A changing inner radius in the accretion disc of Q0056–363?

Abstract

Q0056-363 is the most powerful X-ray quasar known to exhibit a broad, likely relativistic iron line (Porquet & Reeves 2003, A&A, 408, 119). It has been observed twice by XMM–Newton, three and half years apart (July 2000 and December 2003). In the second observation, the UV and soft X-ray fluxes were fainter, the hard X-ray power law flatter, and the iron line equivalent width (EW) smaller than in the 2000 observation. These variations can all be explained, at least qualitatively, if the disc is truncated in the second observation. We report also on the possible detection of a transient, redshifted iron absorption line during the 2003 observation.