Nuclear and global X-ray properties of LINER galaxies: Chandra and BeppoSAX results for Sombrero and NGC 4736

We report on the 0.1-100 keV BeppoSAX observations of two nearby LINER galaxies, Sombrero and NGC 4736. Chandra ACIS-S observations supplement this broad-beam spectral study with a high resolution look into the nuclear region, and show a dominating central point source in Sombrero and a complex X-ray binary dominated/starburst region in NGC 4736. A compact non-thermal radio source, present in the nucleus of both galaxies, coincides with the central source in Sombrero, while in NGC 4736 its X-ray counterpart is a much fainter point source, not the brightest of the central region. On the basis of these and other results, we conclude that the LINER activity is linked to the presence of a low luminosity AGN in Sombrero and to a recent starburst in NGC 4736, and that Chandra's spectroscopic capabilities coupled to high resolution imaging are essential to establish the origin of the nuclear activity.