A triggered 140 ks XMM-Newton observation of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) Mrk 335 in December 2015 caught the active galaxy at its lowest X-ray flux since 2007. The NLS1 is relatively quiescent for the first ∼ 120 ks of the observation before it flares in brightness by a factor of about five in the last 20 ks. Although only part of the flare is captured before the observation is terminated, the data reveal significant differences between the flare and quiescent phases. During the low-flux state, Mrk 335 demonstrates a reflection-dominated spectrum that results from a compact corona around a Kerr black hole. In addition to the rapid brightening, the flare is further described by spectral softening and a falling reflection fraction that are consistent with previous observations advocating at least part of the corona in Mrk 335 could be the base of an aborted jet. The spectrum during the flaring interval reveals several residuals between the 2 − 3σ level that could be attributed to absorption lines from a highly ionised plasma that is moving outward at v ∼ 0.12c. It could be that the increased luminosity during the flare enhances the radiation pressure sufficiently to launch a possible wind. If the wind is indeed responding to the change in corona luminosity then it must be located within ∼ 80 r g . The escape velocity at this distance is comparable to the estimated wind velocity. If confirmed, this is the first example of a radio-quiet AGN exhibiting behaviour consistent with both diffuse and collimated outflow.

We present a comprehensive flux resolved spectral analysis of the bright Narrow line Seyfert I AGNs, Mrk 335 and Ark 564 using observations by XMM-Newton satellite. The mean and the flux resolved spectra are fitted by an empirical model consisting of two Comptonization components, one for the low energy soft excess and the other for the high energy power-law. A broad Iron line and a couple of low energies edges are required to explain the spectra. For Mrk 335, the 0.3 -10 keV luminosity relative to the Eddington value, L X /L Edd , varied from 0.002 to 0.06. The index variation can be empirically described as Γ = 0.6 log 10 L X /L Edd + 3.0 for 0.005 < L X /L Edd < 0.04. At L X /L Edd ∼ 0.04 the spectral index changes and then continues to follow Γ = 0.6 log 10 L X /L Edd + 2.7, i.e. on a parallel track. We confirm that the result is independent of the specific spectral model used by fitting the data in the 3 -10 keV band by only a powerlaw and an Iron line. For Ark 564, the index variation can be empirically described as Γ = 0.2 log 10 L X /L Edd + 2.7 with a significantly large scatter as compared to Mrk 335. Our results indicate that for Mrk 335, there may be accretion disk geometry changes which lead to different parallel tracks. These changes could be related to structural changes in the corona or enhanced reflection at high flux levels. There does not seem to be any homogeneous or universal relationship for the X-ray index and luminosity for different AGNs or even for the same AGN.

A multi-epoch X-ray spectral and variability analysis is conducted for the narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) active galactic nucleus (AGN) Mrk 478. All available X-ray data from XMM-Newton and Suzaku satellites, spanning from 2001 to 2017, are modelled with a variety of physical models including partial covering, soft-Comptonisation, and blurred reflection, to explain the observed spectral shape and variability over the 16 years. All models are a similar statistical fit to the data sets, though the analysis of the variability between data sets favours the blurred reflection model. In particular, the variability can be attributed to changes in flux of the primary coronal emission. Different reflection models fit the data equally well, but differ in interpretation. The use of REFLIONX predicts a low disc ionisation and power law dominated spectrum, while RELXILL predicts a highly ionised and blurred reflection dominated spectrum. A power law dominated spectrum might be more consistent with the normal X-rayto-UV spectral shape (α ox ). Both blurred reflection models suggest a rapidly spinning black hole seen at a low inclination angle, and both require a sub-solar (∼ 0.5) abundance of iron. All physical models require a narrow emission feature at 6.7 keV likely attributable to Fe XXV emission, while no evidence for a narrow 6.4 keV line from neutral iron is detected.

Multi-wavelength monitoring of Mrk 335 with Swiftbetween 2007-2019 are used to construct annual spectral energy distributions and track year-to-year changes. Non-contemporaneous archival data prior to 2007 are used to build a bright state SED. In this work, the changes are examined and quantified to build the foundation for future SED modelling. The yearly SEDs trace a downward trend on the average, with the X-ray portion varying significantly and acquiring further lower values in the past two years when compared to the optical/UV portion of SED. The bolometric Eddington ratios derived using optical/UV to X-ray SEDs and the calculated X-ray luminosities show a gradual decrease over the monitoring period. Changes in the parameters over time are examined. Principal component analysis suggests that the primary variability is in the X-ray properties of Mrk 335. When looking at the broader picture of Mrk 335 and its behaviour, the X-rays, accounting most of the variability in the 13-year data, are possibly driven by physical processes related to the corona or absorption whereas the modest optical-UV variations suggest their origin within the accretion disc. These results are consistent with the previous interpretation of Mrk 335 using the timing analyses on the monitoring data and spectral modelling of deep observations.

Temporal analysis of X-ray binaries and Active Galactic Nuclei have shown that hard X-rays react to variation of soft ones after a time delay. The opposite trend, or soft lag, has only been seen in a few rare Quasi-periodic Oscillations in X-ray binaries and recently for the AGN, 1H 0707-495, on short timescales of ∼ 10 3 secs. Here, we report analysis of a XMM-Newton observation of Mrk 1040, which reveals that on the dominant variability timescale of ∼ 10 4 secs, the source seems to exhibit soft lags. If the lags are frequency independent, they could be due to reverberation effects of a relativistically blurred reflection component responding to a varying continuum. Alternatively, they could be due to Comptonization delays in the case when high energy photons impinge back on the soft photon source. Both models can be verified and their parameters tightly constrained, because they will need to predict the photon spectrum, the r.m.s variability and time lag as a function of energy. A successful application of either model will provide unprecedented information on the radiative process, geometry and more importantly the size of the system, which in turn may provide stringent test of strong general relativistic effects.