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Chandra Observations of the Evening Core of the Starburst Galaxy NGC 253Chandra observations of the core of the nearby starburst galaxy NGC 253 reveal a heavily absorbed source of hard X-rays embedded within the nuclear starburst region. The source has an unabsorbed, 2 to 10 keV luminosity of greater than or equal to 10(exp 39) erg per s and photoionizes the surrounding gas. We observe this source through a dusty torus with a neutral absorbing column density of N(sub eta) approximately 2 x 10(exp 23)cm (exp -2). The torus is hundreds of pc across and collimates the starburst-driven nuclear outflow. We suggest that the ionizing source is an intermediate-mass black hole or a weakly accreting supermassive black hole, which may signal the beginnings or endings of AGN (active galactic nuclei) activity.
Document ID
20020070813
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Weaver, K. A. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Heckman, T. M. (Johns Hopkins Univ. Baltimore, MD United States)
Dahlem, M. (European Southern Observatory Santiago, Chile)
White, Nicholas E.
Date Acquired
September 7, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2002
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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