The XMm Newton Iron Line Profile of NGC 3783

We report on observations of the iron K line in the nearby Seyfert 1 galaxy, NGC 3783, obtained in a long, two-orbit (~240 ks) XMM-Newton observation. The line profile obtained exhibits two strong narrow peaks at 6.4 and 7.0 keV, with measured line equivalent widths of 120 and 35 eV, respectively. The 6.4 keV emission is the Kα line from near neutral Fe, while the 7.0 keV feature probably originates from a blend of the neutral Fe Kβ line and the hydrogen-like line of Fe at 6.97 keV. The relatively narrow velocity width of the Kα line (lesssim5000 km s-1), its lack of response to the continuum emission on short timescales, and the detection of a neutral Compton reflection component are all consistent with a distant origin in Compton-thick matter such as the putative molecular torus. A strong absorption line from highly ionized iron (at 6.67 keV) is detected in the time-averaged iron line profile, while the depth of the feature appears to vary with time, being strongest when the continuum flux is higher. The iron absorption line probably arises from the highest ionization component of the known warm absorber in NGC 3783, with an ionization of log ξ ~ 3 and column density of NH ~ 5 × 10[Superscript: 22] cm[Superscript: -2] and may originate from within 0.1 pc of the nucleus. A weak red wing to the iron K line profile is also detected below 6.4 keV. However, when the effect of the highly ionized warm absorber on the underlying continuum is taken into account, the requirement for a relativistic iron line component from the inner disk is reduced

Athena: the X-ray observatory to study the hot and energetic Universe

Hot gas pervades the Universe: about half of the baryonic content in the Universe is expected to be at T > 105 K, and there are as many baryons at T > 107 trapped in galaxy clusters as there are locked into stars. There is an intimate relation between this hot gas, which delineates the large-scale structure of the Universe, and the most energetic phenomena occurring in the immediate vicinity of super-massive black holes, through a poorly known process called Cosmic Feedback. Studying the hot and energetic universe requires X-ray observatories in space, whose capabilities greatly exceed those of the current workhorse observatories: NASA's Chandra and ESA's XMM- Newton. Athena has been selected by ESA as the L2 mission (due for launch in 2028), to address the "Hot and Energetic Universe" science theme. It will be a large X-ray observatory capable of addressing the above topics, and many other fundamental questions in contemporary astrophysics. Here we present the Athena science objectives, the mission concept and its payload, including the X-ray telescope and its two baseline instruments: a Wide Field Imager (WFI) and an X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU)

Observational constraints on the specific accretion-rate distribution of X-ray-selected AGNs

This paper estimates the specific accretion-rate distribution of AGNs using a sample of 4821 X-ray sources from both deep and shallow surveys. The specific accretion-rate distribution is used as a proxy of the Eddington ratio and is defined as the probability of a galaxy with a given stellar mass and redshift hosting an active nucleus with a certain specific accretion rate. We find that the probability of a galaxy hosting an AGN increases with decreasing specific accretion rate. There is evidence that this trend reverses at low specific accretion rates, λ ≲ 10^−4 –10^−3 (Eddington units). There is a break close to the Eddington limit, above which the probability of an accretion event decreases steeply. The specific accretion-rate distribution evolves such that the fraction of AGNs among galaxies drops towards lower redshifts. This decrease in the AGN duty cycle is responsible for the strong evolution of the accretion density of the Universe from redshift z ≈ 1–1.5 to the present day. Our analysis also suggests that this evolution is accompanied by a decoupling of accretion events on to black holes from the formation of stars in galaxies. There is also evidence that at earlier times the relative probability of high versus low specific accretion-rate events among galaxies increases. We argue that this differential redshift evolution of the AGN duty cycle with respect to λ produces the AGN downsizing trend, whereby luminous sources peak at earlier epochs compared to less luminous ones. Finally, we also find a stellar mass dependence of the specific accretion-rate distribution, with more massive galaxies avoiding high specific accretion-rate events

Observational constraints on the specific accretion-rate distribution of X-ray-selected AGNs

This paper estimates the specific accretion-rate distribution of AGNs using a sample of 4821 X-ray sources from both deep and shallow surveys. The specific accretion-rate distribution is used as a proxy of the Eddington ratio and is defined as the probability of a galaxy with a given stellar mass and redshift hosting an active nucleus with a certain specific accretion rate. We find that the probability of a galaxy hosting an AGN increases with decreasing specific accretion rate. There is evidence that this trend reverses at low specific accretion rates, λ ≲ 10^−4 –10^−3 (Eddington units). There is a break close to the Eddington limit, above which the probability of an accretion event decreases steeply. The specific accretion-rate distribution evolves such that the fraction of AGNs among galaxies drops towards lower redshifts. This decrease in the AGN duty cycle is responsible for the strong evolution of the accretion density of the Universe from redshift z ≈ 1–1.5 to the present day. Our analysis also suggests that this evolution is accompanied by a decoupling of accretion events on to black holes from the formation of stars in galaxies. There is also evidence that at earlier times the relative probability of high versus low specific accretion-rate events among galaxies increases. We argue that this differential redshift evolution of the AGN duty cycle with respect to λ produces the AGN downsizing trend, whereby luminous sources peak at earlier epochs compared to less luminous ones. Finally, we also find a stellar mass dependence of the specific accretion-rate distribution, with more massive galaxies avoiding high specific accretion-rate events

A long hard look at MCG-6-20-15 with XMM-Newton

We present the first results from a 325-ks observation of the Seyfert 1 galaxy MCG–6-30-15 with XMM-Newton and BeppoSAX. The strong, broad, skewed iron line is clearly detected and is well characterized by a steep emissivity profile within 6rg (i.e. 6GM/c2) and a flatter profile beyond. The inner radius of the emission appears to lie at about 2rg, consistent with results reported from both an earlier XMM-Newton observation of MCG–6-30-15 by Wilms et al. and part of an ASCA observation by Iwasawa et al. when the source was in a lower flux state. The radius and steep emissivity profile do depend however on an assumed incident power-law continuum and a lack of complex absorption above 2.5 keV. The blue wing of the line profile is indented, either by absorption at about 6.7 keV or by a hydrogenic iron emission line. The broad iron line flux does not follow the continuum variations in a simple manner