CACTUS is a 50 hours JWST/NIRSpec IFU proposal of which I am the PI aiming at observing a sample of 15 Compton Thick AGN at z>2.5.
Abstract: JWST observations have revealed the presence of a new population of high-redshift AGN identified through the detection of broad permitted emission lines, or thanks to narrow line ratio diagnostics, but undetected or very weak in the X-ray band, challenging traditional AGN classification paradigms. This raises the question of whether such AGN represent a more extreme version of the known Compton Thick (CT) AGN population or are fundamentally different AGN types to the ones detected in X-ray surveys. Several JWST programs have targeted this newly discovered AGN population, but they lack an adequate control sample of X-ray detected CT AGN. We aim to address this gap with a systematic study of 15 X-ray detected CT-AGN at z>2.5. In this proposal, we will assemble the first statistical sample of CT-AGN at cosmic noon observed with NIRSpec. This large sample will allow us not only to put into context the properties of the newly discovered AGN from public surveys, but also to characterize the evolution of CT AGN properties across cosmic time, assess the extent of misclassification between X-ray and optical classification, and analyze outflows and host galaxy properties. Our observations will exploit NIRSpec/IFU high-resolution gratings to explore the main optical emission lines, ultimately enhancing our understanding of obscured black hole accretion in the early Universe.
The sample
Progress
Here you find the status of the program.
| Target | Status | Pubblication |
|---|---|---|
| XID717 | Not observed | |
| XID100 | Not observed | |
| XID490 | Not observed | |
| XID12 | Not observed | |
| XID53 | Not observed | |
| XID262 | Not observed | |
| XID439 | Not observed | |
| XID504 | Not observed | |
| XID492 | Not observed | |
| LID_283 | Not observed | |
| CID_700 | Not observed | |
| CID_965 | Not observed | |
| CCOSMOS2015-845652 | Not observed | |
| COSMOS2015-658951 | Not observed | |
| AEGIS-34 | Not observed |