The size of the X-ray emitting region in SWIFT J2127.4+5654 via a broad line region cloud X-ray eclipse

TL;DR

This study uses time-resolved X-ray spectral analysis of SWIFT J2127.4+5654 to measure the size of the X-ray emitting region and the properties of an intervening broad line region cloud, revealing insights into the structure near the black hole.

Contribution

First direct constraints on the size and density of the broad line region cloud and the X-ray emitting region in SWIFT J2127.4+5654 through eclipse analysis.

Findings

The absorbing cloud has a size less than 1.5×10^13 cm and is located beyond 4.3×10^16 cm from the black hole.

The X-ray emitting region is smaller than 2.3×10^13 cm, corresponding to less than 10.5 gravitational radii.

The relativistic Fe K emission line supports an intermediate black hole spin in SWIFT J2127.4+5654.

Abstract

We present results obtained from the time-resolved X-ray spectral analysis of the Narrow-Line-Seyfert 1 galaxy SWIFT J2127.4+5654 during a ~130 ks XMM-Newton observation. We reveal large spectral variations, especially during the first ~90 ks of the XMM-Newton exposure. The spectral variability can be attributed to a partial eclipse of the X-ray source by an intervening low-ionization/cold absorbing structure (cloud) with column density N_H = 2.0^{+0.2}_{-0.3}e22 cm^-2 which gradually covers and then uncovers the X-ray emitting region with covering fraction ranging from zero to ~43 per cent. Our analysis enables us to constrain the size, number density, and location of the absorbing cloud with good accuracy. We infer a cloud size (diameter) of $D_c < 1.5e13 cm, corresponding to a density of n_c > 1.5e9 cm^-3 at a distance of R_c > 4.3e16 cm from the central black hole. All of the inferred quantities concur to identify the absorbing structure with one single cloud associated with the broad line region of SWIFT J2127.4+5654. We are also able to constrain the X-ray emitting region size (diameter) to be D_s < 2.3e13 cm which, assuming the black hole mass estimated from single-epoch optical spectroscopy (1.5e7 M_sun), translates into D_s < 10.5 gravitational radii (r_g) with larger sizes (in r_g) being associated with smaller black hole masses, and viceversa. We also confirm the presence of a relativistically distorted reflection component off the inner accretion disc giving rise to a broad relativistic Fe K emission line and small soft excess (small because of the high Galactic column density), supporting the measurement of an intermediate black hole spin in SWIFT J2127.4+5654 that was obtained from a previous Suzaku observation.