Spectral Energy Distribution Variations of Nearby Seyfert Galaxies During AGN Watch Monitoring Programs

TL;DR

This study analyzes multi-epoch spectral energy distributions of nearby Seyfert galaxies to understand variability impacts on key AGN measurements, highlighting the importance of near-simultaneous data for accuracy.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of SED variability in Seyfert galaxies using quasi-simultaneous multi-epoch data from AGN Watch programs, improving measurement precision.

Findings

SED variability occurs mostly over long timescales (>1 year).

Using data within 20 days reduces uncertainties in luminosity and correction factors.

EUV gap causes significant uncertainty in intrinsic SED estimates.

Abstract

We present and analyse quasi-simultaneous multi-epoch spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of seven reverberation-mapped AGNs for which accurate black hole mass measurements and suitable archival data are available from the 'AGN Watch' monitoring programs. We explore the potential of optical-UV and X-ray data, obtained within 2 days, to provide more accurate SED-based measurements of individual AGN and quantify the impact of source variability on key measurements typically used to characterise the black hole accretion process plus on bolometric correction factors at 5100 {\AA}, 1350 {\AA} and for the 2-10 keV X-ray band, respectively. The largest SED changes occur on long timescales (>1 year). For our small sample, the 1 micron to 10 keV integrated accretion luminosity typically changes by 10% on short time-scales (over 20 days), by ~30% over a year, but can change by 100% or more for individual AGN. The EUV gap is the most uncertain part of the intrinsic SED, introducing a ~25% uncertainty in the accretion-induced luminosity, relative to the model independent interpolation method that we adopt. That aside, our analysis shows that the uncertainty in the accretion-induced luminosity, the Eddington luminosity ratio and the bolometric correction factors can be reduced (by a factor of two or more) by use of SEDs built from data obtained within 20 days. However, mass accretion rate and mass accretion efficiency are mostly limited by the unknown EUV emission and the unknown details of the central engine and our aspect angle.