Related papers: Tackling the soft X-ray excess in AGN with variabi…
We have observed with XMM-Newton four radiatively efficient active type 1 galaxies with black hole masses < 10^6 Msun, selected optically from the SDSS. We show here that their soft X-ray spectrum exhibits a soft excess with the same…
The smooth soft X-ray excess seen in many type-1 AGN can be well described by models of absorption in partially ionized material with a large velocity dispersion, often physically interpreted as a radiatively driven accretion disk wind.…
We present the first results from a detailed spectral-timing analysis of a long ($\sim$130 ks) XMM-Newton observation and quasi-simultaneous NuSTAR and Swift observations of the highly-accreting narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 1044. The…
The soft excess seen in many AGN is most probably due to partially ionized material moving at relativistic speeds close to the black hole. There are currently two potential geometries for this material, one where it is out of the line of…
We present the first results from a detailed analysis of a new, long ($\sim100$ ks) XMM-Newton observation of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy PG 1404$+$226 which showed a large-amplitude, rapid X-ray variability by a factor of $\sim7$ in…
We present medium and high resolution X-ray spectral study of a Seyfert 1 galaxy ESO~198--G24 using a long (122 ks) XMM-Newton observation performed in February 2006. The source has a prominent featureless soft X-ray excess below $2\kev$.…
Rapid, large amplitude variability at optical to X-ray wavelengths is now seen in an increasing number of Seyfert galaxies and luminous quasars. The variations imply a global change in accretion power, but are too rapid to be communicated…
The 2-10 keV continuum of AGN is generally well represented by a single power law. However, at smaller energies the continuum displays an excess with respect to the extrapolation of this power law, called the ''soft X-ray excess''. Until…
Utilizing a range of techniques including multi-band light curves, softness ratio analysis, structure functions, rms spectra, cross-correlation functions, and ratios of spectra from different intervals, we present a comprehensive study of…
The origin of the soft X-ray emission in obscured AGN is still largely unknown. However, important progresses have been made thanks to the high energy and spatial resolution of XMM-Newton and Chandra. We review here the latest results on…
Changing-state active galactic nuclei (CSAGNs) exhibit rapid variability, with mass accretion rates that can change by several orders of magnitude in a few years. This provides us with a unique opportunity to study the evolution of the…
The origin of the soft X-ray excess emission observed in many type-1 AGN has been an unresolved problem in X-ray astronomy for over two decades. We develop the model proposed Gierlinski & Done (2004), which models the soft excess with…
Context. The soft excess, a surplus of X-ray photons above 2 keV with respect to a power law, is a feature of debated physical origin found in the X-ray spectra of many type-1 active galactic nuclei (AGN). The eROSITA instrument aboard the…
Mkr 841 is a bright Seyfert 1 galaxy known to harbor a strong soft excess and a variable K$\alpha$ iron line. It has been observed during 3 different periods by XMM for a total cumulated exposure time of $\sim$108 ks. We present in this…
Variability in the X-rays is a key ingredient in understanding and unveiling active galactic nuclei (AGN) properties. In this band flux variations occur on short time scales (hours) as well as on larger times scales. While short time scale…
The X-ray spectra of many active galactic nuclei (AGN) exhibit a `soft excess' below 1keV, whose physical origin remains unclear. Diverse models have been suggested to account for it, including ionised reflection of X-rays from the inner…
We discuss a model of X-ray variability of active galactic nuclei (AGN). We consider multiple spots which originate on the surface of an accretion disk following intense irradiation by coronal flares. The spots move with the disk around the…
We systematically analyse all publicly available XMM-Newton spectra of radio-quiet PG quasars. The soft X-ray excess in these objects is well modelled by an additional, cool, Compton scattering region. However, the remarkably constant…
The UV to X-ray continuum of active galactic nuclei (AGN) is important for maintaining the ionisation and thermal balance of the warm absorbers (WAs). However, the spectra in the sensitive energy range $\sim \,13.6 -300 \ev$ are…
We present the spectral/timing properties of the bare Seyfert galaxy Ark 120 through a deep ~420ks XMM-Newton campaign plus recent NuSTAR observations and a ~6-month Swift monitoring campaign. We investigate the spectral decomposition…