1ES 1927+654: a bare Seyfert 2

Abstract

1ES 1927+654 is an active galactic nucleus (AGN) that appears to defy the unification model. It exhibits a type-2 optical spectrum, but possesses little X-ray obscuration. XMM-Newton and Suzaku observations obtained in 2011 are used to study the X-ray properties of 1ES 1927+654. The spectral energy distribution derived from simultaneous optical-to-X-ray data obtained with XMM-Newton shows the AGN has a typical Eddington ratio (L/L_Edd = 0.014-0.11). The X-ray spectrum and rapid variability are consistent with originating from a corona surrounding a standard accretion disc. Partial covering models can describe the x-ray data; however, the narrow Fe Ka emission line predicted from standard photoelectric absorption is not detected. Ionized partial covering also favours a high-velocity outflow (v ~ 0.3c), which requires the kinetic luminosity of the wind to be >30 per cent of the bolometric luminosity of the AGN. Such values are not unusual, but for 1ES 1927+654 it requires the wind is launched very close to the black hole (~ 10 Rg). Blurred reflection models also work well at describing the spectral and timing properties of 1ES 1927+654 if the AGN is viewed nearly edge-on, implying that an inner accretion disc must be present. The high inclination is intriguing as it suggests 1ES 1927+654 could be orientated like a Seyfert 2, in agreement with its optical classification, but viewed through a tenuous torus.

14 pages. Accepted for publication in MNRAS

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Cited by in corpus (10)

• 1ES 1927+654: An AGN Caught Changing Look on a Timescale of Months
• The destruction and recreation of the X-ray corona in a changing-look Active Galactic Nucleus
• The Time Domain Spectroscopic Survey: Changing-Look Quasar Candidates from Multi-Epoch Spectroscopy in SDSS-IV
• The 450 days X-ray monitoring of the changing-look AGN 1ES 1927+654
• X-ray absorption, nuclear infrared emission and dust covering factors of AGN: testing Unification Schemes
• Magnetic flux inversion in a peculiar changing look AGN
• The Host Galaxy and Rapidly Evolving Broad-line Region in the Changing-look Active Galactic Nucleus 1ES 1927+654
• Evolution of a Relativistic Outflow and X-ray Corona in the Extreme Changing-Look AGN 1ES 1927+654
• A Search for Optical Variability of Type 2 Quasars in SDSS Stripe 82
• A radio, optical, UV and X-ray view of the enigmatic changing look Active Galactic Nucleus 1ES~1927+654 from its pre- to post-flare states