Spectral-timing of AGN ionized outflows with Athena

Abstract

Spectral-timing techniques have proven valuable in studying the interplay between the X-ray corona and the accretion disc in variable active galactic nuclei (AGN). Under certain conditions, photo-ionized outflows emerging from central AGN regions also play a role in the observable spectral-timing properties of the nuclear components. The variable ionizing flux causes the intervening gas to ionize or recombine, resulting in a time-dependent absorption spectrum. Understanding the spectral-timing properties of these outflows is critical for the determination of their role in the AGN environment, but also the correct interpretation of timing signatures of other AGN components. In this paper, we test the capabilities of the Athena X-IFU instrument in studying the spectral and spectral-timing properties of a black hole system displaying a variable outflow. We take the narrow-line Seyfert 1 IRAS 13224-3809 as a test case. Our findings show that while the non-linear response of the absorbing medium can result in complex behaviour of time lags, the resulting decrease in the coherence can be used to constrain gas density and distance to the central source. Ultimately, modelling the coherence spectra of AGN outflows may constitute a valuable tool in studying the physical properties of the outflowing gas.

11 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

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Cited by in corpus (4)

• Scientific Objectives of the Hot Universe Baryon Surveyor (HUBS) Mission
• The X-ray spectral-timing contribution of the stellar wind in the hard state of Cyg X-1
• Constraints on the ultra-fast outflows in the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 1044 from high-resolution time- and flux-resolved spectroscopy
• Time-dependent photoionization spectroscopy of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 3783