Origin of the characteristic X-ray spectral variations of IRAS 13224−3809

Abstract

Abstract The narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy (NLS1) IRAS 13224−3809 is known to exhibit significant X-ray spectral variation, a sharp spectral drop at ∼7 keV, strong soft excess emission, and a hint of an iron L-edge feature, which is very similar to the NLS1 1H 0707−495. We have proposed the “Variable Double Partial Covering (VDPC) model” to explain the energy spectra and spectral variability of 1H 0707−495 (Mizumoto et al. 2014, PASJ, 66, 122). In this model, the observed flux/spectral variations below 10 keV within ∼ a day are primarily caused by change of the partial covering fraction of patchy clouds composed by double absorption layers in the line of sight. In this paper, we apply the VDPC model to IRAS 13224−3809. Consequently, we have found that the VDPC model can explain the observed spectral variations of IRAS 13224−3809 in the 0.5–10 keV band. In particular, we can explain the observed root mean square (RMS) spectra (energy dependence of the fractional flux variation) in the entire 0.5–10 keV band. In addition to the well-known significant drop in the iron K-band, we have found intriguing iron L-peaks in the RMS spectra when the iron L-edge is particularly deep. This feature, which is also found in 1H 0707−495, is naturally explained with the VDPC model, such that the RMS variations increase at the energies where optical depths of the partial absorbers are large. The absorbers have a larger optical depth at the iron L-edge than in the adjacent energy bands, and thus a characteristic iron L-peak appears. On the other hand, just below the iron K-edge, the optical depth is the lowest and the RMS spectrum has a broad dip.