Time-dependent photoionization spectroscopy of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 3783

Abstract

We present an investigation into the spectroscopic properties of non-equilibrium photoionization processes operating in a time-evolving mode. Through a quantitative comparison between equilibrium and time-evolving models, we find that the time-evolving model exhibits a broader distribution of charge states, accompanied by a slight shift in the peak ionization state depending on the source variability and gas density. The time-evolving code tpho in SPEX was successfully employed to analyze the spectral properties of warm absorbers in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 3783. The incorporation of variability in the tpho model improves the fits of the time-integrated spectra, providing more accurate descriptions of the average charge states of several elements, in particular Fe, which is peaked around Fe XIX. The inferred densities and distances of the relevant X-ray absorber components are estimated to be approximately a few times 1011 m−3 and ≤1 pc, respectively. Furthermore, the updated fit suggests a potential scenario in which the observed absorbers are being expelled from the central active galactic nucleus at the escape velocities. This implies that these absorbers might not play a significant role in the active galactic nucleus feedback mechanism.