The Rhythm of Fairall 9. I. Observing the Spectral Variability with XMM-Newton and NuSTAR

A. M. Lohfink, C. S. Reynolds, C. Pinto, W. Alston, S. E. Boggs, Finn Erland Christensen, W. W. Craig, A. C. Fabian, C. J. Hailey, F. A. Harrison, E. Kara, G. Matt, M. L. Parker, D. Stern, D. Walton, W. W. Zhang

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    Abstract

    We present a multi-epoch X-ray spectral analysis of the Seyfert 1 galaxy Fairall 9. Our analysis shows that Fairall 9 displays unique spectral variability in that its ratio residuals to a simple absorbed power law in the 0.5–10 keV band remain constant with time in spite of large variations in flux. This behavior implies an unchanging source geometry and the same emission processes continuously at work at the timescale probed. With the constraints from NuSTAR on the broad-band spectral shape, it is clear that the soft excess in this source is a superposition of two different processes, one being blurred ionized reflection in the innermost parts of the accretion disk, and the other a continuum component such as a spatially distinct Comptonizing region. Alternatively, a more complex primary Comptonization component together with blurred ionized reflection could be responsible.
    Original languageEnglish
    Article number11
    JournalAstrophysical Journal
    Volume821
    Issue number1
    Number of pages11
    ISSN0004-637X
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2016

    Bibliographical note

    © 2016. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

    Keywords

    • Galaxies
    • Active - galaxies
    • Seyfert - X-rays
    • Individual (fairall 9)

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