Draft version July 17, 2018 A Preprint typeset using LTEX style emulateapj v. 5/2/11 STUDYING FAINT ULTRA HARD X-RAY EMISSION FROM AGN IN GOALS LIRGS WITH SWIFT BAT Michael Koss1, Richard Mushotzky2, Wayne Baumgartner3, Sylvain Veilleux2,3, Jack Tueller3, Craig Markwardt3, and Caitlin M. Casey1 Draft version July 17, 2018 ABSTRACT We present the first analysis of the all-sky Swift BAT ultra hard X-ray (14-195 keV) data for a targeted list of objects. We find the BAT data can be studied at 3× fainter limits than in previous blind detection catalogs based on prior knowledge of source positions and using smaller energy ranges for source detection. We determine the AGN fraction in 134 nearby (z<0.05) luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGS) from the GOALS sample. We find that LIRGs have a higher detection frequency than galaxies matched in stellar mass and redshift at 14-195 keV and 24-35 keV. In agreement with work at other wavelengths, the AGN detection fraction increases strongly at high IR luminosity with half of high luminosity LIRGs (50%, 6/12, log LIR/L⊙>11.8) detected. The BAT AGN classification shows 97% (37/38) agreement with Chandra and XMM AGN classification using hardness ratios or detection of a iron K-alpha line. This confirms our statistical analysis and supports the use of the Swift BAT all-sky survey to study fainter populations of any category of sources in the ultra hard X-ray band. BAT AGN in LIRGs tend to show higher column densities with 40±9% showing 14-195 keV/2-10 keV hardness flux ratios suggestive of high or Compton-thick column densities (log NH >24 cm−2), compared to only 12±5% of non-LIRG BAT AGN. We also find that using specific energy ranges of the BAT detector can yield additional sources over total band detections with 24% (5/21) of detections in LIRGs at 24-35 keV not detected at 14-195 keV. Subject headings: galaxies: active — X-rays 1. INTRODUCTION tion of X-ray selected AGN are in LIRGs (Koss et al. The Swift BAT survey with over 500 AGN has 2011b), an ultra-hard X-ray survey of LIRGs might come revolutionized our study of the ultra hard X-ray sky to different conclusions than those derived at lower ener- (Tueller et al. 2010), but is still limited to bright gies. −11 −1 −2 The ultra hard X-rays (>15 keV) are much less sensi- (F − >10 erg s cm ) objects in a blind sur- 14 195 tive to obscuration in the line-of-sight than soft X-ray or vey. However, the stability of the instrument and the optical wavelengths and are biased only against highly Gaussian nature of the noise, along with its wide energy Compton-thick AGN (Burlon et al. 2011). This band is range, allows the detection at fainter limits for a well also free from contamination from star formation that is defined, moderate sized sample of objects. For the first significant in the soft X-rays (<5 keV). Additionally, in time, we use this property to study the AGN in luminous Compton-Thick AGN the radiation below 10 keV is al- infrared galaxies (LIRGs; log LIR/L⊙>11.0). most completely absorbed in the X-rays whereas a broad The nature of the IR (8-1000 µm) emission and its Compton reflection hump appears in the >15 keV con- relation to star formation in AGN is still not well un- tinuum (Reynolds 1998). Thus, ultra-hard X-ray obser- derstood. Past studies of samples of LIRGs have sug- vations are an important complement to lower energy gested, based primarily on optical and IR AGN indica- X-ray data. tors, that the dominant power source is star formation We use the the most sensitive all-sky ultra hard X- and AGN activity is more common in luminous sources arXiv:1302.0850v1 [astro-ph.HE] 4 Feb 2013 ray survey from the Swift BAT instrument to search (e.g. Veilleux et al. 1995). Recent studies used a vari- for AGN emission in LIRGs. Previous studies using the ety of mid-IR spectral diagnostics and X-ray observa- INTEGRAL satellite stacked emission from a large sam- tions (Ptak et al. 2003; Teng et al. 2005; Veilleux et al. ple of IRAS bright galaxies and found no AGN detection 2009; Teng & Veilleux 2010; Petric et al. 2011) to deter- (Walter & Cabral 2009). Additionally, past BAT AGN mine the AGN contribution. However, contamination catalogs generated >4.8σ sources from ”blind” detections from star formation and obscuration by dust and gas (e.g. Tueller et al. 2010). To achieve higher sensitivities, are problematic. Additionally, studies of AGN in the we identify AGN (see §2.2) based on the prior knowledge hard X-rays have shown the existence of large fraction of source positions and search in energy bands where we of AGN not showing Spitzer IRAC AGN indicators (e.g. expect the AGN emission to be brightest. We adopt a Donley et al. 2012) and some AGN are not optically de- −1 standard cosmology (Ωm=0.3, Ω =0.7, H =70 km s tected (Koss et al. 2011a, 2012). Since a significant frac- Λ 0 Mpc−1) to determine distances. [email protected] 1 Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Wood- 2. lawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA; SAMPLE SELECTION AND DERIVED QUANTITIES 2 Astronomy Department, University of Maryland, College 2.1. Sample of LIRGs and ULIRGs Park, MD, USA 3 Astrophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight We selected a sample of nearby LIRGs (z<0.05) in Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA the northern hemisphere (DEC>-25) from the Great Ob- 2 servatories All Sky LIRG Survey (GOALS; Armus et al. We use the distribution of SNR for 1000 random point- 2009). In this redshift range, we are sensitive to X-ray ings from the SDSS survey area to measure the signifi- 42.0 luminosities of L14−195 keV >10 erg/s. This limit ef- cance of the X-ray detections in the other samples. The fectively detects AGN since it is ten times larger than the significance distribution at 14-195 keV of the random maximum known emission from a starburst galaxy (e.g., pointings is well fit by a Gaussian centered at 0.02±0.11 M82, log L14−195 keV =40.8 erg/s). Since single tempera- SNR with σ=1.01±0.06, consistent with the expected tures and SED templates can overestimate IR luminosi- values for a Gaussian distribution of pure noise. For the ties (Casey 2012), we recomputed GOALS IR luminosi- LIRG and matched sample, the Gaussian distribution of ties based on SED fitting using IRAS data and a model noise is fit from the SNR<0 source distribution. joining a modified, single dust temperature greybody, We choose a 2.7σ cutoff SNR in the 134 LIRG sample that approximates hot-dust emission from AGN heating. to have on average less than one ’fake’ noise source based We have limited our sources to be outside the Galactic on the Gaussian distribution of noise using both whole plane (b>10◦) because of source confusion in IRAS and band 14-195 keV and 24-35 keV detections if we assume Swift, as well difficulty measuring stellar masses because the distribution is pure noise. Finally, we note that the of high levels of optical extinction. lowest SNR of any LIRG is -2.1 at 14-195 keV and -2.7 at We have also limited our sample because in the low 24-35 keV suggesting this cutoff should assure a sample resolution BAT detector, source confusion from nearby of clean individual detections. bright AGN can occur. For blind source detection, We also analyze X-ray emission using XSPEC v12.7.1 Ajello et al. (2009) estimated a confusion radius of 5.5′ for the new sources between 2.7-4.8σ. To calculate lu- at SNR=2, 3.8′ at SNR=3, and 2.8′ at SNR=4. We use a minosities and upper limits, we assume an X-ray power conservative approach and exclude all detections within law of Γ=1.9 and Galactic extinction, consistent with 15′ of BAT catalog sources. This excludes seven LIRGs the mean 14-195 keV power law for Seyfert 2s in the 70 from our study. NGC 232 and NGC 838 are in merging month blind detection catalog (Winter et al. 2009). The ′ galaxy groups with a nearby (<2 ) bright BAT-detected BAT emission is absorbed by <10% for NH <3 × 1023 AGN companion. Additionally, UGC 3608 is 5.1′ from a cm−2, but sources with larger obscurations are underesti- nearby ROSAT X-ray source, 1RXS J065711.8+462731. mated. To determine 1σ errors in luminosity, we include A 1.5 ks XRT observation suggests the majority of the error from assuming a fixed power law index (14%) the flux is coincident with this ROSAT source. IRAS as well as sky and detector noise (<37%). Finally, to F03217+4022 and UGC 02717 are near a bright BAT better understand the average properties of the sources, AGN, IRAS 03219+4031 at 8.5′ and 7′ separation re- we fit a simple X-ray power law to the average emission spectively. Finally, NGC 2524 is near a bright BAT AGN in each X-ray band. Mrk 0622 at 10.7′. This leaves our total LIRG sample with 134 objects. 2.3. X-ray Hardness Flux Ratios and Comparison Sample 2.2. Faint BAT Source Detection in the GOALS Sample The ultra hard X-ray hardness flux ratio (HRUX =14- In Swift BAT, the detector noise distribution is a 195 keV/2-10 keV) provides a measure of obscuration Gaussian function centered at zero significance.