X-ray Properties of Hard X-ray Selected AGN

TL;DR

This study investigates the X-ray properties of a select group of Seyfert I galaxies from the Swift-BAT catalog, aiming to test the ionized relativistic reflection model and identify promising features indicative of relativistic disc reflection.

Contribution

It identifies seven Seyfert I galaxies with potential relativistic disc reflection features using combined XMM-Newton and Swift data, highlighting targets for future detailed observations.

Findings

Seven sources show features of relativistic disc reflection.

Identification of promising candidates for studying black hole spin.

Emphasis on the need for longer observations with current and future missions.

Abstract

Using the latest 70 month Swift-BAT catalog we examined hard X-ray selected Seyfert I galaxies which are relatively little known and little studied, and yet potentially promising to test the ionized relativistic reflection model. From this list we chose 13 sources which have been observed by XMM-Newton for less than 20 ks, in order to explore the broad band soft to hard X-ray properties with the analysis of combined XMM-Newton and Swift data. Out of these we found seven sources which exhibit potentially promising features of the relativistic disc reflection, such as a strong soft excess, a large Compton hump and/or a broadened Fe line. Longer observations of four of these sources with the currently operating satellite missions, such as Suzaku, XMM-Newton and NuStar and two others by such future missions as ASTRO-H, will be invaluable, in order to better understand the relativistic disc reflection closest to the central black hole and constrain such important effects of strong gravity as the black hole spin.