* Astronomy

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: NGC 4507


L

Posts: 131433
Date:
RE: NGC 4507
Permalink  
 


Title: X-ray absorption variability in NGC 4507
Authors: Andrea Marinucci, Guido Risaliti, Junfeng Wang, Stefano Bianchi, Martin Elvis, Giorgio Matt, Emanuele Nardini, Valentina Braito

We present a complete spectral analysis of an XMM-Newton and Chandra campaign of the obscured AGN in NGC 4507, consisting of six observations spanning a period of six months, ranging from June 2010 to December 2010. We detect strong absorption variability on time scales between 1.5 and 4 months, suggesting that the obscuring material consists of gas clouds at parsec-scale distance. The lack of significant variability on shorter time scales suggests that this event is not due to absorption by broad line region clouds, which was instead found in other studies of similar sources. This shows that a single, universal structure of the absorber (either BLR clouds, or the parsec-scale torus) is not enough to reproduce the observed complexity of the X-ray absorption features of this AGN.

Read more (291kb, PDF)



__________________


L

Posts: 131433
Date:
Permalink  
 

Title: Decoupling absorption and continuum variability in the Seyfert 2 NGC 4507
Authors: V. Braito, L. Ballo, J. N. Reeves, A. Ptak, G. Risaliti, T. J. Turner

We present the results of the Suzaku observation of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 4507. This source is one of the X-ray brightest Compton-thin Seyfert 2s and a candidate for a variable absorber. Suzaku caught NGC 4507 in a highly absorbed state characterised by a high column density (NH \sim8 x10^23 cm^-2), a strong reflected component (R\sim 1.9) and a high equivalent width Fe K alpha emission line (EW\sim 500 eV). The Fe K alpha emission line is unresolved at the resolution of the Suzaku CCDs (sigma < 30 eV or FWHM < 3000 km s^-1) and most likely originates in a distant absorber. The Fe K beta emission line is also clearly detected and its intensity is marginally higher than the theoretical value for low ionisation Fe. A comparison with previous observations performed with XMM-Newton and BeppoSAX reveals that the X-ray spectral curvature changes on a timescale of a few months. We analysed all these historical observations, with standard models as well as with a most recent model for a toroidal reprocessor and found that the main driver of the observed 2-10 keV spectral variability is a change of the line-of-sight obscuration, varying from \sim4x10^23 cm^-2 to \sim9 x 10^23 cm^-2. The primary continuum is also variable, although its photon index does not appear to vary, while the Fe K alpha line and reflection component are consistent with being constant across the observations. This suggests the presence of a rather constant reprocessor and that the observed line of sight NH variability is either due to a certain degree of clumpiness of the putative torus or due to the presence of a second clumpy absorber.

Read more (122kb, PDF)



__________________
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.



Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse
Powered by ActiveBoard