The broad-band spectrum of the Narrow-line Seyfert 1 NGC 4748: from UV to hard X-ray

TL;DR

This study analyzes the broad-band spectrum of NGC 4748, a narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy, using multi-instrument data to investigate the origin of its soft X-ray excess through different physical models.

Contribution

It compares two physical models for the soft X-ray excess in NGC 4748, providing insights into their applicability and constraints from combined UV and X-ray data.

Findings

Highly ionized reflection explains the soft excess with ionization parameter ~3000.

A thermal Comptonization model can also fit the data and estimate black hole mass.

The study cannot conclusively favor one model over the other based solely on X-ray spectra.

Abstract

We report the results obtained by a broad-band (0.5-500 keV) data analysis of narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 4748 observed with an XMM-Newton/PN, INTEGRAL/ISGRI and SWIFT/BAT telescopes. This galaxy has a soft X-ray excess that is typical for the class of narrow-line Seyfert 1. The question of the origin of soft excess in such objects is still unclear. We tested and compared two spectral models for the soft X-ray spectra based on the different physical scenarios. The first one is based on the Done & Nayakshin model of two-phase accretion disc in a vertical direction, which includes two reflection zones with different ionization levels. According to this model, we found that a highly ionized reflection has the value of ionization $\xi\sim3000$ $erg~s^{-1}~cm$ and is mostly responsible for the soft excess. This reflection becomes comparable with a low ionized one ($\xi\sim30$ $erg~s^{-1}~cm$) in moderate X-ray range. However, this model requires also an additional component at soft energies with $kT\sim300$ eV. The second model is an energetically self-consistent model and assumes that a soft excess arises from optically thick thermal Comptonization of the disc emission. Combination of the UV (from XMM/Optical monitor) and X-ray data in the latter model allowed us to determine a mass of the central black hole of $6.9\times10^6 M_{\odot}$ and Eddington ratio $log_{L/L_{Edd}}\simeq-0.57$. Also, we were not able to rule out one of competing models using only X-ray spectra of NGC 4748.