Spectral-timing of AGN ionized outflows with Athena

TL;DR

This paper explores how Athena X-IFU can analyze spectral-timing properties of AGN ionized outflows, revealing how outflow responses affect time lags and coherence, aiding in understanding their physical characteristics.

Contribution

It demonstrates the potential of Athena X-IFU to study the spectral-timing behavior of AGN outflows and how coherence spectra can constrain outflow properties.

Findings

Complex lag behavior due to non-linear outflow response.

Decrease in coherence constrains gas density and distance.

Modeling coherence spectra helps study outflow properties.

Abstract

Spectral-timing techniques have proven valuable in studying the interplay between the X-ray corona and the accretion disc in variable active galactic nuclei (AGN). Under certain conditions, photo-ionized outflows emerging from central AGN regions also play a role in the observable spectral-timing properties of the nuclear components. The variable ionizing flux causes the intervening gas to ionize or recombine, resulting in a time-dependent absorption spectrum. Understanding the spectral-timing properties of these outflows is critical for the determination of their role in the AGN environment, but also the correct interpretation of timing signatures of other AGN components. In this paper, we test the capabilities of the Athena X-IFU instrument in studying the spectral and spectral-timing properties of a black hole system displaying a variable outflow. We take the narrow-line Seyfert 1 IRAS 13224-3809 as a test case. Our findings show that while the non-linear response of the absorbing medium can result in complex behaviour of time lags, the resulting decrease in the coherence can be used to constrain gas density and distance to the central source. Ultimately, modelling the coherence spectra of AGN outflows may constitute a valuable tool in studying the physical properties of the outflowing gas.