Determining the bolometric luminosities of AGN is key to understanding their evolution. Uncertainties in the total radiation from AGN translate into uncertainties in their lifetimes, Eddington ratios, mass accretion rates, the form of their radiation, and the predicted black hole spin. However, we still have major problems in measuring this critical quantity. AGN and their host galaxies emit a large fraction of their light in the MIR to FIR, but the origin of this radiation and the connection to the AGN are not well understood. It is not clear whether this radiation is associated with the AGN or with star formation in the galaxy.
We propose to use Herschel.s unique capabilities to establish the properties of the Swift-BAT all sky sample of local AGN selected at 15-195 keV. We will measure the MIR to FIR (65-500 microns) properties of a complete low-redshift sample (309 objects at z<0.05). The Swift-BAT survey is the least biased all sky survey for AGN with respect to host galaxy properties and obscuration in the line-of-sight, and thus it is superior to optical, IR, or radio surveys for understanding the the nuclear component of the MIR to FIR radiation from active galaxies. The low redshift of our sample, the uniformity of selection, and the large amount of parallel data which have already been obtained (Spitzer, optical, and X-ray spectra, and optical and UV imaging) will allow the most precise determination of the physical origin (AGN versus star formation) of the light. The low redshifts allow the best possible angular resolution for spatially separating star-formation and nuclear components, while only requiring short Herschel exposures.
The Herschel BAT survey will provide a comprehensive database for determining the bolometric light of AGN and will be an invaluable reference sample for analyzing higher re...dshift AGN. It will be a powerful resource for many years to come. We will make it available in a comprehensive and accessible form as rapidly as possible.
Publication
BAT AGN Spectroscopic Survey. XX. Molecular Gas in Nearby Hard-X-Ray-selected AGN Galaxies . Koss Michael J. et al. . The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series . null . null . 2021ApJS..252...29K , Herschel far-infrared photometry of the Swift Burst Alert Telescope active galactic nuclei sample of the local universe - III. Global star-forming properties and the lack of a connection to nuclear activity . Shimizu T. Taro et al. . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 466, Issue 3, p.3161-3183 . 466 . 10.1093\/mnras\/stw3268 . 2017MNRAS.466.3161S , Herschel Far-infrared Photometry of the Swift Burst Alert Telescope Active Galactic Nuclei Sample of the Local Universe. I. PACS Observations . Meléndez M. et al. . The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 794, Issue 2, article id. 152, 15 pp. (2014). . 794 . 10.1088\/0004-637X\/794\/2\/152 . 2014ApJ...794..152M , BAT AGN Spectroscopic Survey. XI. The Covering Factor of Dust and Gas in Swift/BAT Active Galactic Nuclei . Ichikawa Kohei et al. . The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 870, Issue 1, article id. 31, 16 pp. (2019). . 870 . 10.3847\/1538-4357\/aaef8f . 2019ApJ...870...31I , Local Swift-BAT active galactic nuclei prefer circumnuclear star formation . Lutz D. et al. . Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 609, id.A9, 7 pp. . 609 . 10.1051\/0004-6361\/201731423 . 2018A&A...609A...9L , The Complete Infrared View of Active Galactic Nuclei from the 70 Month Swift/BAT Catalog . Ichikawa Kohei et al. . The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 835, Issue 1, article id. 74, 19 pp. (2017). . 835 . 10.3847\/1538-4357\/835\/1\/74 . ...ard.edu/abs/2017ApJ...835...74I > 2017ApJ...835...74I , Do Most Active Galactic Nuclei Live in High Star Formation Nuclear Cusps? . Mushotzky Richard F. et al. . The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Volume 781, Issue 2, article id. L34, 6 pp. (2014). . 781 . 10.1088\/2041-8205\/781\/2\/L34 . 2014ApJ...781L..34M , Decreased specific star formation rates in AGN host galaxies . Shimizu T. Taro et al. . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 452, Issue 2, p.1841-1860 . 452 . 10.1093\/mnras\/stv1407 . 2015MNRAS.452.1841S ,
Instrument
SPIRE_SpirePhoto_small, PACS_PacsPhoto_largeScan
Temporal Coverage
2011-05-02T00:41:14Z/2012-11-27T18:37:12Z
Version
SPG v14.2.0
Mission Description
Herschel was launched on 14 May 2009! It is the fourth 'cornerstone' mission in the ESA science programme. With a 3.5 m Cassegrain telescope it is the largest space telescope ever launched. It is performing photometry and spectroscopy in approximately the 55-671 µm range, bridging the gap between earlier infrared space missions and groundbased facilities.