Mapping the inner regions of MCG-6-30-15 with<i>XMM-Newton</i>

Ponti, G.; Cappi, M.; Dadina, M.; Malaguti, G.

doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20031758

Cited by 91 publications

(146 citation statements)

References 45 publications

(83 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

134

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Figure 2 summarizes the results. The lefthand panel shows the root mean square variability (rms; Vaughan et al 2003;Ponti et al 2004) computed on the 0.2−10 keV band: on very short time scales (ks), the source flux varies up to 50% at energies E > ∼ 1.5 keV, while it is constant at lower energies. The middle panel shows the backgroundsubtracted lightcurves extracted in the 0.2−1.5 and 1.5−10 keV bands; following the 1.5−10 keV band flux fluctuations, we split the exposure in eight time intervals on which we perform temporally resolved spectral analysis.…”

Section: Timing Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Variable X-ray absorption in the mini-BAL QSO PG 1126-041

Giustini

Cappi

Chartas

et al. 2011

A&A

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Context. X-ray studies of active galactic nuclei (AGN) with powerful nuclear winds are important for constraining the physics of the inner accretion/ejection flow around supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and for understanding the impact of such winds on the AGN environment. Aims. Our main scientific goal is to constrain the properties of the circum-nuclear matter close to the SMBH in the mini-broad absorption line quasar (mini-BAL QSO) PG 1126-041 using a multi-epoch observational campaign with XMM-Newton. Methods. We performed temporally resolved X-ray spectroscopy and simultaneous UV and X-ray photometry on the most complete set of observations and on the deepest X-ray exposure of a mini-BAL QSO ever. Results. We found complex X-ray spectral variability on time scales of both months and hours, which is best reproduced by means of variable massive ionized absorbers along the line of sight. As a consequence, the observed optical-to-X-ray spectral index is found to be variable with time. In the highest signal-to-noise observation we detected highly ionized X-ray absorbing material outflowing much faster (υ X ∼ 16 500 km s −1 ) than the UV absorbing one (υ uv ∼ 5000 km s −1 ). This highly ionized absorber is found to be variable on very short (a few kiloseconds) time scales. Conclusions. Our findings are qualitatively consistent with line-driven accretion disk winds scenarios. Our observations have opened the time-resolved X-ray spectral analysis field for mini-BAL QSOs. Only with future deep studies will we be able to map the dynamics of the inner flow and understand the physics of AGN winds and their impact on the environment.

show abstract

Section: Timing Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Variable X-ray absorption in the mini-BAL QSO PG 1126-041

Giustini

Cappi

Chartas

et al. 2011

A&A

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…in the typical frequency range ∼ 0.1 − 60 Hz) aperiodic variability progressively decreases as the outburst evolves, with the fractional root-mean-square (rms) variability amplitude (e.g. Nandra et al 1997;Vaughan et al 2003; ⋆ E-mail: bdemarco@mpe.mpg.de Ponti et al 2004) dropping from values of tens of percent in the canonical hard state, down to a few percent in the canonical soft state (Belloni et al 2005; Muñoz-Darias, . During the hard state the fractional rms shows an "inverted spectrum" (decreasing with energy), which switches to a "hard spectrum" (increasing with energy, at least above ∼5 keV) during intermediate and soft states (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The evolution of the disc variability along the hard state of the black hole transient GX 339-4

Marco¹,

Ponti²,

Muñoz-Darias³

et al. 2015

Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We report on the analysis of hard-state power spectral density function (PSD) of GX 339-4 down to the soft X-ray band, where the disc significantly contributes to the total emission. At any luminosity probed, the disc in the hard state is intrinsically more variable than in the soft state. However, the fast decrease of disc variability as a function of luminosity, combined with the increase of disc intensity, causes a net drop of fractional variability at high luminosities and low energies, which reminds the well-known behaviour of disc-dominated energy bands in the soft state. The peak-frequency of the high-frequency Lorentzian (likely corresponding to the high-frequency break seen in active galactic nuclei, AGN) scales with luminosity, but we do not find evidence for a linear scaling. In addition, we observe that this characteristic frequency is energy-dependent. We find that the normalization of the PSD at the peak of the high-frequency Lorentzian decreases with luminosity at all energies, though in the soft band this trend is steeper. Together with the frequency shift, this yields quasi-constant high frequency (5-20 Hz) fractional rms at high energies, with less than 10 percent scatter. This reinforces previous claims suggesting that the high frequency PSD solely scales with BH mass. On the other hand, this constancy breaks down in the soft band (where the scatter increases to ∼ 30 percent). This is a consequence of the additional contribution from the disc component, and resembles the behaviour of optical variability in AGN.

show abstract

“…All curves have a broadened maximum which does not match the observed, peaked shape (see Fig. 4 in Ponti et al 2004). Thus, even if the flare is reflection-dominated, neither the geometrically evolving irradiation across the spot nor relativistic and Doppler modifications can account for the observed shape of the lightcurve.…”

Section: Model Lightcurves For An Elevated Flare Sourcementioning

confidence: 81%

“…In Ky we define the time-dependent disk emission according to the subsequent illumination and fade-out of the spot from its center toward the border. The duration of this time sequence is normalized by H, which we constrain from the observed soft-to-hard time delay of ∼ 600 s (Ponti et al 2004). We assume that this delay is entirely due to the light traveling time between the source and the disk leading to H = 7 R g .…”

Section: Model Lightcurves For An Elevated Flare Sourcementioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Constraints on a strong X-ray flare in the Seyfert galaxy MCG–6-30-15

Goosmann¹,

Karas²,

Dovčiak³

et al. 2006

Proc. IAU

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. We discuss implications of a strong flare event observed in the Seyfert galaxy MCG-6-30-15 assuming that the emission is due to localized magnetic reconnection. We conduct detailed radiative transfer modeling of the reprocessed radiation for a primary source that is elevated above the disk. The model includes relativistic effects and Keplerian motion around the black hole. We show that for such a model setup the observed time-modulation must be intrinsic to the primary source. Using a simple analytical model we then investigate time delays between hard and soft X-rays during the flare. The model considers an intrinsic delay between primary and reprocessed radiation, which measures the geometrical distance of the flare source to the reprocessing sites. The observed time delays are well reproduced if one assumes that the reprocessing happens in magnetically confined, cold clouds.Keywords. galaxies: active, galaxies: Seyfert, X-rays: individual (MCG-6-30-15)The Seyfert galaxy MCG-6-30-15 was observed for 95 ksec with XMM-Newton in the year 2000 (Wilms et al. 2001). The X-ray lightcurve of this observation reveals a strong flare event of which Ponti et al. (2004) conducted a detailed analysis. In this proceedings note we discuss the possibility that the flare is produced by localized magnetic reconnection and we constrain some details of such a flare setup. Model lightcurves for an elevated flare sourceWe imagine that the strong flare in MCG-6-30-15 originates in a compact reconnection site elevated to a height H above the surface of the accretion disk. The radiation from this primary source partly shines toward the disk and creates a hot spot. The distance of the spot's center to the disk center is denoted by r. The flare is supposed to be in Keplerian co-rotation with the disk and we assume that the primary illumination sets on and fades out instantaneously. The irradiation of the disk then evolves across the hot spot, starting from the spot center and progressing toward the border. Therefore we expect the lightcurve of the reprocessed radiation to be curved even if the time evolution of the primary is box-shaped.We want to model the exact shape of the lightcurve expected from such a flare setup at different orbital phases of the disk. We first conduct detailed local radiative transfer computations. The varying intensity of the irradiation across the hot spot is taken into account as well as the angular dependence of the reprocessed emission. The vertical structure of the disk is assumed to remain in the same hydrostatic equilibrium as before the onset of the flare. The profile is computed with an extended version of the code described in Różańska et al. (2002). The local spectra across the spot are then computed by the codes Titan and Noar (Dumont et al. 2000(Dumont et al. , 2003. We assume a black hole mass 1

show abstract

Mapping the inner regions of MCG-6-30-15 withXMM-Newton

Cited by 91 publications

References 45 publications

Variable X-ray absorption in the mini-BAL QSO PG 1126-041

Variable X-ray absorption in the mini-BAL QSO PG 1126-041

The evolution of the disc variability along the hard state of the black hole transient GX 339-4

Constraints on a strong X-ray flare in the Seyfert galaxy MCG–6-30-15

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About