The ASCA discovery of a broad iron line in the Seyfert 1 galaxy MCG-6-30-15provided the laboratory for studying the innermost regions of the accretion flowand strong gravity; the skewed line profile further suggests evidence for a Kerrhole. Subsequent studies of the warm absorber and reflection component revealfurther intriguing properties, including a possible 33h period exhibited by thiscanonical AGN. We propose a 420ks observation, with particular emphasis on thevariable iron line in order to better understand the environment of the blackhole and to determine unambiguously its spin. We anticipate that reverberationmapping may be possible with XMM; together with knowledge of the disk radius,time lag measurements will untimately enable us to determine the black hole mass
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2001-07-31T15:17:12Z/2001-08-05T16:33:57Z
Version
17.56_20190403_1200
Mission Description
The European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM-Newton) was launched by an Ariane 504 on December 10th 1999. XMM-Newton is ESAs second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 Science Programme. It carries 3 high throughput X-ray telescopes with an unprecedented effective area, and an optical monitor, the first flown on a X-ray observatory. The large collecting area and ability to make long uninterrupted exposures provide highly sensitive observations. Since Earths atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigmatic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself. Observing time on XMM-Newton is being made available to the scientific community, applying for observational periods on a competitive basis.
European Space Agency, Prof Andrew Fabian, 2003, 'A detailed study of the variable iron line in MCG--6-30-15', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-n8zcra5
