SIMBAD references

2002MNRAS.336..867B - Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc., 336, 867-872 (2002/November-1)

Soft X-ray emission lines from photoionized accretion discs: constraints on their strength and width.

BALLANTYNE D.R., ROSS R.R. and FABIAN A.C.

Abstract (from CDS):

We consider the properties of soft X-ray emission lines in the reprocessed emission from a photoionized accretion disc. Observations of these lines will be important in determining the ionization state and metallicity of the innermost regions of active galaxies. Calculations of reflection from a constant-density disc with an ionization parameter, ξ, between 250 and 1000 erg.cm/s show that emission from Oviii Lyα will dominate the soft X-ray emission spectrum. There is also significant emission from Cvi, Nvii, Ovii and Fexvii-xix. As ξ is increased these lines become weaker and are broadened by Compton scattering. Significantly increasing the O abundance primarily strengthens the Ovii line, making it as large or larger than the Oviii line. The nitrogen and carbon lines are quite weak with equivalent widths (EWs) <30 eV, even with an increase in the N abundance. A hydrostatic ionized disc model has a more realistic density structure and shows a similar spectrum, but with the lines weaker and broader. This is a result of the hot ionized skin at the surface of the disc. We apply these results to the controversial claim of soft X-ray relativistic lines in the XMM-Newton spectrum of MCG-6-30-15. We are unable to find a situation where Oviii has the required EW without substantial emission from Ovii. Furthermore, Compton scattering results in the blue wing of the Oviii line being much broader than the ≪10 eV drop observed in the data. We conclude that soft X-ray accretion disc lines will, in general, be weak and broad features and are unlikely to produce sharp edges in the data.

Abstract Copyright: RAS

Journal keyword(s): line: formation - radiative transfer - galaxies: active - galaxies: individual: MCG-6-30-15 - X-rays: galaxies - X-rays: general.

Simbad objects: 2

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