The Sloan Digital Sky Survey/XMM-Newton Quasar Survey: Correlation Between X-Ray Spectral Slope and Eddington Ratio

Abstract

We present a correlation between the 2-10 keV spectral slope Γ _X and the Eddington ratio L/L _EDD in a sample of ~400 Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) quasars with available hard X-ray spectra from XMM-Newton serendipitous observations. We find that the Γ _X -L/L _EDD correlation is strongest in objects with black hole (BH) masses determined from the Hβ line, and weaker (but still present) for those based on Mg II. An empirical nonlinear correction of the Mg II-based masses, obtained by comparing the mass estimates in SDSS quasars having both Hβ and Mg II measurements, significantly increases the strength of the correlation. No correlation is found among objects with BH masses derived from C IV, confirming that this line is not a reliable indicator of the BH mass. No significant correlation is found with the bolometric luminosity, while a Γ _X -M _BH relation is present, though with a lower statistical significance than between Γ _X and L/L _EDD. Our results imply a physical link between the accretion efficiency in the (cold) accretion disk of active galactic nuclei and the physical status of the (hot) corona responsible for the X-ray emission.