We present the first results from the WISSHFUL program, an XMM-Newton heritage program targeting luminous QSOs at Cosmic Noon. We report on recent simultaneous XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observations of the Super-Eddington accreting quasar WISSH13 at z=3.294, which provide the highest quality broadband X-ray spectrum to date for a non-lensed QSO at this redshift. Physical modeling of the continuum reveals a soft photon index ($\Gamma\sim2$) and strong reflection ($R\sim1.4-1.8$), despite the weak narrow Fe emission, and a low high-energy cut-off ($E_{cut}\sim60-80$ keV, $kTe = 15-20$ keV, depending on the model adopted). Most notably, we detect two significant (at $96.7\%$ and $98.9\%$ confidence level, respectively) absorption features at $\sim7.5$ and $\sim10$ keV rest-frame, interpreted as a blueshifted blend of Fe XXV He$\alpha$ and Fe XXVI Ly$\alpha$. These features indicate the presence of two kinematic components of a highly ionized, high column Ultra-Fast Outflow (UFO) with a velocity of $v_{out}\sim0.1c$ and $v_{out}\sim0.3c$, respectively. The slower wind is consistently detected in an archival 2017 XMM-Newton observation, whereas the faster wind is detected only in 2024. This stratified and variable wind exhibits extreme energetics, with a mass outflow rate of $\dot{M}_{out}\sim20M_{\odot}/yr$ (corresponding to $15\% \dot{M}_{acc}$) for each component, and a kinetic power of the order of $\sim1$ and $\sim10\%$ of the bolometric luminosity, respectively. While this represents one of the most powerful UFOs ever detected, its kinetic power is a similar fraction of the QSO's bolometric luminosity compared to lower-redshift AGN. We present several theoretical frameworks to explain the peculiar accretion and ejection properties of this remarkable QSO at Cosmic Noon.

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arXiv2026

Supermassive Black Hole Winds in X-rays: SUBWAYS IV. Tracing Radio Emission and Unveiling the Role of Winds

Most Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) are Radio Quiet, with radio emission that may arise from star-formation activity, AGN-driven winds, weak jets, and coronal activity. Disentangling these mechanisms is challenging and requires detailed multi-wavelength investigation, but it is crucial for quantifying AGN feedback in galaxy evolution. We present a detailed radio investigation of 21 X-ray selected AGN in the Supermassive Black Hole Winds in X-Rays (SUBWAYS) sample (log Lbol = 44.9-46.3 erg/s, z=0.1-0.5), selected to systematically search for Ultra-Fast Outflows (UFOs). UFOs are detected in 30% of the targets, making the sample particularly well-suited for investigating the role and signatures of multi-scale outflows at different frequencies. We build the radio SED of the sources complementing our proprietary data, collected with the JVLA at 1.5 and 6 GHz, with images from LoTSS and other publicly available radio surveys between 150 and 1400 MHz. We investigate the role and occurrence of the aforementioned mechanisms, with particular interest in outflows and their possible relation with UFOs. We combined information on spectral indices, luminosities, and morphologies of the radio emission with properties derived in other wavebands, such as Star Formation Rate, X-ray luminosity, Eddington ratio or the UFO kinetic luminosity. All the sources are detected and are mostly consistent with RQ AGN. For 80% of the sources the data suggest the presence of an outflow (wind or weak jet). Interestingly, our results indicate that AGN with UFOs tend to have larger radio extension and a steep radio spectrum consistent with outflows. Moreover, the radio emission of the 6 UFO hosts is consistent with predictions from wind-driven shock models, possibly indicating a direct connection between the two phases. Alternatively, this may reflect physical conditions favouring the rise of both phenomena.

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arXiv2026

Supermassive Black Hole Winds in X-rays: SUBWAYS V. Properties of hot coronae in quasars at intermediate redshift

We present the X-ray analysis of coronal properties in a statistically representative sample of 23 mostly radio-quiet AGN from the SUBWAYS campaign (SUpermassive Black holes Winds in XrAYs), focusing on quasars at redshifts $0.1 < z < 0.4 $ and bolometric luminosities $2 \times 10^{44} <L_{bol}(erg/s) < 2 \times 10^{46}$. The main aim of this work is to investigate the properties of the hot corona through the study of the hard X-ray band emission, including a proper treatment of the soft X-ray band. High-quality X-ray spectra from XMM-Newton, complemented by NuSTAR data extending up to 30-40 keV in the rest frame, are available for this sample. The soft X-ray band (0.3-2 keV) spectrum is best fitted by a warm corona model with a median temperature of 0.40 keV, and an optical depth in the range $\tau$=20 - 40, consistent with previous results on lower luminosity sources. The hard X-ray band is well described using a hot corona model, with a median high-energy cut-off of 87 keV, at the lower end of the distribution of typical values found in Seyfert galaxies (100 - 200 keV). The derived median value of the optical depth ($\tau$ = 1 - 5) suggests the presence of a moderately optically thick corona. Combining the SUBWAYS results with literature samples at low and high redshift, we assemble the largest sample to date of AGN with E$_{cut}$ and accretion parameter measurements, finding a significant anticorrelation of E$_{cut}$ with both $\lambda_{Edd}$ and $L_{bol}$ with the median E$_{cut}$ decreasing from 250 - 300 keV at low accretion rates and luminosities to 90 - 100 keV at high accretion rates and luminosities - consistent with enhanced coronal cooling, possibly driven by pair-production. These results favor cooler, optically thicker coronae in luminous AGN compared to those in lower-luminosity Seyfert galaxies.

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arXiv2025

Shocked, Heated, and Now Resolved: H$_2$ excitation in the low-luminosity AGN at M58 core with JWST

We present JWST NIRSpec and MIRI MRS observations of the central kiloparsec of M58 (NGC 4579), a nearby LINER galaxy hosting a low-luminosity AGN (LLAGN; $L_\mathrm{bol} \sim 10^{42}$ erg s$^{-1}$) with a low-power jet. These data provide an unprecedented view of the warm molecular gas phase and reveal clear signatures of feedback. We detect 44 H$_2$ lines, including bright pure rotational lines (S(1)-S(18)) and rovibrational lines up to $\nu=2$, probing a wide range of excitation conditions. Excitation diagrams show that rotational lines follow a power-law temperature distribution with an exponential cutoff, consistent with heating by low-velocity shocks. H$_2$ rovibrational lines deviate from thermal models primarily because of sub-thermal excitation at low density. Additionally, there may be a 10% contribution powered by AGN X-ray photons in the nucleus. The dust lanes associated with the spiral inflow appear dynamically undisturbed but show signs of shock heating, while the inner $\sim$200 pc exhibits turbulent kinematics produced by outflowing molecular gas. These results reveal the subtle yet measurable impact of LLAGN feedback on the interstellar medium, demonstrating that even weak, vertically oriented jets and low radiative accretion rates can perturb molecular gas and regulate nuclear reservoirs. This study highlights JWST's transformative ability to uncover hidden modes of AGN feedback.

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arXiv2025

Counterpart identification and classification for eRASS1 and characterisation of the AGN content

[abridged] Accurately accounting for the AGN phase in galaxy evolution requires a large, clean AGN sample. This is now possible with SRG/eROSITA. The public Data Release 1 (DR1, Jan 31, 2024) includes 930,203 sources from the Western Galactic Hemisphere. The data enable the selection of a large AGN sample and the discovery of rare sources. However, scientific return depends on accurate characterisation of the X-ray emitters, requiring high-quality multiwavelength data. This paper presents the identification and classification of optical and infrared counterparts to eRASS1 sources using Gaia DR3, CatWISE2020, and Legacy Survey DR10 (LS10) with the Bayesian NWAY algorithm and trained priors. Sources were classified as Galactic or extragalactic via a Machine Learning model combining optical/IR and X-ray properties, trained on a reference sample. For extragalactic LS10 sources, photometric redshifts were computed using Circlez. Within the LS10 footprint, all 656,614 eROSITA/DR1 sources have at least one possible optical counterpart; about 570,000 are extragalactic and likely AGN. Half are new detections compared to AllWISE, Gaia, and Quaia AGN catalogues. Gaia and CatWISE2020 counterparts are less reliable, due to the surveys shallowness and the limited amount of features available to assess the probability of being an X-ray emitter. In the Galactic Plane, where the overdensity of stellar sources also increases the chance of associations, using conservative reliability cuts, we identify approximately 18,000 Gaia and 55,000 CatWISE2020 extragalactic sources. We release three high-quality counterpart catalogues, plus the training and validation sets, as a benchmark for the field. These datasets have many applications, but in particular empower researchers to build AGN samples tailored for completeness and purity, accelerating the hunt for the Universes most energetic engines.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

The radio properties of the JWST-discovered AGN

We explore the radio emission of JWST-selected Broad Line AGN (BLAGN, or type 1) in the GOODS-N field. We use deep radio data at different frequencies (144\,MHz, 1.5\,GHz, 3\,GHz, 5.5\,GHz, 10\,GHz), and we find that none of the {37} sources investigated is detected at any of the aforementioned frequencies. Similarly, the radio stacking analysis does not reveal any detection down to an rms of ${\sim 0.15}\mu$Jy beam$^{-1}$, corresponding to a $3\sigma$ upper limit at rest frame 5 GHz of $L_{5GHz}=2\times10^{39}$ erg s$^{-1}$ at the mean redshift of the sample $z\sim 5.1$. We compared this and individual sources upper limits with expected radio luminosities estimated assuming different AGN scaling relations, {to check whether these are consistent with the standard BLAGN spectral energy distribution}. For most of the sources the radio luminosity upper limits are still compatible with expectations for radio-quiet (RQ) AGN; nevertheless, the more stringent stacking upper limits and the fact that no detection is found {might suggest} that JWST-selected BLAGN are weaker than standard AGN even at radio frequencies. Indeed, the probability of having none of the BLAGN detected in none of the investigated radio images is expected to be on average very low ($P<10^{-4}$). We discuss some scenarios that could explain the possible radio weakness, such as free-free absorption from a dense medium, or the lack of either magnetic field or a corona, possibly as a consequence of super-Eddington accretion. These scenarios would also explain the observed X-ray weakness. We also conclude that $\sim$1 dex more sensitive radio observations are needed to better constrain the level of radio emission (or lack thereof) for the bulk of these sources. The Square Kilometer Array Observatory (SKAO) will likely play a crucial role in assessing the properties of this AGN population.

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arXiv2024

HYPERION: broad-band X-ray-to-near-infrared emission of Quasars in the first billion years of the Universe

We aim at characterizing the X-ray-to-optical/near-infrared broad-band emission of luminous QSOs in the first Gyr of cosmic evolution to understand whether they exhibit differences compared to the lower-\textit{z} QSO population. Our goal is also to provide for these objects a reliable and uniform catalog of SED fitting derivable properties such as bolometric and monochromatic luminosities, Eddington ratios, dust extinction, strength of the hot dust emission. We characterize the X-ray/UV emission of each QSO using average SEDs from luminous Type 1 sources and calculate bolometric and monochromatic luminosities. Finally we construct a mean SED extending from the X-rays to the NIR bands. We find that the UV-optical emission of these QSOs can be modelled with templates of $z\sim$2 luminous QSOs. We observe that the bolometric luminosities derived adopting some bolometric corrections at 3000 \AA\ ($BC_{3000\text{\AA}}$) largely used in the literature are slightly overestimated by 0.13 dex as they also include reprocessed IR emission. We estimate a revised value, i.e. $BC_{3000\text{\AA}}=3.3 $ which can be used for deriving $L_\text{bol}$ in \textit{z} $\geq$ 6 QSOs. A sub-sample of 11 QSOs is provided with rest-frame NIR photometry, showing a broad range of hot dust emission strength, with two sources exhibiting low levels of emission. Despite potential observational biases arising from non-uniform photometric coverage and selection biases, we produce a X-ray-to-NIR mean SED for QSOs at \textit{z} $\gtrsim$ 6, revealing a good match with templates of lower-redshift, luminous QSOs up to the UV-optical range, with a slightly enhanced contribution from hot dust in the NIR.

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arXiv2024

HYPERION. Shedding light on the first luminous quasars: A correlation between UV disc winds and X-ray continuum

One of the main open questions in the field of luminous ($L_{\rm bol}>10^{47}\,\rm erg\,s^{-1}$) quasars (QSOs) at $z \gtrsim 6$ is the rapid formation ($< 1\,$Gyr) of their supermassive black holes (SMBHs). For this work we analysed the relation between the X-ray properties and other properties describing the physics and growth of both the accretion disc and the SMBH in QSOs at the Epoch of Reionization (EoR). The sample consists of 21 $z>6$ QSOs, which includes 16 sources from the rapidly grown QSOs from the HYPERION sample and five other luminous QSOs with available high-quality archival X-ray data. We discovered a strong and statistically significant ($>3\sigma$) relation between the X-ray continuum photon index ($\Gamma$) and the $\rm C\,IV$ disc wind velocity ($v_{\rm C\,IV}$) in $z>6$ luminous QSOs, whereby the higher the $v_{\rm C\,IV}$, the steeper the $\Gamma$. This relation suggests a link between the disc-corona configuration and the kinematics of disc winds. Furthermore, we find evidence at $>2-3\sigma$ level that $\Gamma$ and $v_{\rm C\,IV}$ are correlated to the growth rate history of the SMBH. Although additional data are needed to confirm it, this result may suggest that, in luminous $z>6$ QSOs, the SMBH predominantly grows via fast accretion rather than via initial high seed BH mass.

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arXiv2024

KASHz+SUPER: Evidence of cold molecular gas depletion in AGN hosts at cosmic noon

The energy released by AGN has the potential to heat or remove the gas of the ISM, thus likely impacting the cold molecular gas reservoir of host galaxies at first, with star formation following on longer timescales. Previous works on high-z galaxies have yielded conflicting results, possibly due to selection biases and other systematics. To provide a reliable benchmark for galaxy evolution models at cosmic noon (z=1-3), two surveys were conceived: SUPER and KASHz, both targeting unbiased X-ray-selected AGN at z>1 that span a wide bolometric luminosity range. In this paper, we assess the effects of AGN feedback on the molecular gas content of host galaxies in a statistically robust, uniformly selected, coherently analyzed sample of AGN at z=1-2.6, drawn from the KASHz and SUPER surveys. By using ALMA data in combination with dedicated SED modeling, we retrieve CO and FIR luminosity as well as $M_*$ of SUPER and KASHz AGN. We selected non-active galaxies from PHIBBS, ASPECS and multiple ALMA/NOEMA surveys of sub-mm galaxies. By matching the samples in z, $M_*$ and $L_{FIR}$, we compared the properties of AGN and non-active galaxies within a Bayesian framework. We find that AGN hosts at given $L_{FIR}$ are on average CO depleted compared to non-active galaxies, confirming what was previously found in the SUPER survey. Moreover, the molecular gas fraction distributions of AGN and non-active galaxies are statistically different, with that of of AGN being skewed to lower values. Our results indicate that AGN can indeed reduce the total cold molecular gas reservoir of their host galaxies. Lastly, by comparing our results with predictions from three cosmological simulations (TNG, Eagle and Simba) filtered to match the observed properties, we confirm already known discrepancies and highlight new ones between observations and simulations.[Abridged]

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arXiv2024

SUPER VIII. Fast and Furious at $z\sim2$: obscured type-2 active nuclei host faster ionised winds than type-1 systems

We present spatially resolved VLT/SINFONI spectroscopy with adaptive optics of type-2 active galactic nuclei (AGN) from the SINFONI Survey for Unveiling the Physics and Effect of Radiative feedback (SUPER), which targeted X-ray bright ($L_{2-10 keV}\gtrsim10^{42}$ erg s$^{-1}$) AGN at Cosmic Noon ($z\sim2$). Our analysis of the rest-frame optical spectra unveils ionised outflows in all seven examined targets, as traced via [OIII]$\lambda$5007 line emission, moving at $v\gtrsim600$ km s$^{-1}$. In six objects these outflows are clearly spatially resolved and extend on 2-4 kpc scales, whereas marginally resolved in the remaining one. Interestingly, these SUPER type-2 AGN are all heavily obscured sources ($N_{H}\gtrsim10^{23}$ cm$^{-2}$) and host faster ionised outflows than their type-1 counterparts within the same range of bolometric luminosity ($L_{bol} \sim 10^{44.8-46.5}$ erg s$^{-1}$). SUPER has hence provided observational evidence that the type-1/type-2 dichotomy at $z\sim2$ might not be driven simply by projection effects, but might reflect two distinct obscuring life stages of active galaxies, as predicted by evolutionary models. Within this picture, SUPER type-2 AGN might be undergoing the 'blow-out' phase, where the large amount of obscuring material efficiently accelerates large-scale outflows via radiation pressure on dust, eventually unveiling the central active nucleus and signal the start of the bright, unobscured type-1 AGN phase. Moreover, the overall population of ionised outflows detected in SUPER has velocities comparable with the escape speed of their dark matter halos, and in general high enough to reach 30-50 kpc distances from the centre. These outflows are hence likely to sweep away the gas (at least) out of the baryonic disk and/or to heat the host gas reservoir, thus reducing and possibly quenching star formation.

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arXiv2024

The XMM-Newton and NuSTAR view of IRASF11119+3257. I Detection of multiple UFO components and a very cold corona

IRASF11119 is an ultra-luminous IR galaxy with post-merger morphology, hosting a type-1 QSO at z=0.189. Its 2013 Suzaku spectrum shows a prominent Ultra Fast Outflow (UFO) absorption feature (v_out~0.25c). In 2021, we obtained the first XMM-Newton long look of the target, coordinated with a simultaneous NuSTAR observation. The new high-quality data allow us to detect at P>99.8% c.l. multiple absorption features associated with the known UFO. Furthermore, an emission plus absorption feature at 1.1-1.3 keV reveals the presence of a blueshifted P-Cygni profile in the soft band. We associate the hard band features with blends of FeXXV and FeXXVI He$α$-Ly$α$ and He$β$-Ly$β$ line pairs and infer a large column (N$_H$~$10^{24}$ cm$^{-2}$) of highly ionized (log$ξ$~5) gas outflowing at v_out=0.27c. The 1 keV feature can be associated with a blend of Fe and Ne transitions, produced by a lower column (N$_H$~$10^{21}$ cm$^{-2}$) and ionization (log$ξ$~2.6) gas component outflowing at the same speed. Using a radiative-transfer disk wind model to fit the highly ionized UFO, we derive a large mass outflow rate, comparable with the mass accretion rate (M$_{out}$=4.25 M$_{Sun}$/yr, ~1.6 M$_{acc}$), and kinetic energy and momentum flux among the highest reported in the literature. We measure an extremely low high-energy cut-off (E$_c$~25 keV). Several other cases in the literature suggest that a steep X-ray continuum may be related to the formation of powerful winds. The lack of a significant momentum boost between the nuclear UFO and the different phases of the large-scale outflow, observed in IRASF11119 and in a growing number of sources with powerful UFOs, can be explained by (i) a momentum-driven expansion, (ii) an inefficient coupling of the UFO with the host ISM, or (iii) by repeated energy-driven expansion episodes with low duty-cycle, that average out on long time-scales.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

A Cigale module tailored (not only) for Low-Luminosity AGN

The spectral energy distribution (SED) of low-luminosity active galactic nuclei (LLAGN) presents challenges due to their faint emissions and the complexity of their accretion processes. This study introduces a new CIGALE module tailored for LLAGN, combining the empirical $L_X$-$L_{12\mu m}$ relationship with physical models like advection-dominated accretion flows (ADAFs) and truncated accretion disks. This module yields a refined depiction of LLAGN emissions, and a mock analysis shows reliable parameter recovery, with only minor biases. We tested the module on a sample of 50 X-ray-detected local galaxies, including LINERs and Seyferts, where it demonstrated good estimation of bolometric luminosities, even in the presence of significant galaxy contamination. Notably, the previous X-ray module failed to provide AGN solutions for this sample, stressing the need for a novel approach. Comparisons with mid-luminosity AGN confirm the module's robustness and applicability to AGN up to $L_X$ < $10^{45}$ erg/s. We also expanded the X-ray to bolometric correction formula, making it applicable to AGN spanning ten orders of magnitude in luminosity, and revealing lower $k_X$ values than typically assumed. Additionally, our analysis of the $\alpha_{ox}$ index, representing the slope between UV and X-ray emissions, uncovered trends that differ from those observed in high-luminosity AGN, suggesting a shift in accretion physics and photon production mechanisms in low-luminosity regimes. These results underscore the importance of a multiwavelength approach in AGN studies and reveal distinct behaviors in LLAGN compared to quasars. Our findings significantly advance the understanding of LLAGN and offer a comprehensive framework for future research aimed at completing the census of the AGN population.

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arXiv2024

Supermassive Black Hole Winds in X-rays -- SUBWAYS. III. A population study on ultra-fast outflows

The detection of blue-shifted absorption lines likely associated with ionized Iron K-shell transitions in the X-ray spectra of many Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) suggests the presence of a highly ionized gas outflowing with mildly relativistic velocities (0.03c-0.6c), named Ultra-Fast Outflow (UFO). Within the SUBWAYS project we characterized these winds starting from a sample of 22 radio-quiet quasars at 0.1 < z < 0.4, and compared the results with similar studies in the literature on samples of 42 local radio-quiet Seyfert galaxies and 14 high redshift radio-quiet quasars. The scope of our work is a statistical study of UFO parameters and incidence, considering key physical properties of the sources, e.g. supermassive black hole (SMBH) mass, bolometric luminosity, accretion rates and Spectral Energy Distribution, with the aim of gaining new insights into the UFO launching mechanisms. We find indications that highly luminous AGN with steeper X-ray/UV ratio, are more likely to host UFO. The presence of UFO is not significantly related to any other AGN property in our sample. These findings suggest that the UFO phenomenon may be transient. Focusing on AGN with UFO, other important results are: (1) faster UFO have larger ionization parameters and column densities; (2) X-ray radiation plays a more crucial role in driving highly ionized winds compared to UV; (3) the correlation between outflow velocity and luminosity is significantly flatter than what expected for radiatively driven winds; (4) more massive BH experience higher wind mass-losses, suppressing accretion of matter onto the BH; (5) the UFO launching radius is positively correlated with the Eddington ratio. Furthermore, our analysis suggest the involvement of multiple launching mechanisms, including radiation pressure and magneto-hydrodynamic processes, rather than pointing to a single, universally applicable mechanism.

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arXiv2024

MUSE view of PDS 456: kpc-scale wind, extended ionized gas and close environment

PDS 456 is the most luminous RQQ at z<0.3 and can be regarded as a local counterpart of the powerful QSOs shining at Cosmic Noon. It hosts a strong nuclear X-ray ultra-fast outflow, and a massive and clumpy CO(3-2) molecular outflow extending up to 5 kpc from the nucleus. We analyzed the first MUSE WFM and AO-NFM optical integral field spectroscopic observations of PDS456. The AO-NFM observations provide an unprecedented spatial resolution, reaching up to 280 pc. Our findings reveal a complex circumgalactic medium around PDS 456, extending up to a maximum projected size of ~46 kpc. This includes a reservoir of gas with a mass of ~1e7-1e8 Modot, along with eight companion galaxies, and a multi-phase outflow. WFM and NFM MUSE data reveal an outflow on a large scale (~12 kpc from the quasar) in [OIII], and on smaller scales (within 3 kpc) with higher resolution (about 280 pc) in Halpha, respectively. The [OIII] outflow mass rate is 2.3 +/- 0.2 Modot/yr which is significantly lower than those typically found in other luminous quasars. Remarkably, the Ha outflow shows a similar scale, morphology, and kinematics to the CO(3-2) molecular outflow, with the latter dominating in terms of kinetic energy and mass outflow rate by two and one orders of magnitude, respectively. Our results therefore indicate that mergers, powerful AGN activity, and feedback through AGN-driven winds will collectively contribute to shaping the host galaxy evolution of PDS 456, and likely, that of similar objects at the brightest end of the AGN luminosity function across all redshifts. Moreover, the finding that the momentum boost of the total outflow deviates from the expected energy-conserving expansion for large-scale outflows highlights the need of novel AGN-driven outflow models to comprehensively interpret these phenomena.

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arXiv2024

Winds of change: the nuclear and galaxy-scale outflows and the X-ray variability of 2MASS 0918+2117

Powerful outflows from active galactic nuclei (AGN) can significantly impact the gas reservoirs of their host galaxies. However, it is still unclear how these outflows can propagate from the very central regions of galaxies to their outskirts, and whether nuclear winds can be driven by and/or be responsible for drastic spectral transitions. In this work we test feedback propagation models on the case test of 2MASS 0918+2117 (2M0918), a z=0.149 X-ray variable AGN, which showed tentative evidence for nuclear ultra-fast outflows (UFOs) in a 2005 XMM-Newton observation. We also investigate whether UFOs can be related to the observed X-ray variability. We observed 2M0918 with XMM-Newton and NuSTAR in 2020 to confirm the presence and characterize the UFOs. We perform a kinematic analysis of the 2005 SDSS optical spectrum to reveal and measure the properties of galaxy-scale ionized outflows. Furthermore, we construct 20-year-long lightcurves of observed flux, line-of-sight column density, and intrinsic accretion rate from the spectra of the first 4 SRG/eROSITA all-sky surveys and archival observations from Chandra and XMM-Newton.We significantly detect UFOs with v$\sim$0.16c and galaxy-scale ionized outflows with velocities of $\sim$ 700 km/s. We also find that the drastic X-ray variability (factors >10) can be explained both in terms of variable obscuration and variable intrinsic luminosity.Comparing the energetics of the two outflow phases, 2M0918 is consistent with momentum-driven wind propagation. 2M0918 expands the sample of AGN with both UFOs and ionized gas winds from 5 to 6, and brings the sample of AGN hosting multiscale outflows to 19, contributing to a clearer picture of feedback physics. From the variations in accretion rate, column density, and ionization level of the obscurer, we propose a scenario that connects obscurers, an accretion enhancement, and the emergence of UFOs

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arXiv2024

The SRG/eROSITA all-sky survey: First X-ray catalogues and data release of the western Galactic hemisphere

The eROSITA telescope array aboard the Spektrum Roentgen Gamma (SRG) satellite began surveying the sky in December 2019, with the aim of producing all-sky X-ray source lists and sky maps of an unprecedented depth. Here we present catalogues of both point-like and extended sources using the data acquired in the first six months of survey operations (eRASS1; completed June 2020) over the half sky whose proprietary data rights lie with the German eROSITA Consortium. We describe the observation process, the data analysis pipelines, and the characteristics of the X-ray sources. With nearly 930000 entries detected in the most sensitive 0.2-2.3 keV energy range, the eRASS1 main catalogue presented here increases the number of known X-ray sources in the published literature by more than 60%, and provides a comprehensive inventory of all classes of X-ray celestial objects, covering a wide range of physical processes. A smaller catalogue of 5466 sources detected in the less sensitive but harder 2.3-5 keV band is the result of the first true imaging survey of the entire sky above 2 keV. We show that the number counts of X-ray sources in eRASS1 are consistent with those derived over narrower fields by past X-ray surveys of a similar depth, and we explore the number counts variation as a function of the location in the sky. Adopting a uniform all-sky flux limit (at 50% completeness) of F_{0.5-2 keV} > 5 \times 10^{-14}$ erg\,s$^{-1}$\,cm$^{-2}$, we estimate that the eROSITA all-sky survey resolves into individual sources about 20% of the cosmic X-ray background in the 1-2 keV range. The catalogues presented here form part of the first data release (DR1) of the SRG/eROSITA all-sky survey. Beyond the X-ray catalogues, DR1 contains all detected and calibrated event files, source products (light curves and spectra), and all-sky maps. Illustrative examples of these are provided.

astro-ph.HE↗