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L. Kay (Barnard Coll., Columbia U.), E. C. Moran, A. V. Filippenko (U. C. Berkeley), A. J. Barth (CfA), A. M. Magalhaes (IAGUSP, Univ of Sao Paulo)
In order to investigate the frequency of obscured broad-line regions in Seyfert 2 galaxies and the contribution such objects make to the X-ray background, we are conducting spectropolarimetric and hard X-ray surveys of a distance-limited sample of 31 nearby type 2 Seyfert galaxies. Using spectropolarimetry data obtained with the CTIO 4m and Keck 10m telescopes, we have discovered polarized broad emission lines in four more objects: NGC 424, NGC 591, NGC 2273, and NGC 3081. In addition, we have confirmed the presence of obscured broad-line regions in two other galaxies, NGC 4388 and IC 3639. Along with NGC 788, NGC 1068, Mrk 3, and Mrk 348, there are now at least ten objects in our sample with hidden broad-lines regions (our survey is still underway). The implications for Seyfert unification will be discussed.
L. Kay acknowledges support from NSF CAREER grant AST-9501835, and from NSF International Research Fellowship INT-9423970.