Abstract

We present a detailed spectral study of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy, Markarian 335, using eight epoch observations made between 2013 and 2020 with the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array. The source was variable during this period both in spectral flux and flow geometry. We estimated the height of the Compton cloud from the model fitted parameters for the whole observation period. This allowed us to investigate the underlying physical processes that drive the variability in X-rays. Our model fitted mass varies in a narrow range, between (2.44±0.45−3.04±0.56)×107M⊙, however, given the large error bars, it is consistent with being constant and is in agreement with that known from optical reverberation mapping observations. The disk mass accretion rate reached a maximum of 10% of the Eddington rate during June 2013. Our study sheds light on mass outflows from the system and also compares different aspects of accretion with X-ray binaries.

Highlights

  • Active galactic nuclei (AGN) host an accretion disk with an energetic X-ray-producing Compton cloud around a supermassive black hole at the center

  • According to the two-component advective flow (TCAF) model [7,8], at a certain distance from the black hole (BH) where the gravitational force balances with the centrifugal force, shock forms by the low angular momentum, hot, subKeplerian halo, and satisfies Rankine–Hugoniot conditions, which is the region of the truncation of the disk

  • Our model fits show that the line energy and width vary in a broad range, which point to complex geometry changes and gravity effects in the source

Read more

Summary

Introduction

Active galactic nuclei (AGN) host an accretion disk with an energetic X-ray-producing Compton cloud (so-called corona) around a supermassive black hole at the center. Most of the models in the literature [5,6] use optical depth, the coronal temperature, or the spectral index as a parameter to compute the spectrum from the corona None of these are the basic physical quantities of accretion. As the gravitational force dominates closer to the BH, velocity again increases and the flow passes through the inner sonic point and falls onto the BH, the flow is transonic [7] Beyond this shocked region, both the disk and halo matter pile up to decide the optical depth and temperature of the corona region. Due to ICS, the corona cools down and its area decreases, leading to a low brightness level and a softer spectrum [9] These physical properties and the dynamics of the flow make TCAF more favorable as a physical model than other existing models in the literature. Among the various models available in the literature to understand the observed X-ray emission in AGN, we preferred to consider the TCAF model for our study

Objectives
Results
Conclusion
Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call