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Abstract
The inevitable spread in properties of the toroidal obscuration of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) invalidates the widespread notion that type 1 and 2 AGNs are intrinsically the same objects, drawn randomly from the distribution of torus covering factors. Instead, AGNs are drawn preferentially from the distribution; type 2 are more likely drawn from the distribution higher end, type 1 from its lower end. Type 2 AGNs have a higher IR luminosity, lower narrow-line luminosity, and a higher fraction of Compton thick X-ray obscuration than type 1. Meaningful studies of unification statistics cannot be conducted without first determining the intrinsic distribution function of torus covering factors.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-22-2012
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/747/2/L33
Funding Information
Support by NASA and NSF is gratefully acknowledged.
Related Content
Repository Citation
Elitzur, Moshe, "On the Unification of Active Galactic Nuclei" (2012). Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications. 190.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/physastron_facpub/190
Notes/Citation Information
Published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, v. 747, no. 2, L33, p. 1-3.
© 2012. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.
The copyright holder has granted permission for posting the article here.