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| Paper: |
Partly cloudy skies in NGC 3227: catching an absorption event with RXTE and XMM-Newton |
| Volume: |
290, Active Galactic Nuclei: from Central Engine to Host Galaxy |
| Page: |
257 |
| Authors: |
Uttley, P.; McHardy, I. M.; Lamer, G. |
| Abstract: |
Long term monitoring of Seyfert galaxies with RXTE allows us to probe X-ray spectral variability on an unprecedented range of time-scales. In NGC3227, increases in the hardness of the continuum are anticorrelated with flux, as seen in other AGN. However, in early 2001 we witnessed a strong rise then decline in hardness over the course of 3 months, which showed no simple relation to flux changes. The uniqueness and symmetry of this event suggest that we have witnessed the transit of an absorbing cloud across the line of sight to the source. Using spectral and dynamical constraints, we argue that the cloud lies in the broad line region. Future multi-band observations of such an event may allow us to determine the detailed composition of BLR clouds. |
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