Complex narrow-line Seyfert 1s: high spin or high inclination?

Abstract

Complex narrow line Seyfert 1s (NLS1s), such as 1H0707-495, differ from simple NLS1s like PG1244+026 by showing stronger broad spectral features at Fe K and larger amplitude flux variability. These are correlated: the strongest Fe K features are seen during deep dips in the light curves of complex NLS1s. There are two competing explanations for these features, one where a compact X-ray source on the spin axis of a highly spinning black hole approaches the horizon and the consequent strong relativistic effects focus the intrinsic flux onto the inner edge of a thin disc, giving a dim, reflection dominated spectrum. The other is that the deep dips are caused by complex absorption by clumps close to the hard X-ray source. The reflection dominated model is able to reproduce the very short 30s soft lag from reverberation seen in the complex NLS1 1H0707-495. However, it does not explain the characteristic switch to hard lags on longer timescales. Instead, a full model of propagating fluctuations coupled to reverberation can explain the switch in the simple NLS1 PG1244+026 using a low spin black hole. However PG1244+026 has a longer reverberation lag of ∼ 200s.Here we extend the successful propagation-reverberation model for the simple NLS1 PG1244+026 to include the effect of absorption from clumps in a turbulent region above the disk. The resulting occultations of the inner accretion flow can introduce additional hard lags when relativistic effects are taken into account. This dilutes the soft lag from reverberation and shifts it to higher frequencies, making a smooth transition between the 200s lags seen in simple NLS1s to the 30s lags in complex NLS1s. These two classes of NLS1 could then be determined by inclination angle with respect to a clumpy, probably turbulent, failed wind structure on the disc.

Reaching the peak of the quasar spectral energy distribution – II. Exploring the accretion disc, dusty torus and host galaxy

“…Denney et al 2014;LaMassa et al 2015). This could be due to reprocessing of SX emission in the AD as PLT emission is generally too weak to have a significant effect in most of our objects (Gardner & Done 2015). The intrinsic reddening we model could change if the extinguishing dust is 'clumpy' in nature, as is thought to be the case for the torus (Risaliti et al 2005), thus presenting a constantly changing E(B − V) int parameter.…”

The mass and spin of the extreme Narrow Line Seyfert 1 Galaxy 1H 0707−495 and its implications for the trigger for relativistic jets

“…Gardner & Done (2015) show how a low spin, full spectral-timing model designed to explain the 200 s soft lag seen in PG1244 (Gardner & Done 2014a) can also match the lag-frequency data from 1H0707 just by including occultations. In their non-relativistic analysis, the occultation timescale is simply the time taken for the clump to cover the source.…”

“…The rather simple model of occulting clouds in Gardner & Done (2015) did not give a good fit to the dip spectra from 1H0707, but this model did not include reflection from the complex material on the far side of the source, and their clumps were highly ionized and single phase, rather than low ionization material embedded in a more highly ionized wind (see the sketch of the proposed geometry in Fig.3). The high frequency lag-energy spectra also contain features around the iron line energy, and again these require a simulation of the lag-energy spectrum expected from the full geometry of Fig.3 in order to see whether this can match the data.…”

Anatomy of the AGN in NGC 5548

“…Another obvious explanation could be the presence of an additional outflowing absorption component, at such a high ionization state to contribute only/mostly with FeXXV (He-α and He-β) and FeXXVI (Ly-α and Ly-β) absorption lines. Alternatively, both these remaining blueshifted absorption features and red-shifted emission features could be signatures of a Fe PCygni type emission and absorption profile originating in an outflowing, highly ionized wind (Dorodnitsyn 2010;Hagino et al 2015;Gardner & Done 2015;Nardini et al 2015). Finally, another possibility for the 6 keV emission line could be a (yet unmodelled) contribution from a weak, and significantly redshifted and broadened reflection component.…”