A Hot Mess: The Rich and Complex Soft Emitting Regions Surrounding the Reflection Dominated Flaring Central Engine of Mrk 1239

TL;DR

This study uses deep X-ray observations to analyze the complex absorbing and reflecting regions around the central engine of Mrk 1239, revealing a highly intricate environment with multiple emission and absorption components.

Contribution

It provides a detailed, multi-component model of the X-ray environment around Mrk 1239, highlighting the complex interplay of absorption, reflection, and scattering in a Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxy.

Findings

Detected a fivefold X-ray flare in 30 ks.

Confirmed the presence of a neutral, possibly outflowing absorber.

Supported a blurred reflection model over ionized partial covering.

Abstract

Previous X-ray works on Mrk 1239 have revealed a complex Narrow Line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) that exhibits substantial absorption and strong emission from both collisional (CIE) and photoionized (PIE) plasmas. Here, we report on deep-pointed observations with $XMM{\rm -}Newton$ and $NuSTAR$, along with $Swift$ monitoring, to understand the $0.3-30$ keV continuum emission and the central engine geometry. A strong X-ray flare, where the AGN brightens by a factor of five in $\sim30$ ks, is captured between $4-30$ keV and can be attributed to a brightening of the primary continuum. However, the lack of any variability below $\sim3$ keV on long- or short-time scales requires complete absorption of the AGN continuum with a neutral medium of column density $\sim 10^{23.5}{\rm cm}^{-2}$. The timing and spectral properties are consistent with a blurred reflection interpretation for the primary emission. The variability and presence of a Compton hump disfavours ionized partial covering. The neutral absorber, if outflowing, could be crashing into the surrounding medium and ISM to produce the low-energy continuum and CIE. Scattered emission off the inner torus could produce the PIE. The intricate scenario is demanded by the data and highlights the complexity of the environment that is normally invisible when overwhelmed by the AGN continuum. Objects like Mrk 1239 serve as important sources for unveiling the interface between the AGN and host galaxy environments.