Optical and X-ray Spectroscopy of 1E 0449.4-1823: Demise of the original type 2 QSO

Abstract

New optical spectra of the original narrow-line quasar 1E 0449.4-1823 show that it now has broad emission lines of considerable strength, eliminating it as a "type 2 QSO" candidate. We suggest that the behavior of 1E 0449.4-1823 is the same as that of some Seyfert 1.8 and 1.9 galaxies, in which Goodrich attributed long-term variations of their broad Balmer lines to dynamical motions of obscuring material located in or around the broad-line region. The optical continuum and broad emission-line regions of 1E 0449.4-1823 may still be partly covered in our line of sight, which would explain its large forbidden-line equivalent widths and flat alpha_ox relative to other low-redshift QSOs. Also present are apparent absorption features in the broad Balmer lines and in Mg II, which may be related to the past obscuration and current emergence of the broad-line region. However, it is difficult to distinguish absorption from broad emission-line peaks that are displaced in velocity; we consider the latter a plausible competing interpretation of these peculiar line profiles. An ASCA X-ray spectrum of 1E 0449.4-1823 can be fitted with a power-law of Gamma = 1.63, intrinsic N_H < 9 x 10^20 cm-2, and no Fe Kalpha line emission. Its 2-10 keV luminosity is 6.7 x 10^44 ergs/s. With regard to the still hypothetical type 2 QSOs, we argue that there is little evidence for the existence of any among X-ray selected samples.

to appear in ApJ July 1, 1998 (vol. 501). 23 pages including figures. Uses LaTeX macro aasms4.sty

References in corpus (2)

• ASCA observations of type-2 Seyfert galaxies: II. The Importance of X-ray Scattering and Reflection
• Optical and X-ray properties of the RIXOS AGN: II - Emission lines

Cited by in corpus (17)

• The HELLAS2XMM survey. VII. The hard X-ray luminosity function of AGN up to z=4: more absorbed AGN at low luminosities and high redshifts
• Eigenvector 1: An Optimal Correlation Space for Active Galactic Nuclei
• The luminosity dependence of the Type 1 AGN fraction
• Chandra Detection of a TypeII Quasar at z=3.288
• Narrow-Line Seyfert 1s: 15 Years Later
• Radio-loud Active Galaxies in the Northern ROSAT All-Sky Survey III: New Spectroscopic Identifications from the RGB BL Lac Survey
• The contribution of faint AGN to the hard X-ray background
• The BeppoSAX High Energy Large Area Survey HELLAS, III: testing synthesis models for the X-ray background
• A Chandra X-ray Study of Cygnus A - II. The Nucleus
• Are There Any Type 2 QSOs? The Case of AXJ0341.4-4453
• A Search for Optical Variability of Type 2 Quasars in SDSS Stripe 82
• A candidate of a type-2 QSO at z=0.9: Large X-ray absorption with a strong broad-H-alpha emission line
• ASCA observations of deep ROSAT fields IV.IR and hard X-ray observations of an obscured high-redshift QSO
• Optical, near-infrared and hard X-ray observations of SAXJ1353.9+1820: a red quasar
• High-redshift Narrow-line Seyfert 1 Galaxies: A Candidate Sample
• Spectropolarimetry of the Luminous Narrow-Line Seyfert Galaxies IRAS 20181-2244 and IRAS 13224-3809
• The BeppoSAX view of the hard X-ray background