The X-ray emission of the Seyfert 2 galaxy MCG-01-24-12

Abstract

We present a detailed X-ray spectral analysis of the nearby Seyfert 2 galaxy MCG-01-24-12 based on a multi-epoch data set. Data have been taken with different X-ray satellites, namely XMM-Newton, NuSTAR, Swift and Chandra and cover different time intervals, from years down to a few days. From 2006 to 2013 the source had a 2-10 keV flux of $\sim$1.5$\times$10${}^{-11}$ erg cm${}^{-2}$ s${}^{-1}$, consistent with archival observations based on \textit{HEAO} and \textit{BeppoSAX} data, though a 2019 \textit{Chandra} snapshot caught the source in an extreme low flux state, a factor of $\sim$10 fainter than its historical one. Based on phenomenological and physically motivated models, we find the X-ray spectrum of MCG-01-24-12 to be best modelled by a power-law continuum emission with $\hat{I}“$=1.76$\pm$0.09 with a high energy cut-off at E${}_{\mathrm{c}}=70_{-14}^{+21}$ keV that is absorbed by a fairly constant column density of N${}_{\mathrm{H}}$=(6.3$\pm$0.5)$\times 10^{22}$ cm${}^{-2}$. These quantities allowed us to estimate the properties of the hot corona in MCG-01-24-12 for the cases of a spherical or slab-like hot Comptonising plasma to be kT${}_{\mathrm{e}}$=27${}_{-4}^{+8}$ keV, $\ddot{I}{„}_{\mathrm{e}}$=5.5$\pm$1.3 and kT${}_{\mathrm{e}}$=28${}_{-5}^{+7}$ keV, $\ddot{I}„$=3.2$\pm$0.8, respectively. Finally, despite the short duration of the exposures, possible evidence of the presence of outflows is discussed.

12 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in A&A