489 research outputs found
Suzaku observation of the Phoenix Galaxy
In recent years, several Seyfert 2 galaxies have been discovered that change
state when observed in X-rays a few years apart, switching from Compton-thin to
reflection-dominated or viceversa. We observed a member of this class of
"Changing-look" sources, the Phoenix Galaxy, with Suzaku, with the aim of
better understanding the nature of the variations. The Suzaku spectrum was
analyzed, and the results compared with previous ASCA and XMM-Newton
observations. The source was caught in a Compton-thin state, as in XMM-Newton,
but differently from ASCA. Comparing the Suzaku and XMM-Newton observations, a
variation in the column density of the absorber on a time scale of years is
discovered. A similar change, but on much shorter time scales (i.e. ks) may
also explain the count-rate variations during the Suzaku observations. A soft
excess is also present, likely due to continuum and line emission from
photoionized circumnuclear matter.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic
XMM-Newton unveils the type 2 nature of the BLRG 3C 445
We present an observation of XMM-Newton that unambiguously reveals the
``Seyfert 2'' nature of the Broad Line Radio Galaxy 3C 445. For the first time
the soft excess of this source has been resolved. It consists of unobscured
scattered continuum flux and emission lines, likely produced in a warm
photoionized gas near the pole of an obscuring torus. The presence of
circumnuclear (likely stratified) matter is supported by the complex
obscuration of the nuclear region. Seventy percent of the nuclear radiation
(first component) is indeed obscured by a column density ~4*10^{23} cm^{-2},
and 30 % (second component) is filtered by ~7* 10^{22} cm^{-2}. The first
component is nuclear radiation directly observed by transmission through the
thicker regions. The second one is of more uncertain nature. If the observer
has a deep view into the nucleus but near the edge of the torus, it could be
light scattered by the inner wall of the torus and/or by photoionized gas
within the Broad Line Region observed through the thinner rim of the
circumnuclear matter.Comment: MNRAS Letters, in pres
X-ray reprocessing in Seyfert Galaxies: simultaneous XMM-Newton/BeppoSAX observations
We selected a sample of eight bright unobscured (at least at the iron line
energy) Seyfert Galaxies observed simultaneously by XMM-Newton and BeppoSAX,
taking advantage of the complementary characteristics of the two missions. The
main results of our analysis can be summarized as follows: narrow neutral iron
lines are confirmed to be an ubiquitous component in Seyfert spectra; none of
the analyzed sources shows unambiguously a broad relativistic iron line; all
the sources of our sample (with a single exception) show the presence of a
Compton reflection component; emission lines from ionized iron are observed in
some sources; peculiar weak features around 5-6 keV (possibly arising from
rotating spots on the accretion disk) are detected in two sources. The scenario
emerging from these results strongly requires some corrections for the
classical model of reprocessing from the accretion disk. As for materials
farther away from the Black Hole, our results represent a positive test for the
Unification Model, suggesting the presence of the torus in (almost) all
sources, even if unobscured.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
The Phoenix galaxy: UGC4203 re-birth from its ashes?
We report on a dramatic transition between a Compton-thick,
reflection-dominated state and a Compton-thin state in the Seyfert 2 galaxy
UGC4203, discovered by comparing a recent (May 2001) XMM-Newton observation
with ASCA observations performed about six years earlier. This transition can
be explained either as a change in the column density of the absorber, maybe
due to moving clouds in a clumpy torus, or as the revival of a transient active
nucleus, which was in a phase of very low activity when observed by ASCA. If
the latter explanation is correct, spectral transitions of this kind provide
observational support to the idea that Compton-thick and Compton-thin regions
coexist in the same source, the former likely to be identified with the
"torus", the latter with dust lanes on much larger scales.Comment: 6 Latex pages, 5 figures, To appear in Astronomy & Astrophysic
The X-ray spectra of Compton-thick Seyfert 2 galaxies as seen by BeppoSAX
Results from BeppoSAX observations of Compton--thick Seyfert 2 galaxies are
summarized and reviewed, and their general properties derived and discussed. In
five out of the seven observed sources, the nucleus is directly visible at high
X-ray energies, where the photons penetrate absorbers with column densities in
the range 1.1-4.3x10^{24} cm-2 (in the other two sources, NGC 1068 and NGC
7674, the nucleus is instead totally obscured at all energies, implying even
larger column densities). In most sources there is unambiguous evidence of a
reflection component from optically thick, cold matter, while in two (or maybe
four) cases there is also evidence of reflection from ionized matter. For the
sources with a measured X-ray luminosity, a comparison with the infrared
luminosity is made; while in two cases (the Circinus galaxy and NGC 4945) the
IR emission appears to be dominated by starburst activity, in the other three
sources (NGC 6240, Mrk 3 and TOL 0109-383) it is likely to be dominated by
reprocessing of the UV and X-ray photons emitted by an AGN.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA
The BeppoSAX X-ray view of reflection-dominated Seyfert Galaxies
We present new results from BeppoSAX observations of reflection-dominated
Seyfert galaxies, and namely: 1) the Compton-thick Seyfert 2s NGC1068 and
Circinus Galaxy; 2) the Seyfert 1 NGC4051, whose nucleus was observed on May
1998 to have switched off, leaving only a residual reflection component as an
echo of its past activity. Our main focus in this paper is on the soft X-ray
continuum properties and on the X-ray line spectroscopy.Comment: 6 Latex pages, 5 figures, Accepted for publication in Advances in
Space Research, Proceedings of 32nd Sci. Ass. of COSPA
3C 33: another case of photoionized soft X-ray emission in radio galaxies
All the observations available in the Chandra and XMM-Newton archives have
been used to investigate the X-ray spectral properties of 3C 33. In this paper
is presented a complete X-ray analysis of the nuclear emission of this narrow
line radio galaxy. The broad band spectrum of 3C 33 is complex. The hard part
resembles that of Seyfert 2 galaxies, with a heavily obscured nuclear continuum
(N_H~10^23 cm^-2) and a prominent Fe Kalpha line. This represents the nuclear
radiation directly observed in transmission through a cold circumnuclear gas.
On the other hand an unabsorbed continuum plus emission lines seem to fit well
the soft part of the spectrum (0.5-2 keV) suggesting that the jet does not
significantly contribute to the X-ray emission. We discuss the possible
collisional or photoionized origin of the gas that emits the soft X-ray lines.
Our results, strengthened by optical spectroscopy favor the photoionization
scenario.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in A&
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