NGC 3227 has it all: rapid X-ray variability, a negative lag, variable Fe Kemission and variable absorption. However, no observing campaign to date hasbeen constructed to optimally use the timing and spectroscopic signatures of thereprocessor together to map the X-ray gas. We propose to combine 320 ks on XMMand 160 ks on Nustar to isolate reverberation signatures from the circumnucleargas. Our proposed methodology will allow us to measure directly in the lightcurve the actual reverberation delay, the timescale of the delay and the shapeof the transfer function, which give an unambiguous model independentconstraints on the reverberating gas. This gas is key to understanding theaccretion process and the co-evolution of galaxies and their nuclear black holes.
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2016-11-09T12:51:03Z/2016-12-10T09:49:49Z
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, Dr Tracey Turner, 2018, 'Mapping the X-ray reprocessor in NGC 3227', 17.56_20190403_1200, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.5270/esa-ldat2pa
