The Compton Mirror in NGC 4151

Abstract

We show that the sharp cutoff in the hard X-ray spectrum of NGC 4151, unusual for Seyfert 1 galaxies, can be reconciled with the average Seyfert 1 spectrum if we assume that the central source is completely hidden from our line of sight by the thick part of the accretion disk or by the broad emission line clouds. The observed X-ray radiation is produced by scattering of the Seyfert 1-type spectrum in the higher, cooler parts of the accretion disk corona, or in a wind. A sharp cutoff appears as a result of the Compton recoil effect. This model naturally explains a discrepancy regarding the inclination of the central source, inferred to be low (face-on) from observations of the iron $K\alpha$ emission line, but inferred to be high on the basis of optical and UV observations.

10 pages; AASTEX 4.0; 1 postscript figure; [email protected]; to appear in Astrophysical Journal Letters, July 10, 1996

Cited by in corpus (7)

• X-ray variability and correlations in the two phase disk-corona model for Seyfert galaxies
• NGC 4151: an intrinsically average Seyfert 1
• The broad Fe K line profile in NGC 4151
• The UV-Optical Albedo of Broad Emission Line Clouds
• Estimation of relativistic accretion disk parameters from iron line emission
• X-ray spectral and timing analysis of the Compton Thick Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 1068
• AGN Watch Continuum Monitoring of Radio-quiet and Radio-loud AGN