<i>JWST</i> meets <i>Chandra</i>: a large population of Compton thick, feedback-free, and intrinsically X-ray weak AGN, with a sprinkle of SNe

ABSTRACT We investigate the X-ray properties of a sample of 71 broad- and narrow-line active galactic nucleus (AGN) at 2$\lt$z$\lt$11 discovered by JWST in the GOODS (Great Observatory Origins Deep Survey) fields, which have the deepest Chandra observations ever obtained. Despite the widespread presence of AGN signatures in their rest-optical and -ultraviolet spectra, the vast majority of them is X-ray undetected. The stacked X-ray data of the non-detected sources also results in a non-detection. The upper limit on the X-ray emission for many of these AGN is one or even two orders of magnitude lower than expected from a standard AGN Spectral Energy Distribution (SED). X-ray absorption by clouds with large (Compton-thick) column density and low dust content, such as the broad-line region (BLR) clouds, can explain the X-ray weakness. In this scenario, the BLR covering factor should be much larger than in low-z AGN or luminous quasars; this is supported by the larger equivalent width of the broad component of H$\alpha$ in JWST-selected AGN. We also find that the JWST-discovered AGN lack prominent, fast outflows, suggesting that, in JWST-selected AGN, dense gas lingers in the nuclear region, resulting in large covering factors. We also note that a large fraction of JWST-selected AGN matches the definition of narrow-line Seyfert 1, typically accreting at high rates and characterized by a steep X-ray spectrum – this can further contribute to their observed weakness at high-z. Finally, we discuss that the broad Balmer lines used to identify type 1 AGN cannot be ascribed to very massive stars or supernovae, although we show that some of the faintest broad lines could potentially be associated with superluminous SNe.

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Publication Details

Journal
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Published
2025-02-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf359
Citations
97
Primary Topic
Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
112.01
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article

JWST meets Chandra: a large population of Compton thick, feedback-free, and intrinsically X-ray weak AGN, with a sprinkle of SNe

G. Cresci, Francesco D’Eugenio, G. Risaliti, E. Bertola et al.
97 citations
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
112.01
article

JWST meets Chandra: a large population of Compton thick, feedback-free, and intrinsically X-ray weak AGN, with a sprinkle of SNe

G. Cresci, Francesco D’Eugenio, G. Risaliti, E. Bertola, Michele Perna, R. Maiolino, A. C. Fabian, Giovanni Mazzolari, Stefano Carniani, Ignas Juodžbalis, Matilde Signorini, Sandro Tacchella, F. Fiore, Xihan Ji, Bartolomeo Trefoloni, S. Charlot, Christa DeCoursey, Hannah Übler, A. Comastri, Jan Scholtz, R. Gilli, Andrew J. Bunker, M. Brusa, Giacomo Venturi, Eiichi Egami
article en
97 citations

Abstract

ABSTRACT We investigate the X-ray properties of a sample of 71 broad- and narrow-line active galactic nucleus (AGN) at 2$\lt$z$\lt$11 discovered by JWST in the GOODS (Great Observatory Origins Deep Survey) fields, which have the deepest Chandra observations ever obtained. Despite the widespread presence of AGN signatures in their rest-optical and -ultraviolet spectra, the vast majority of them is X-ray undetected. The stacked X-ray data of the non-detected sources also results in a non-detection. The upper limit on the X-ray emission for many of these AGN is one or even two orders of magnitude lower than expected from a standard AGN Spectral Energy Distribution (SED). X-ray absorption by clouds with large (Compton-thick) column density and low dust content, such as the broad-line region (BLR) clouds, can explain the X-ray weakness. In this scenario, the BLR covering factor should be much larger than in low-z AGN or luminous quasars; this is supported by the larger equivalent width of the broad component of H$\alpha$ in JWST-selected AGN. We also find that the JWST-discovered AGN lack prominent, fast outflows, suggesting that, in JWST-selected AGN, dense gas lingers in the nuclear region, resulting in large covering factors. We also note that a large fraction of JWST-selected AGN matches the definition of narrow-line Seyfert 1, typically accreting at high rates and characterized by a steep X-ray spectrum – this can further contribute to their observed weakness at high-z. Finally, we discuss that the broad Balmer lines used to identify type 1 AGN cannot be ascribed to very massive stars or supernovae, although we show that some of the faintest broad lines could potentially be associated with superluminous SNe.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical SocietyVol. 538(3)
Roma Tre University (IT), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Arizona (US), Scuola Normale Superiore (IT), University of Cambridge (GB), Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory (IT), Trieste Astronomical Observatory (IT), Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris (FR), Sorbonne Université (FR), University of Oxford (GB), Bridge University (SS), Institute of Astronomy (RU), Centro de Astrobiología (ES), Institute for Fundamental Physics of the Universe (IT), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Roma I (IT), Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio, University of Florence (IT), University College London (GB), University of Bologna (IT)
Openalex Percentile: Top 0%
Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
112.01
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