Origin of the broad iron line feature and the soft X-ray variation in Seyfert galaxies

Abstract

Abstract Many Seyfert galaxies are known to exhibit significant X-ray spectral variations and seemingly broad iron K-emission line features. In this paper, we show that the “variable partial covering model,” which has been successfully proposed for MCG −6–30–15 (Miyakawa et al. 2012, PASJ, 64, 140) and 1H 0707−495 (Mizumoto et al. 2014, PASJ, 66, 122), can also explain the spectral variations in 2–10 keV as well as the broad iron line features in 20 other Seyfert galaxies observed with Suzaku. In this model, the absorbed spectral component through the optically thick absorbing clouds has a significant iron K-edge, which primarily accounts for the observed, seemingly broad iron line feature. Fluctuation of the absorbing clouds in the line of sight of the extended X-ray source results in variation of the partial covering fraction, which causes an anti-correlation between the direct (not covered) spectral component and the absorbed (covered) spectral component below ∼10 keV. Observed spectral variation in 2–10 keV in a timescale of less than ∼1 day is primarily explained by such variations of the partial covering fraction, while the intrinsic soft X-ray luminosity is hardly variable.