2017ApJ...844...10B

We present X-ray bolometric correction factors, κ_Bol (≡L_Bol/L_X), for Compton-thick (CT) active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with the aim of testing AGN torus models, probing orientation effects, and estimating the bolometric output of the most obscured AGNs. We adopt bolometric luminosities, L_Bol, from literature infrared (IR) torus modeling and compile published intrinsic 2-10 keV X-ray luminosities, L_X, from X-ray torus modeling of NuSTAR data. Our sample consists of 10 local CT AGNs, where both of these estimates are available. We test for systematic differences in κ_Bol values produced when using two widely used IR torus models and two widely used X-ray torus models, finding consistency within the uncertainties. We find that the mean κ_Bol of our sample in the range of L_Bol~10⁴²–10⁴⁵ erg s^–1 is log₁₀κ_Bol = 1.44 ± 0.12 with an intrinsic scatter of ∼0.2 dex, and that our derived κ_Bol values are consistent with previously established relationships between κ_Bol and L_Bol and κ_Bol and Eddington ratio (λ_Edd). We investigate if κ_Bol is dependent on N_H by comparing our results on CT AGNs to published results on less-obscured AGNs, finding no significant dependence. Since many of our sample are megamaser AGNs, known to be viewed edge-on, and furthermore under the assumptions of AGN unification whereby unobscured AGNs are viewed face-on, our result implies that the X-ray emitting corona is not strongly anisotropic. Finally, we present κ_Bol values for CT AGNs identified in X-ray surveys as a function of their observed L_X, where an estimate of their intrinsic L_X is not available, and redshift, useful for estimating the bolometric output of the most obscured AGNs across cosmic time.