# TWO DIFFERENT ACCRETION CLASSES IN SEYFERT 1 GALAXIES AND QSOs

## 1. Introduction

The QSO and active galaxy phenomena can be successfully explained by the accretion of gas onto central massive black holes (MBHs) (Lynden-Bell (1969); Rees (1984)). Recent progress in both theory and observation strongly supports this explanation. First, compact massive dark objects—possibly massive black holes—have been detected in the cores of some nearby galaxies based on high spatial resolution observations of stellar dynamics (Kormendy & Richstone (1995); Magorrian et al. (1998)). Second, the radiation spectra from the nuclei of Sgr A and NGC 4258 can be modelled well by the advection-dominated accretion flows (ADAF) onto MBHs ( Narayan, Yi & Mahadevan (1995); Lasota et al. (1996)). In addition, the iron K$`\alpha `$ line profile suggests the existence of a MBH and cold disk material in the center of Seyfert 1 galaxies (Iwasawa et al. (1996)).

Currently, four solutions of the accretion process around MBHs are known (Chen et al. (1995)). The most famous two are the thin disk model (Shakura & Sunyaev (1973)) and the ADAF model (Ichimaru (1977); Rees et al. (1982) Narayan & Yi 1994, 1995a, 1995b; Abramowicz et al. (1995)), which generally result from different accretion rate. The radiation spectra output of these models are distinctly different (Narayan, Mahadevan & Quataert (1998)). It is therefore reasonably easy to tell from observations whether a system has a thin or ADAF disk. The ADAF model provides a good fit to the spectra of Galactic Black Hole X-ray Binary sources (BHXBs), which should be a low mass accretion version of Seyfert 1 galaxies and QSOs (Esin, McClintock & Narayan (1997); Esin et al. (1998)). This implies that at least some Seyfert galaxies and/or QSOs, which were believed to have a thin disk accretion, may instead accrete material via the ADAF mode. Thus the question of whether a QSO or an active galaxy has an ADAF or a thin accretion disk is of great current interest.

To date, the most reliable estimate of masses of central MBHs in Seyfert 1 galaxies uses reverberation data (Peterson & Wandel (1999)). With known MBH masses, the accretion rates of active galaxies and QSOs can be estimated from their bolometric or ionizing luminosity (Wandel, Peterson & Malkan (1999), hereafter WPM). Furthermore, a remarkable correlation between the soft X-ray spectral indices and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of H$`\beta `$ has been found by Boller, Brandt & Fink (1996) and Wang, Brinkmann & Fink (1996). A possible interpretation is that the correlation is caused by the variation of accretion rate in different objects(Wandel & Yahil (1985); Pounds et al. (1994)). The change in soft X-ray spectral slope from flat to steep may reflect the change in accretion mode from a low state to a high state. It is reasonable to constrain theoretical models by investigating the statistical relation between the soft X-ray spectra and the estimated accretion rates for a sample of objects.

In this letter, we show that a sample of QSOs and Seyfert 1 galaxies with available estimated MBH masses can be classified into two distinct classes with different accretion rates. These two classes should correspond to different accretion disks, i.e. ADAF and thin disk. In each class, the soft X-ray spectral slope strongly correlates with the estimated accretion rate. We describe the available data in §2. The statistical analysis is presented in §3, and an explanation of the correlation between the X-ray slope and the accretion rate is discussed in §4.

## 2. The Data

Assuming that the line-emitting matter is gravitationally bound and hence has a near-Keplerian velocity dispersion (indicated by the line width), WPM estimated the mass of the central black holes for 17 Seyfert 1 galaxies and 2 QSOs using reverberation data. The central MBH masses were also measured by the same method for three additional Seyfert 1 galaxies (Mrk279, NGC3516 and NGC4593) which were not included in WPM’s sample (Ho (1998)). Laor (1998) estimated the MBH masses for 19 QSOs using the H$`\beta `$ width and the empirical relation $`r_{\mathrm{BLR}}(\mathrm{H}\beta )=15L_{44}^{1/2}`$ (Kaspi et al. (1996)), where $`r_{\mathrm{BLR}}`$ is the size of H$`\beta `$ emitting region in the broad line region and $`L_{44}=L(0.11\mu \mathrm{m})`$ in units of $`10^{44}\mathrm{ergs}\mathrm{s}^1`$. Laor’s method may overestimate the black hole mass, as WPM pointed out that the slope of the empirical relation may be flatter than 1/2. Fortunately, there is a common object to Laor and WPM’s sample, the QSO PG0953+414, whose mass was estimated to be $`3\times 10^8\mathrm{M}_{}`$ by Laor, and $`1.5\times 10^8\mathrm{M}_{}`$ by WPM. We will thus use a calibration factor of 0.5 for the central black hole masses of the QSOs in Laor’s sample.

Generally, we can estimate the accretion rates for QSOs and Seyfert 1 galaxies from their bolometric luminosity. In WPM’s sample, they list the ionizing luminosity of individual objects, derived from the reverberation and photoionization method. Following that method, we estimate the ionizing luminosities for Mrk279, NGC3516 and NGC4593. Laor (1998) estimated the bolometric luminosities for the QSOs in his sample using the empirical relation $`L_{\mathrm{bol}}=8.3\nu L_\nu (3000\mathrm{\AA })`$ (Laor & Draine (1993)) for the objects of the sample. For the common object, PG0953+414, we compare the estimated $`\mathrm{L}_{\mathrm{bol}}`$ in Laor’s table 1 with $`\mathrm{L}_{\mathrm{ion}}`$ in WPM, and find that $`L_{\mathrm{bol}}=3.8L_{\mathrm{ion}}`$ and $`L_{\mathrm{ion}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}}0.53L_{\mathrm{bol}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}}`$. We take this relation as an estimation of the Eddington ratio of ionizing luminosity for the objects in Laor’s sample. We list in table 1 the central black hole masses and the Eddington ratios of ionizing luminosity for all the objects studied. Since the ionizing and bolometric luminosities have been estimated, and the black hole mass determination is the most reliable one, these values give a direct measurement of the Eddington ratio, $`L/L_{\mathrm{Edd}}L_{\mathrm{bol}}/M_{\mathrm{BH}}`$, and hence the accretion rate $`\dot{m}=\dot{M}/\dot{M}_{\mathrm{Edd}}`$.

In general, the X-ray emission spectra of QSOs and Seyfert 1 galaxies can be well fitted by a power-law ($`f_\nu \nu ^\alpha `$, where $`\alpha `$ is spectral index and $`\mathrm{\Gamma }=1+\alpha `$ is photon index). The soft X-ray spectra for most objects in table 1 are available in the literature. We list the spectral indices in table 1 both for the soft X-ray range (0.1-2.4keV) observed by ROSAT and for the hard X-ray range (3-10keV) observed by ASCA. For the soft X-ray spectra, we adopt the spectral indices of the fitting by using a power-law with the column density absorption as a free parameter. For several objects without such fitting, we use the spectral indices determined assuming a fixed column density absorption as given by the Galactic column density. There is little difference in the ASCA spectra fitted by different Fe K$`\alpha `$ line models. We adopt the photon indices given by Nandra et al. (1997) in their table 4 by fitting 3-10keV spectra with a power-law plus a Schwarzschild geometry disk line. The ASCA photon indices of several objects, which are not included in Nandra et al. (1997), are also listed in table 1.

## 3. Statistical analysis

Figure 1 shows the spectral indices as a function of the ratio $`\mathrm{Log}(L_{\mathrm{ion}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}})`$, and hence the accretion rate. We notice that several objects in our sample, such as 3C273, 3C120, 3C390.3, 3C323.1, PKS1302-102 and PKS2135-147, are radio-loud galaxies or QSOs. The X-ray spectra of radio-loud galaxies and QSOs are generally flatter than those of radio-quiet ones (Laor et al. (1997); Wang, Lu & Zhou (1998)). It may be caused by the X-ray emission from the relativistic jet. Indeed, all the radio-loud objects exhibit flat soft X-ray spectra in our sample. They will be excluded in the following statistical analysis. In addition, the soft X-ray spectrum of NGC3227 is very flat, which may be caused by a dusty warm absorber (Komassa & Fink (1998)). It will also be excluded in the statistical analysis.

We apply the Pearson linear correlation test (Press et al. (1992)) to the $`\alpha _{\mathrm{ROSAT}}`$ versus $`\mathrm{Log}(L_{\mathrm{ion}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}})`$ relation for radio-quiet objects. A significant correlation is found, with a linear correlation coefficient $`R=0.80`$ ($`P_\mathrm{r}=1.4\times 10^7`$). The soft X-ray spectra become steeper when the Eddington ratio of the ionizing luminosity increases. It is evident that there is a discontinuity near the critical point of $`\mathrm{Log}(L_{\mathrm{ion}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}})1.4`$ and the data in figure 1 are distributed in two separate classes. One is the lower $`\mathrm{Log}(L_{\mathrm{ion}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}})`$, representing a lower accretion rate class, the other is the higher $`\mathrm{Log}(L_{\mathrm{ion}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}})`$, representing higher accretion rate class. The two distinct classes may correspond to the accretion of ADAF and thin disk since the break point corresponds to the critical threshold between the two models (see following section). The Pearson linear correlation coefficients for the two different classes are $`R=0.88`$ ($`P_\mathrm{r}=1.4\times 10^4`$) and $`R=0.89`$ ($`P_\mathrm{r}=2.0\times 10^6`$), respectively. They can be fitted by straight lines: $`\alpha _{\mathrm{ROSAT}}=(2.69\pm 0.24)+(0.69\pm 0.12)\mathrm{Log}(L_{\mathrm{ion}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}})`$ for the ADAF class, and $`\alpha _{\mathrm{ROSAT}}=(2.00\pm 0.06)+(0.60\pm 0.08)\mathrm{Log}(L_{\mathrm{ion}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}})`$ for the thin disk class.

Most Seyfert 1 galaxies in the WPM sample belong to the ADAF class and all QSOs in Laor’s sample belong to the thin disk class. It is interesting to note that five Seyfert 1 galaxies (Mrk110, Mrk335, Mrk509, Mrk590 and NGC4051) join in the thin disk class. Those Seyfert 1s have small central black holes but normal Seyfert luminosities. Those support the existence of the two-class distribution.

The relation between $`\mathrm{\Gamma }_{\mathrm{ASCA}}`$ and $`\mathrm{Log}(L_{\mathrm{ion}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}})`$ is presented in figure 2. There are only 16 objects in figure 2 because the others have no ASCA data. We find that there is a linear correlation between $`\mathrm{\Gamma }_{\mathrm{ASCA}}`$ and $`L_{\mathrm{ion}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}}`$ with a correlation coefficient $`R=0.74`$ ($`P_\mathrm{r}=0.006`$) (after we exclude the radio-loud objects and NGC3227). The hard X-ray spectra become steeper when $`\mathrm{Log}(L_{\mathrm{ion}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}})`$ increases. As figure 2 shows, the photon indice $`\mathrm{\Gamma }_{\mathrm{ASCA}}`$ increases with increasing accretion rate for ADAF class. It is hard to determine the behavior of the hard X-ray spectra vs. $`\mathrm{Log}(L_{\mathrm{ion}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}})`$ for the thin disk class because there are only 4 objects. Further observations are needed to confirm the classification.

## 4. Discussion

We find two distinct classes in the $`\alpha _{\mathrm{ROSAT}}`$ versus $`\mathrm{Log}(L_{\mathrm{ion}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}})`$ plane for a sample of Seyfert 1 galaxies and QSOs. This classification is striking because it reveals the existence of two accretion modes in these objects. The critical threshold between the two classes is $`\mathrm{Log}(L_{\mathrm{ion}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}})1.4`$ (see in figures 1 and figures 2). The corresponding $`\mathrm{Log}(L_{\mathrm{bol}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}})`$ is about -1.1, which is just the critical accretion rate $`\mathrm{Log}(\dot{m}_{crit})1.1`$ (see the figure 7 in Narayan, Mahadevan & Quataert 1998). Since $`\dot{m}_{crit}\alpha ^2`$ (Esin, McClintock & Narayan (1997)), where $`\alpha `$ is the viscosity parameter, the observed discontinuity in figures 1 suggests $`\alpha 0.3`$. Below $`\dot{m}_{\mathrm{crit}}`$, the accretion is via an ADAF at small radii and a thin disk at large radii. Because much of the viscously generated energy is advected to the black hole and $`L_{\mathrm{bol}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}}30\dot{m}^2`$ (for the viscosity parameter $`\alpha =0.3`$, Esin, McClintock & Narayan (1997)), we can derive that $`\dot{m}`$ of the ADAF class in our sample is distributed in the range (0.01–0.08), which corresponds to the low and intermediate states of accretion in BHXBs. The existence of the ADAF class in Seyfert 1s and QSOs is also supported by the fact that NGC 4151 has almost an identical spectrum to the BHXB GX339-4 (Zdziarski et al. (1998)). Above $`\dot{m}_{\mathrm{crit}}`$, the accretion is via a thin disk and the accretion rate $`\dot{m}`$ is approximately $`L_{\mathrm{bol}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}}`$. It may correspond to the high and/or very high states in BHXBs (Esin, McClintock & Narayan (1997)). According to the best fitting straight lines for the two classes, we derive that $`\alpha _{\mathrm{ROSAT}}\dot{m}^{1.38}`$ for the ADAF class, and $`\alpha _{\mathrm{ROSAT}}\dot{m}^{0.60}`$ for the thin disk class.

For objects in the thin disk class, it is easy to understand that the soft X-ray slope steepens with the increase in accretion rate and the soft X-ray spectra are steeper than the hard X-ray spectra. The temperature of the inner thin disk goes up while the accretion rate increases, therefore the big blue bump moves into EUV and/or soft X-ray range and the soft X-ray spectrum becomes steeper. As $`\dot{m}`$ increases, the disk flux to irradiate the corona increases. This will cause the corona to cool more efficiently because of Compton cooling, and so the hard X-ray slope will steepen with the increasing $`\dot{m}`$. This cannot be confirmed in our sample because of the lack of ASCA observations for the objects in the thin disk class. For the ADAF class objects, the X-ray spectra in the ROSAT and ASCA bands both steepen when $`\dot{m}`$ increases. This contradicts the ADAF radiation model of the low accretion state with $`\dot{m}(0.010.08)`$, where the calculated X-ray spectra should be harder and smoother because the optical depth goes up and causes a corresponding increase in Compton y-parameter when $`\dot{m}`$ increases (Esin, McClintock & Narayan (1997)). However, it can be understood if we adopt a model where the accretion disk consists of two zones: an outer standard thin disk extending from a large radius down to $`r_{\mathrm{tr}}`$ and an inner ADAF from $`r_{\mathrm{tr}}`$ down to $`r=3`$ (Narayan (1996)). If $`r_{\mathrm{tr}}`$ decreases with increasing $`\dot{m}`$, and if $`r_{\mathrm{tr}}`$ decreases below $`10^{1.5}`$, the ADAF X-ray emission spectra become dramatically softer because of the cooling effect when the radiation from the disk is Compton–scattered by the hot gas in the ADAF. It is similar to the intermediate state in BHXBs (Esin, McClintock & Narayan (1997)). The reflection component would be more important for thin disk and less important for an ADAF since the solid angle is larger than the former case. This would cause the X-ray spectra of the objects in thin disk class softer than those of the objects the ADAF class (Zdziarski, Lubinski, & Smith 1999). We can see in figures 1 and figures 2 that the spectral indices of the objects in the thin disk class tends to be softer than those of the objects in the ADAF class, statistically. The accretion flows may have other forms, e.g. ADIOS (advection dominated inflow and outflow solution, Blandford & Begelman (1999)), which may be a possible alternative explanation for the relation. Detailed models should be explored to reveal more information on the two accretion classification.

Recent observations show that 1H0419-577 is a “two-state” soft X-ray Seyfert 1 galaxy (Guainazzi et al. (1998)). In its hard state, the entire 1.8–40keV spectrum can be well-described by a simple flat ($`\mathrm{\Gamma }1.55`$) featureless power-law, while in its soft state, the soft X-ray spectrum is quite steep ($`\mathrm{\Gamma }2.5`$). The 0.5-2.5keV flux changes by a factor of $`6`$ from its soft state to its hard state. Assuming that $`L_{\mathrm{ion}}`$ is proportional to the flux at 0.5-2.5keV, $`L_{\mathrm{ion}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}}`$ also changes by a factor of 6. Based on its optical observation, the Eddington ratio of ionizing luminosity is estimated to be less than 0.08. So, 1H0419-577 is an object in the ADAF class (Guainazzi et al. (1998)). The Log$`(L_{\mathrm{ion}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}})`$ of this object is predicted to be $`1.72`$ in its soft state by the fitted straight line for the ADAF class in section 3. Therefore, its Log($`L_{\mathrm{ion}}/L_{\mathrm{Edd}}`$) is about -2.4 in the hard state. The inferred hard X-ray spectral index from figure 2 is consistent with the observations.

We summarize our main result as the existence of two different accretion classes: the ADAF and the thin disk accretion class in Seyfert 1 galaxies and QSOs. The soft X-ray spectrum becomes steeper when the accretion rate increases in both classes. The detailed fitting of Seyfert 1 galaxy and QSO spectra with ADAF and/or thin disk models should be explored to reveal the underlying physics, as has been done for BHXBs and low-luminosity active nuclei.

We thank an anonymous referee for useful comments which improve this paper. We thank Neta Bahcall, Scott Tremaine and Joseph Weingartner for a critical reading.