Masini, A.A.MasiniCOMASTRI, AndreaAndreaCOMASTRIBaloković, M.M.BalokovićZaw, I.I.ZawPuccetti, S.S.PuccettiBallantyne, D. R.D. R.BallantyneBauer, F. E.F. E.BauerBoggs, S. E.S. E.BoggsBrandt, W. N.W. N.BrandtBrightman, M.M.BrightmanChristensen, F. E.F. E.ChristensenCraig, W. W.W. W.CraigGandhi, P.P.GandhiHailey, C. J.C. J.HaileyHarrison, F. A.F. A.HarrisonKoss, M. J.M. J.KossMadejski, G.G.MadejskiRicci, C.C.RicciRivers, E.E.RiversStern, D.D.SternZhang, W. W.W. W.Zhang2020-05-112020-05-1120160004-6361http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12386/24711Aims: We study the connection between the masing disk and obscuring torus in Seyfert 2 galaxies. Methods: We present a uniform X-ray spectral analysis of the high energy properties of 14 nearby megamaser active galactic nuclei observed by NuSTAR. We use a simple analytical model to localize the maser disk and understand its connection with the torus by combining NuSTAR spectral parameters with the available physical quantities from VLBI mapping. Results: Most of the sources that we analyzed are heavily obscured, showing a column density in excess of ~10<SUP>23</SUP> cm<SUP>-2</SUP>; in particular, 79% are Compton-thick (N<SUB>H</SUB> > 1.5 × 10<SUP>24</SUP> cm<SUP>-2</SUP>). When using column densities measured by NuSTAR with the assumption that the torus is the extension of the maser disk, and further assuming a reasonable density profile, we can predict the torus dimensions. They are found to be consistent with mid-IR interferometry parsec-scale observations of Circinus and NGC 1068. In this picture, the maser disk is intimately connected to the inner part of the torus. It is probably made of a large number of molecular clouds that connect the torus and the outer part of the accretion disk, giving rise to a thin disk rotating in most cases in Keplerian or sub-Keplerian motion. This toy model explains the established close connection between water megamaser emission and nuclear obscuration as a geometric effect.ELETTRONICOenArticle10.1051/0004-6361/2015276892-s2.0-84964597359000375318300071https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/pdf/2016/05/aa27689-15.pdfhttps://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/abs/2016/05/aa27689-15/aa27689-15.html2016A&A...589A..59MFIS/05 - ASTRONOMIA E ASTROFISICAERC sectors::Physical Sciences and Engineering::PE9 Universe sciences: astro-physics/chemistry/biology; solar systems; stellar, galactic and extragalactic astronomy, planetary systems, cosmology, space science, instrumentation