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Multiwavelength campaign on Mrk 509. IV. Optical-UV-X-ray variability and the nature of the soft X-ray excess
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Submitted 4 Jul 2011
abstract compiled · 2026-09-23 · no language-model review
The authors' main claim The results of our simultaneous broad-band spectral and timing analysis suggest that, on a resolution time of a few days, the soft X-ray excess of Mrk 509 is produced by the Comptonisation of the thermal optical-UV photons from the accretion disc by a warm (0.2 keV) optically thick (tau ~ 17) corona surrounding the inner regions of the disc.
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The abstract, sentence by sentence
We present the analysis of XMM-Newton and Swift optical-UV and X-ray observations of the Seyfert-1/QSO Mrk 509, part of an unprecedented multi-wavelength campaign, investigating the nuclear environment of this AGN. The XMM-Newton data are from a series of 10 observations of about 60 ks each, spaced from each other by about 4 days, taken in Oct-Nov 2009. During our campaign, Mrk 509 was also observed with Swift for a period of about 100 days, monitoring the behaviour of the source before and after the XMM-Newton observations. With these data we have established the continuum spectrum in the optical-UV and X-ray bands and investigated its variability on the timescale of our campaign with a resolution time of a few days. In order to measure and model the continuum as far as possible into the UV, we also made use of HST/COS observations of Mrk 509 (part of our coordinated campaign) and of an archival FUSE observation. We have found that in addition to an X-ray power-law, the spectrum displays soft X-ray excess emission below 2 keV, which interestingly varies in association with the thermal optical-UV emission from the accretion disc. The change in the X-ray power-law component flux (albeit smaller than that of the soft excess), on the other hand, is uncorrelated to the flux variability of the soft X-ray excess and the disc component on the probed timescale. The results of our simultaneous broad-band spectral and timing analysis suggest that, on a resolution time of a few days, the soft X-ray excess of Mrk 509 is produced by the Comptonisation of the thermal optical-UV photons from the accretion disc by a warm (0.2 keV) optically thick (tau ~ 17) corona surrounding the inner regions of the disc. This makes Mrk 509, with a black hole mass of about 1-3 x 10^8 solar masses, the highest mass known system to display such behaviour and origin for the soft X-ray excess.
background contribution method result interpretation main claim
| # | sentence | role | the authors' own work | states the main conclusion | strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| s0 | We present the analysis of XMM-Newton and Swift optical-UV and X-ray observations of the Seyfert-1/QSO Mrk 509, part of an unprecedented multi-wavelength campaign, investigating the nuclear environment of this AGN. | contribution 1.00 | 0.89 | 0.03 | asserted 0.86 |
| s1 | The XMM-Newton data are from a series of 10 observations of about 60 ks each, spaced from each other by about 4 days, taken in Oct-Nov 2009. | method 1.00 | 0.84 | 0.01 | asserted 1.00 |
| s2 | During our campaign, Mrk 509 was also observed with Swift for a period of about 100 days, monitoring the behaviour of the source before and after the XMM-Newton observations. | method 0.99 | 0.82 | 0.01 | asserted 1.00 |
| s3 | With these data we have established the continuum spectrum in the optical-UV and X-ray bands and investigated its variability on the timescale of our campaign with a resolution time of a few days. | contribution 0.64 | 0.97 | 0.03 | asserted 1.00 |
| s4 | In order to measure and model the continuum as far as possible into the UV, we also made use of HST/COS observations of Mrk 509 (part of our coordinated campaign) and of an archival FUSE observation. | method 0.99 | 0.88 | 0.02 | asserted 0.99 |
| s5 | We have found that in addition to an X-ray power-law, the spectrum displays soft X-ray excess emission below 2 keV, which interestingly varies in association with the thermal optical-UV emission from the accretion disc. | result 1.00 | 0.97 | 0.18 | asserted 1.00 |
| s6 | The change in the X-ray power-law component flux (albeit smaller than that of the soft excess), on the other hand, is uncorrelated to the flux variability of the soft X-ray excess and the disc component on the probed timescale. | result 1.00 | 0.95 | 0.05 | asserted 1.00 |
| s7 | The results of our simultaneous broad-band spectral and timing analysis suggest that, on a resolution time of a few days, the soft X-ray excess of Mrk 509 is produced by the Comptonisation of the thermal optical-UV photons from the accretion disc by a warm (0.2 keV) optically thick (tau ~ 17) corona surrounding the inner regions of the disc. | interpretation 0.97 | 0.94 | 0.90 | hedged possibility 0.94 |
| s8 | This makes Mrk 509, with a black hole mass of about 1-3 x 10^8 solar masses, the highest mass known system to display such behaviour and origin for the soft X-ray excess. | result 0.50 | 0.82 | 0.15 | asserted 1.00 |
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Original abstract
We present the analysis of XMM-Newton and Swift optical-UV and X-ray observations of the Seyfert-1/QSO Mrk 509, part of an unprecedented multi-wavelength campaign, investigating the nuclear environment of this AGN. The XMM-Newton data are from a series of 10 observations of about 60 ks each, spaced from each other by about 4 days, taken in Oct-Nov 2009. During our campaign, Mrk 509 was also observed with Swift for a period of about 100 days, monitoring the behaviour of the source before and after the XMM-Newton observations. With these data we have established the continuum spectrum in the optical-UV and X-ray bands and investigated its variability on the timescale of our campaign with a resolution time of a few days. In order to measure and model the continuum as far as possible into the UV, we also made use of HST/COS observations of Mrk 509 (part of our coordinated campaign) and of an archival FUSE observation. We have found that in addition to an X-ray power-law, the spectrum displays soft X-ray excess emission below 2 keV, which interestingly varies in association with the thermal optical-UV emission from the accretion disc. The change in the X-ray power-law component flux (albeit smaller than that of the soft excess), on the other hand, is uncorrelated to the flux variability of the soft X-ray excess and the disc component on the probed timescale. The results of our simultaneous broad-band spectral and timing analysis suggest that, on a resolution time of a few days, the soft X-ray excess of Mrk 509 is produced by the Comptonisation of the thermal optical-UV photons from the accretion disc by a warm (0.2 keV) optically thick (tau ~ 17) corona surrounding the inner regions of the disc. This makes Mrk 509, with a black hole mass of about 1-3 x 10^8 solar masses, the highest mass known system to display such behaviour and origin for the soft X-ray excess.
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