After a 10-year hiatus, Mrk 590 has partially re-ignited, with repeated majorX-ray and UV flare-ups captured by Swift monitoring. We wish to seize this rareopportunity to document the onset of AGN activity as it occurs, since this canlead to significant insight on the long-standing issue of how AGNs are triggeredand fueled. We will use approved Swift XRT monitoring to trigger up to 4single-visit NuSTAR observations, of which up to 3 are joint with XMM (orNICER). Together, these data are needed to determine if a standard thinaccretion disk is being built up as the AGN turns on (and then characterize thisevent) or if alternate physics are at play.1
Instrument
EMOS1, EMOS2, EPN, OM, RGS1, RGS2
Temporal Coverage
2022-07-28T09:26:28Z/2022-07-28T16:56:28Z
Version
20.08_20220509_1852
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 Daniel Lawther, 2023, 'TOO OBS OF A RE-AWAKENING AGN: EXPLORING THE PHYSICS OF CHANGING-LOOK AGN', 20.08_20220509_1852, European Space Agency, https://doi.org/10.57780/esa-s5jwkjs
