Probing Nuclear and Circumnuclear Properties of NGC 6300 using X-ray Observations

TL;DR

This study provides a comprehensive X-ray analysis of NGC 6300, revealing variability, complex circumnuclear structures, and evolving properties of the torus and nucleus over nearly a decade.

Contribution

It offers new insights into the clumpy nature of the torus and the independent evolution of the nucleus and circumnuclear environment in NGC 6300.

Findings

Detected variability across different energy bands.

Found the torus to be clumpy and non-uniform.

Observed independent evolution of the torus and nucleus.

Abstract

We present the results obtained from a detailed X-ray timing and spectral analysis of Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 6300 by using observations with the {\it Suzaku}, {\it Chandra} and {\it NuSTAR} observatories between 2007 and 2016. We calculate variance, rms fractional variability of the source in different energy bands and find variabilities in various energy bands. Spectral properties of the source are studied by using various phenomenological and physical models. The properties of the Compton clouds, reflection, Fe K$\alpha$ line emission and soft X-ray excess are studied in detail. Several physical parameters of the source are extracted and investigated to establish the presence/absence of any correlation between them. We also investigate the nature of the circumnuclear `torus' and find that the torus is not uniform, rather clumpy. The observed changes in the line-of-sight column density can be explained in terms of transiting clouds. The iron line emitting region is found to be different in the different epoch of observations. We also observe that the torus and the nucleus independently evolve over the years.