Title: Integral Spectroscopy of Radio Quiet QSOs
Proposal ID: 0120214
Subject category: Extragalactic Object
Principal investigator: Orr
Institute: ESTEC/ESA
Abstract
By many of their properties radio quiet quasars (RQQs) occupy a
poorly understood intermediary position
between Seyfert 1
galaxies (Sy1s) and radio loud quasars (RLQs).
In the X-ray domain there are, however,
several notable
differences between these 3 categories of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN).
We propose to
observe with INTEGRAL the three brightest RQQs
in the X-ray band, E 1821+643, HE 1029-1401 and
2251-178}, in order to measure the spectral shape of their hard X-ray
emission, which is not well known up
to now. Our aim is: a) to test the
presence of Compton reflection components, ionized or neutral and b)
measure the shape and energy of the high energy spectral cut-off.
The scientific goal of this proposal is to
obtain a better understanding
of the hard spectral energy distribution of RQQs, in particular at high
energies. We will thereby gain deeper insight on the relationship
between RQQs, Sy1s and RLQs.
This will
be achieved by taking a single exposure of 500 ks
per quasar.