In this paper we discuss the X-ray properties of 49 local ( z < 0.035 ) Seyfert 2 galaxies with HST/WFC2 high-resolution optical coverage .
It includes the results of 26 still unpublished Chandra and XMM-Newton observations , which yield 25 ( 22 ) new X-ray detections in the 0.5–2 keV ( 2–10 keV ) energy band .
Our sample covers a range in the 2–10 keV observed flux from 3 \times 10 ^ { -11 } to 6 \times 10 ^ { -15 } erg cm ^ { -2 } s ^ { -1 } .
The percentage of the objects which are likely obscured by Compton-thick matter ( column density , N _ { H } \geq \sigma _ { t } ^ { -1 } \simeq 1.6 \times 10 ^ { 24 } cm ^ { -2 } ) is \simeq 50 % , and reaches \simeq 80 % for \log ( F _ { 2 - 10 } ) < 12.3 .
Hence , K _ { \alpha } fluorescent iron lines with large Equivalent Width ( EW > 0.6 keV ) are common in our sample ( 6 new detections at a confidence level \geq 2 \sigma ) .
They are explained as due to reflection off the illuminated side of optically thick material .
We confirm a correlation between the presence of a \sim 100-pc scale nuclear dust in the WFC2 images and Compton-thin obscuration .
We interpret this correlation as due to the large covering fraction of gas associated with the dust lanes ( following an idea originally proposed by Malkan et al .
1998 , and Matt 2000 ) .
The X-ray spectra of highly obscured AGN invariably present a prominent soft excess emission above the extrapolation of the hard X-ray component .
This soft component can account for a very large fraction of the overall X-ray energy budget .
As this component is generally unobscured - and therefore likely produced in extended gas structures - it may lead to a severe underestimation of the nuclear obscuration in z \sim 1 absorbed AGN , if standard X-ray colors are used to classify them .
As a by-product of our study , we report the discovery of a soft X-ray , luminous ( \simeq 7 \times 10 ^ { 40 } erg s ^ { -1 } ) halo embedding the interacting galaxy pair Mkn 266 .