Simple interpretation of the seemingly complicated X-ray spectral variation of NGC 5548

Abstract

ABSTRACT NGC 5548 is a very well-studied Seyfert 1 galaxy in broad wavelengths. Previous multiwavelength observation campaigns have indicated that its multiple absorbers are highly variable and complex. A previous study applied a two-zone partial covering model with different covering fractions to explain the complex X-ray spectral variation and reported a correlation between one of the covering fractions and the photon index of the power-law continuum. However, it is not straightforward to physically understand such a correlation. In this paper, we propose a model to avoid this unphysical situation; the central X-ray emission region is partially covered by clumpy absorbers composed of double layers. These ‘double partial coverings’ have precisely the same covering fraction. Based on our model, we have conducted an extensive spectral study using the data taken by XMM–Newton, Suzaku, and NuSTAR in the range of 0.3–78 keV for 16 yr. Consequently, we have found that the X-ray spectral variations are mainly explained by independent changes of the following three components; (1) the soft excess spectral component below ∼1 keV, (2) the cut-off power-law normalization, and (3) the partial covering fraction of the clumpy absorbers. In particular, spectral variations above ∼1 keV are mostly explained only by the changes of the partial covering fraction and the power-law normalization. In contrast, the photon index and all the other spectral parameters are not significantly variable.