Context. An important number of multiwavelength studies of low ionization nuclear emission-line regions (LINERs) were dedicated to investigate the excitation mechanism responsible for the detected emission lines. Radiative emission from accretion into a super massive black hole (SMBH) is now believed to be, in an increasing number of LINERs, the source of excitation. However, the accretion mode is not yet firmly understood, and could be explained in either a thin accretion disk or a radiatively inefficient accretion flow (RIAF). Aims. Our purpose is to study the X-ray properties of LINER sources with definite detection of a broad Hα emission line in their optical spectra, LINER 1s from Ho et al. sample. These objects preferentially harbor a low luminosity active nucleus at the center and show small or no intrinsic absorption (≤10 22 cm −1 ). We compare their X-ray properties to both X-ray binaries and luminous AGN. Methods. We analyzed all available X-ray archived XMM-Newton and Chandra observations of 13 LINER 1s satisfying the above criterion in a systematic homogeneous way. We looked for any correlations between the X-ray properties and the intrinsic parameters of our sample of LINER 1s.Results. An absorbed power-law gave a good fit to the spectra of 9 out of the 13 sources in our sample. A combination of a thermal component and an absorbed power-law were required in the remaining 4 sources. We found a photon index for our sample between 1.3 ± 0.2 for the hardest source and 2.4 +0.2 −0.3 for the softest one with a mean value of 1.9 ± 0.2 and a dispersion σ = 0.3. The thermal component had a mean temperature kT ≈ 0.6 keV. Significant short (hours to days) time-scale variability is not common in the present sample and was observed in only 2 sources (NGC 3226 and NGC 4278). Three other sources indicate a possible variability with a low K-S test probability (2−4%) that the nuclear emission originates from a constant source. On the other hand, significant variability on a longer time-scale (months to years) is detected in 7 out of the 9 sources observed more than once. No significant Fe Kα emission line at 6.4 keV was detected and upper limits were derived for the 4 sources with a high enough signal to noise ratio around 6 keV. Finally, we established, for the first time for a sample of LINER 1s, that the photon index Γ is significantly anticorrelated to L 2−10 keV /L Edd . Whereas this anticorrelation is in contrast to the positive correlation found for type 1 AGN, it is similar to the one seen in XRBs in their low/hard state where a radiatively inefficient accretion flow is thought to be responsible for the X-ray emitted energy.

Context. The geometry and physical properties of the accretion mode, and the radiative processes occurring in AGN-powered low ionization nuclear emission-line regions (LINERs) remain a riddle. Both a standard thin accretion disk and an inner-hot radiativelyinefficient accretion flow (RIAF) have been invoked. Models depending on only a jet have also been invoked to explain the broad-band spectral energy distribution (SED) of LINERs. Aims. We attempt to infer the accretion mechanism and radiative processes giving rise to the SEDs of a well-defined optically-selected sample of LINERs showing a definite detection of broad Hα emission (LINER 1s). Methods. We construct SEDs for six LINER 1s with simultaneous UV and X-ray fluxes, and we looked for multiwavelength, radio to X-ray and UV to X-ray, correlations. Results. At a given X-ray luminosity, the average SED of the six LINER 1s in our sample: (1) resembles the SED of radio-loud quasars in the radio band, log R X ≈ −2.7, (2) exhibits a weak UV bump, α ox ≈ −1.17 ± 0.02 with a dispersion σ = 0.01, and (3) displays a X-ray spectrum similar to radio-quiet quasars. The bolometric luminosities inferred from the SEDs of these LINER 1s are extremely faint, at least two orders of magnitude lower than AGN. The X-ray bolometric correction, κ 2−10 keV , of our sample is lower than in the case of AGN, with a mean value of 16. We find a strong anticorrelation between the radio loudness parameter, R X , and the Eddington ratio for our sample, confirming previous results. Moreover, we find a positive correlation between the radio luminosity and the X-ray luminosity which places AGN-powered LINERs, on a radio-power scale, right between low luminosity Seyferts and low luminosity radio galaxies. We complement our α ox list with values derived on a well defined sample of UV-variable LINERs, and establish a strong positive correlation between α ox (considering negative values) and the Eddington ratio, in contrast to the correlation found for luminous AGN. Lastly, we tested two different fundamental planes existing in the literature on our sample, in an attempt to put constraints on the debated origin of the X-ray emission, "RIAF versus jet". The results came contradictory with one pointing toward a RIAF-dominated X-ray emission process and the other pointing toward a jet domination.

Extended nebular filaments are seen at optical wavelengths in NGC 1275, the central galaxy in the Perseus cluster. The agents responsible for the excitation of these filaments remain poorly understood. In this paper we investigate possible mechanisms for powering the filaments, using measurements from an extensive spectroscopic data set acquired at the Lick Observatory 3-m Shane telescope. The results show that the filaments are in an extremely low ionization and excitation state. The high signal-to-noise ratio of the spectra allows us to measure or place sensitive upper limits on weak but important diagnostic lines. We compare the observed line intensity ratios to the predictions of various ionization models, including photoionization by an active galactic nucleus, shock heating, stellar photoionization, and photoionization by the intracluster medium. We also investigate possible roles for cluster extreme-ultraviolet emission, and filtering of cluster soft X-ray emission by an ionized screen, in the energetics of the filaments. None of these mechanisms provides an entirely satisfactory explanation for the physical state of the nebulae. Heating and ionization by reconnection of the intracluster magnetic field remains a potentially viable alternative, which merits further investigation through Faraday rotation studies.

Context. The emission mechanism responsible for the bulk of energy from radio to X-rays in low ionization emission line regions (LINERs) and low luminosity active galactic nuclei (LLAGN) has been long debated. Based on UV to X-ray and radio to UV flux ratios, some argue that LINERs/LLAGN are a scaled-down version of their more luminous predecessors Seyfert galaxies. Others, based on the lack of X-ray short (hours) time-scale variability, the non detection of an iron line at 6.4 keV, and the faint UV emission compared to typical AGNs, suggest the truncation of the classical thin accretion disk in the inner regions of the AGN where a radiatively inefficient accretion flow (RIAF) structure forms. Aims. We investigate the LINER-Seyfert connection by studying the unabsorbed LINER galaxy NGC 4278 that accretes at a low rate (L bol/Edd ∼ 7 × 10 −6 ) but exhibits a broad Hα line, and a point-like nucleus in radio, optical, UV and X-rays. Methods. We analyzed one XMM-Newton and seven Chandra X-ray observations of NGC 4278 spread over a three year period, allowing the study of the X-ray variability at different time-scales (hours, months, years). We also examined the radio to X-ray spectral energy distribution to constrain the accretion mode in the nucleus of NGC 4278. Results. Long time-scale (months) variability is observed where the flux increased by a factor of ∼3 on a time-scale of a few months and by a factor of 5 between the faintest and the brightest observation separated by ∼3 years. During the XMM-Newton observation, where the highest flux level is detected, we found a 10% flux increase on a short time-scale of a few hours, while the light curves for the different Chandra observations do not show short time-scale (minutes to hours) variability. A combination of an absorbed power law (N H ≈ 10 20 cm −2 , Γ = 2.2 +0.1 −0.2 ) plus a thermal component (kT ≈ 0.6 keV) were able to fit the Chandra spectra. The XMM-Newton spectra, where the highest X-ray flux is detected, are well fitted with an absorbed power-law with no need for a thermal component as the emission from the power-law component is dominant. The power-law photon index is ∼2.1 and the hydrogen column density is of the order of 10 20 cm −2 . Neither a narrow nor a broad Fe Kα emission line at 6.4 keV are detected with a 22 eV and 118 eV upper limits derived on their equivalent widths. We derive optical fluxes from archival HST ACS observations and detected optical variability on time-scales of years. For the first time for this source, thanks to the optical/UV monitor on board XMM-Newton, we obtained simultaneous UV and X-ray flux measurements. We constructed SEDs based on simultaneous or quasi simultaneous observations and compared them to LINER, radio-loud, and radio-quiet quasar SEDs. We find that at a low X-ray flux the NGC 4278 SED resembles that of typical LINER sources where the radio to X-ray emission can be considered as originating from a jet and/or RIAF, whereas at a high X-ray flux, NGC 4278 SED is more like a low luminosity Seyfert SED...

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The nucleus of M87 displays a LINER spectrum at optical wavelengths, with a nuclear disk of nebulosity that is resolved by the Hubble Space Telescope. We present new results from optical and ultraviolet spectra of the central ~40pc as measured by HST. In contrast with previous results for the extended disk, the emission-line spectrum of the central region is best reproduced by a multi-component photoionization scenario, rather than shock heating. The nebular properties as well as energetic considerations suggest a transition on scales of several tens of parsecs, from predominantly photoionization by a central accretion source, to shock ionization within the disk. If this source is at all representative, it suggests that many LINERs may be composite in terms of the energetic processes that give rise to the emission spectrum. We also report measurements of resonance-line absorption for the nucleus. The absorption spectrum, like the emission lines, is characterized by low ionization. The absorption line measurements coupled with independent constraints suggests a total hydrogen column density of 10^19 - 10^20 cm^-2, outflowing from the galaxy center with a velocity of ~126 km/s. The kinematic signature of an outflow, along with evidence that the absorber covers the power-law continuum source but not the emission-line clouds, suggests that the absorbing matter is related to accretion phenomena in the nucleus. The presence of such an outflow resembles similar behaviour in luminous AGN, although the low ionization that characterizes LINERs is probably indicative of a different mode of accretion in these sources.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

We explore the connection between the central supermassive blackholes (SMBH) in galaxies and the dark matter halo through the relation between the masses of the SMBHs and the maximum circular velocities of the host galaxies, as well as the relationship between stellar velocity dispersion of the spheroidal component and the circular velocity. Our assumption here is that the circular velocity is a proxy for the mass of the dark matter halo. We rely on a heterogeneous sample containing galaxies of all types. The only requirement is that the galaxy has a direct measurement of the mass of its SMBH and a direct measurement of its circular velocity and its velocity dispersion. Previous studies have analyzed the connection between the SMBH and dark matter halo through the relationship between the circular velocity and the bulge velocity dispersion, with the assumption that the bulge velocity dispersion stands in for the mass of the SMBH, via the well-established SMBH mass-bulge velocity dispersion relation. Using intermediate relations may be misleading when one is studying them to decipher the active ingredients of galaxy formation and evolution. We believe that our approach will provide a more direct probe of the SMBH and the dark matter halo connection. We find that the correlation between the mass of supermassive blackholes and the circular velocities of the host galaxies is extremely weak, leading us to state the dark matter halo may not play a major role in regulating the blackhole growth in the present Universe.

Context. Studying the spectral changes during the dips exhibited by almost edge-on, low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) is a powerful means of probing the structure of accretion disks. The XMM-Newton, Chandra, or Suzaku discovery of absorption lines from Fe xxv and other highly-ionized species in many dippers has revealed a highly-ionized atmosphere above the disk. A highly (but less strongly) ionized plasma is also present in the vertical structure causing the dips, together with neutral material. Aims. We aim to investigate the spectral changes during the dips of XTE J1710−281, a still poorly studied LMXB known to exhibit bursts, dips, and eclipses. Methods. We analyze the archived XMM-Newton observation of XTE J1710−281 performed in 2004 that covered one orbital period of the system (3.8 h). We modeled the spectral changes between persistent and dips in the framework of the partial covering model and the ionized absorber approach. Results. The persistent spectrum can be fit by a power law with a photon index of 1.94 ± 0.02 affected by absorption from cool material with a hydrogen column density of (0.401 ± 0.007) × 10 22 cm −2 . The spectral changes from persistent to deep-dipping intervals are consistent with the partial covering of the power-law emission. Twenty-six percent of the continuum is covered during shallow dipping, and 78% during deep dipping. The column density decreases from 77 +67 −38 × 10 22 cm −2 during shallow dipping to (14 ± 2) × 10 22 cm −2 during the deep-dipping interval. We do not detect any absorption line from highly ionized species such as Fe xxv. However, the upper-limits we derive on their equivalent width (EW) are not constraining. Despite not detecting any narrow spectral signatures of a warm absorber, we show that the spectral changes are consistent with an increase in column density and a decrease in ionization state of a highly-ionized absorber, associated with an increase in column density of a neutral absorber, in agreement with the recent results found in other dippers. In XTE J1710−281, the column density of the ionized absorber increases from 4.3 +0.4 −0.5 × 10 22 cm −2 during shallow dipping to 11.6 +0.4 −0.6 × 10 22 cm −2 during deep dipping, while the ionization parameter decreases from 10 2.52 to 10 2.29 erg s −1 cm. The parameters of the ionized absorber are not constrained during persistent emission. The neutral absorber only slightly increases from (0.410 ± 0.007) × 10 22 cm −2 during persistent emission to (0.420 ± 0.009) × 10 22 cm −2 during shallow dipping and to (0.45 ± 0.03) × 10 22 cm −2 during deep dipping. The warm absorber model better accounts for the ∼1 keV depression visible in the pn dipping spectra, and naturally explains it as a blend of lines and edges unresolved by pn. A deeper observation of XTE J1710−281 would enable this interpretation to be confirmed.