arXiv subjects

Karen M. Leighly

Publications and source records attributed to Karen M. Leighly.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

Mean Spectral Energy Distributions and Bolometric Corrections for Luminous Quasars

We explore the mid-infrared (mid-IR) through ultraviolet (UV) spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of 119,652 luminous broad-lined quasars with 0.064 1.6; the latter is a possible indicator of the strength of the accretion disk wind, which is expected to be SED dependent. Luminosity-dependent mean SEDs show that, relative to the high-luminosity SED, low-luminosity SEDs exhibit a harder (bluer) far-UV spectral slope, a redder optical continuum, and less hot dust. Mean SEDs constructed instead as a function of UV emission line properties reveal changes that are consistent with known Principal Component Analysis (PCA) trends. A potentially important contribution to the bolometric correction is the unseen extream-UV (EUV) continuum. Our work suggests that lower-luminosity quasars and/or quasars with disk-dominated broad emission lines may require an extra continuum component in the EUV that is not present (or much weaker) in high-luminosity quasars with strong accretion disk winds. As such, we consider four possible models and explore the resulting bolometric corrections. Understanding these various SED-dependent effects will be important for accurate determination of quasar accretion rates.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

Probing High-Column Outflows in BALQSOs Using Metastable Helium

Outflows are believed to be ubiquitous and fundamentally important in active galaxies. Despite their importance, key physical properties of outflows remain poorly unconstrained; this severely limits study of the acceleration process. It is especially difficult to constrain the column density since most of the lines are saturated. However, column densities can be measured using ions that are expected to be relatively rare in the gas, since they are least likely to be saturated. Phosphorus, specifically the PV doublet at 1118 and 1128A, is generally regarded as a useful probe of high column densities because of its low abundance. We have found that the metastable neutral helium triplet is an equally valuable probe of high column densities in BALQSOs. The significant advantage is that it can be observed in the infrared (HeI*10830) and the optical (HeI*3889) bands from the ground in low-redshift (z<1.2) objects. We report the discovery of the first HeI*10830 BALQSO FBQS J1151+3822, and discuss constraints on the column density obtained from the optical and IR HeI* lines. In addition, a new observation revealing MgII and FeII absorption provides further constraints, and Cloudy modeling of HeI*, MgII, and FeII suggests that the difference between LoBALs and FeLoBALs is column density along the line of sight.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2011

CIV Emission and the Ultraviolet through X-ray Spectral Energy Distribution of Radio-Quiet Quasars

In the restframe UV, two of the parameters that best characterize the range of emission-line properties in quasar broad emission-line regions are the equivalent width and the blueshift of the CIV line relative to the quasar rest frame. We explore the connection between these emission-line properties and the UV through X-ray spectral energy distribution (SED) for radio-quiet (RQ) quasars. Our sample consists of a heterogeneous compilation of 406 quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and Palomar-Green survey that have well-measured CIV emission-line and X-ray properties (including 164 objects with measured Gamma). We find that RQ quasars with both strong CIV emission and small CIV blueshifts can be classified as "hard-spectrum" sources that are (relatively) strong in the X-ray as compared to the UV. On the other hand, RQ quasars with both weak CIV emission and large CIV blueshifts are instead "soft-spectrum" sources that are (relatively) weak in the X-ray as compared to the UV. This work helps to further bridge optical/soft X-ray "Eigenvector 1" relationships to the UV and hard X-ray. Based on these findings, we argue that future work should consider systematic errors in bolometric corrections (and thus accretion rates) that are derived from a single mean SED. Detailed analysis of the CIV emission line may allow for SED-dependent corrections to these quantities.

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arXiv2011

Suzaku Observations of Three FeLoBAL QSOs, SDSS J0943+5417, J1352+4239, and J1723+5553

We present Suzaku observations of three iron low-ionization broad absorption line quasars (FeLoBALs). We detect J1723+5553 (3σ) in the observed 2--10 keV band, and constrain its intrinsic nh column density to nh > 6\times10^{23} \cmsq by modeling its X-ray hardness ratio. We study the broadband spectral index, aox, between the X-ray and UV bands by combining the X-ray measurements and the UV flux extrapolated from 2MASS magnitudes, assuming a range of intrinsic column densities, and then comparing the aox values for the three FeLoBALs with those from a large sample of normal quasars. We find that the FeLoBALs are consistent with the spectral energy distribution (SED) of normal quasars if the intrinsic nh column densities are nh > 7\times10^{23} \cmsq for J0943+5417, nh > 2\times10^{24} \cmsq for J1352+4293, and 6\times10^{23} < \nh < 3\times10^{24} \cmsq for J1723+5553. At these large intrinsic column densities, the optical depth from Thomson scattering can reach \sim6, which will significantly modulate the UV flux. Our results suggest that the X-ray absorbing material is located at a different place from the UV absorbing wind, likely between the X-ray and UV emitting regions. We find a significant kinetic feedback efficiency for FeLoBALs, indicating that the outflows are an important feedback mechanism in quasars.

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arXiv2011

Unification of Luminous Type 1 Quasars through CIV Emission

Using a sample of 30,000 quasars from SDSS-DR7, we explore the range of properties exhibited by high-ionization, broad emission lines, such as CIV 1549. Specifically we investigate the anti-correlation between L_UV and emission line EQW (the Baldwin Effect) and the "blueshifting" of high-ionization emission lines. The blueshift of the CIV emission line is nearly ubiquitous, with a mean shift of 810 km/s for radio-quiet (RQ) quasars and 360 km/s for radio-loud (RL) quasars, and the Baldwin Effect is present in both RQ and RL samples. Composite spectra are constructed as a function of CIV emission line properties in attempt to reveal empirical relationships between different line species and the SED. Within a two-component disk+wind model of the broad emission line region (BELR), where the wind filters the continuum seen by the disk component, we find that RL quasars are consistent with being dominated by the disk component, while BALQSOs are consistent with being dominated by the wind component. Some RQ objects have emission line features similar to RL quasars; they may simply have insufficient black hole (BH) spin to form radio jets. Our results suggest that there could be significant systematic errors in the determination of L_bol and BH mass that make it difficult to place these findings in a more physical context. However, it is possible to classify quasars in a paradigm where the diversity of BELR parameters are due to differences in an accretion disk wind between quasars (and over time); these differences are underlain primarily by the SED, which ultimately must be tied to BH mass and accretion rate.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2010

The First HeI*λ10830 BALQSO

We report the discovery of the first HeI*λ10830 broad absorption line quasar FBQS J1151+3822. Using new infrared and optical spectra, as well as the SDSS spectrum, we extracted the apparent optical depth profiles as a function of velocity of the 3889A and 10830A HeI* absorption lines. Since these lines have the same lower levels, inhomogeneous absorption models could be used to extract the average true HeI* column density; the log of that number was 14.9. The total hydrogen column density was obtained using Cloudy models. A range of ionization parameters and densities were allowed, with the lower limit on the ionization parameter of log U=-1.4 determined by the requirement that there be sufficient HeI*, and the upper limit on the density of log n=8 determined by the lack of Balmer absorption. Simulated UV spectra showed that the ionization parameter could be further constrained in principle using a combination of low and high ionization lines (such as MgII and PV), but the only density-sensitive line predicted to be observable and not significantly blended was CIIIλ1176. We estimated the outflow rate and kinetic energy, finding them to be consistent but on the high side compared with analysis of other objects. Assuming that radiative line driving is the responsible acceleration mechanism, a force multipler model was constructed. A dynamical argument using the model results strongly constrained the density to be log n >= ~7. Consequently, the log hydrogen column density is constrained to be between 21.7 and 22.9, the mass outflow rate to be between 11 and 56 solar masses per year, the ratio of the mass outflow rate to the accretion rate to be between 1.2 and 5.8, and the kinetic energy to be between 1 and 5 x 10^44 erg/s. We discuss the advantages of using HeI* to detect high-column-density BALQSOs and and measure their properties. (Abridged)

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arXiv2010

The Simultaneous Optical-to-X-ray Spectral Energy Distribution of Soft X-ray Selected AGN observed by Swift

We report Swift observations of a sample of 92 bright soft X-ray selected active galactic nuclei (AGN). This sample represents the largest number of AGN observed to study the spectral energy distribution (SED) of AGN with simultaneous optical/UV and X-ray data. The principal motivation of this study is to understand the SEDs of AGN in the optical/UV to X-ray regime and to provide bolometric corrections which are important in determining the Eddington ratio L/Ledd. In particular, we rigorously explore the dependence of the UV-EUV contribution to the bolometric correction on the assumed EUV spectral shape. We find strong correlations of the spectral slopes alpha-x and alpha-UV with L/Ledd. Although Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLS1s) have steeper alpha-x and higher L/Ledd than Broad-Line Seyfert 1 galaxies (BLS1s), their optical/UV to X-ray spectral slopes alpha-ox and optical/UV slopes alpha-UV are very similar. The mean SED of NLS1s shows that in general this type of AGN appears to be fainter in the UV and at hard X-ray energies than BLS1s. We find a strong correlation between alpha-x and alpha-UV for AGN with X-ray spectral slopes alpha-x<1.6. For AGN with steeper X-ray spectra, both this relation and the relation between alpha-x and L/Ledd break down. At alpha-x$\approx$1.6, L/Ledd reaches unity. We note an offset in the alpha-UV - L/Ledd relation between NLS1s and BLS1s. We argue that alpha-UV is a good estimator of L/Ledd and suggest that alpha-UV can be used to estimate L/Ledd in high-redshift QSOs. Although NLS1s appear to be highly variable in X-rays they only vary marginally in the UV.

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arXiv2009

Emergence of a Broad-Absorption-Line Outflow in the Narrow-line Seyfert 1 Galaxy WPVS 007

We report results from a 2003 FUSE observation, and reanalysis of a 1996 HST observation of the unusual X-ray transient Narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy WPVS 007. The HST FOS spectrum revealed mini-BALs with V_max ~ 900 km s^-1 and FWHM ~ 550 km s^-1. The FUSE spectrum showed that an additional BAL outflow with V_max ~ 6000 km s^-1 and FWHM ~ 3400 km s^-1 had appeared. WPVS 007 is a low-luminosity object in which such a high velocity outflow is not expected; therefore, it is an outlier on the M_V/V_max relationship. Template spectral fitting yielded apparent ionic columns, and a Cloudy analysis showed that the presence of PV requires a high ionization parameter log(U) >= 0 and high column density log(N_H) >= 23 assuming solar abundances and a nominal SED for low-luminosity NLS1s with alpha_ox=-1.28. A recent long Swift observation revealed the first hard X-ray detection and an intrinsic (unabsorbed) alpha_ox ~ -1.9$. Using this SED in our analysis yielded lower column density constraints (log(N_H) >= 22.2 for Z=1, or log(N_H) >= 21.6 if Z=5). The X-ray weak continuum, combined with X-ray absorption consistent with the UV lines, provides the best explanation for the observed Swift X-ray spectrum. The large column densities and velocities implied by the UV data in any of these scenarios could be problematic for radiative acceleration. We also point out that since the observed PV absorption can be explained by lower total column densities using an intrinsically X-ray weak spectrum, we might expect to find PV absorption preferentially more often (or stronger) in quasars that are intrinsically X-ray weak.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2008

First detection of hard X-ray photons in the soft X-ray transient Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy WPVS 007: The X-ray photon distribution observed by Swift

We report on the first detection of hard X-ray photons (E>2.5 keV) in the X-ray transient Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy WPVS 007 which was the AGN with the softest X-ray spectrum during the ROSAT All-Sky Survey. The AGN is clearly detected at a level of about 2 x 10^{-17} W m^{-2} in the observed 0.3-10.0 keV band by Swift in a 50 ks observation in 2007 September. For the first time since the ROSAT All-Sky Survey observation in 1990 it was possible to derive an X-ray photon distribution by adding together all Swift observations that have been performed so far (85.5 ks in total). This photon distribution is consistent with an X-ray spectrum of an AGN with a partial covering absorber with a column density in the order of ~ 1 x 10^{23} cm^{-2} and a covering fraction of about 90%. A comparison with the 2002 Chandra data suggests that WPVS 007 has become brighter by a factor of about 4. The Swift data also suggest that the absorber which is causing the current low-state may have started to disappear. This disappearance is indicated by a significant change in the hardness ratio from a very soft X-ray state during the 2005 October to 2007 January observations to a rather hard X-ray state in the 2007 September observations. In the UV, WPVS 007 seems to become fainter by up to 0.5 mag over the last two years. The optical to X-ray spectral slope derived from the spectral energy distribution is alpha-ox=2.5 which classifies WPVS 007 as an X-ray weak AGN. After correcting for reddening and X-ray absorption, alpha-ox becomes 1.9 and the luminosity in the Big-Blue-Bump is log LBBB=37.7 [W], which translates into an Eddington ratio L/LEdd ~ 1.0.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

The Intrinsically X-ray Weak Quasar PHL 1811. II. Optical and UV Spectra and Analysis

This is the second of two papers reporting observations and analysis of the unusually bright (m_b=14.4), luminous (M_B=-25.5), nearby (z=0.192) narrow-line quasar PHL 1811. The first paper reported that PHL 1811 is intrinsically X-ray weak, and presented a spectral energy distribution (SED). Here we present HST STIS optical and UV spectra, and ground-based optical spectra. The optical and UV line emission is very unusual. There is no evidence for forbidden or semiforbidden lines. The near-UV spectrum is dominated by very strong FeII and FeIII, and unusual low-ionization lines such as NaID and CaII H&K are observed. High-ionization lines are very weak; CIV has an equivalent width of 6.6A, a factor of ~5 smaller than measured from quasar composite spectra. An unusual feature near 1200A can be deblended in terms of Lyα, NV, SiII, and CIII* using the blueshifted CIV profile as a template. Photoionization modeling shows that the unusual line emission can be explained qualitatively by the unusually soft SED. Principally, a low gas temperature results in inefficient emission of collisionally excited lines, including the semiforbidden lines generally used as density diagnostics. The emission resembles that of high-density gas; in both cases this is a consequence of inefficient cooling. PHL 1811 is very unusual, but we note that quasar surveys are generally biased against finding similar objects.

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arXiv2007

An Update on the X-ray transient Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy WPVS 007: Swift observations of UV variability and persistence of X-ray faintness

We report on the detection of UV variability and the persistence of X-ray faintness of the X-ray transient Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy WPVS 007 based on the first year of monitoring this AGN with Swift between 2005 October and 2007 January. WPVS 007 has been an unusual source. While being X-ray bright during the ROSAT All-Sky Survey it has been extremely faint in all following X-ray observations. Swift also finds this NLS1 to be X-ray faint and not detected in the Swift X-Ray Telescope at an 3$σ$ upper limit of $2.6\times 10^{-17}$ W m$^{-2}$ in the 0.3-10.0 keV band and confirms that the AGN is still in a low state. During the 2006 July and December observations with \swift's UV-Optical Telescope (UVOT) the AGN became fainter by about 0.2 mag in the UV filters and by about 0.1 mag in V, B, and U compared with the 2005 October to 2006 January and 2006 September/October observations followed by a rebrightening in the 2007 January observation. This variability can be caused either by a change in the absorption column density and therefore the reddening in the UV, or by flux variations of the central engine. We also noticed that the flux in the UVOT filters agree with earlier measurements by the International Ultraviolet Explorer taken between 1993-1995, but spectra taken by the Hubble Space Telescope Faint Object Spectrograph show that WPVS 007 was fainter in the UV by a factor of at least 2 in 1996. The flat optical/UV spectrum suggests that some UV extinction is present in the spectrum, but that alone cannot at all account for the dramatic fading in the X-ray flux. Most likely we see a partial covering absorber in X-rays. Alternatively, the current X-ray emission seen from WPVS 007 may also be the emission from the host galaxy.

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arXiv2007

Photoionization Models of the Broad-line Region

The strong broad emission lines in the optical and UV spectra of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) are important for several reasons. Not only do they give us information about the structure of the AGN, their properties are now used to estimate black hole masses and metallicities in the vicinity of quasars, and these estimates are propagated widely throughout astronomy today. Photoionization codes such as Cloudy are invaluable for understanding the physical conditions of the gas emitting AGN broad lines. In this review, we discuss briefly the development of the historical ``standard'' model. We then review evidence that the following are important: 1.) the column density, in particular the presence of gas optically thin to the hydrogen continuum, influences the line emission; 2.) the BLR emission region is comprised of gas with a range of densities and ionization parameters; 3.) the spectral energy distribution of an individual AGN influences the line ratios in an observable way.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

The Intrinsically X-ray Weak Quasar PHL 1811. I. X-ray Observations and Spectral Energy Distribution

This is the first of two papers reporting observations and analysis of the unusually bright (m_b=14.4), luminous (M_B=-25.5), nearby (z=0.192) narrow-line quasar PHL 1811, focusing on the X-ray properties and the spectral energy distribution. Two Chandra observations reveal a weak X-ray source with a steep spectrum. Variability by a factor of 4 between the two observations separated by 12 days suggest that the X-rays are not scattered emission. The XMM-Newton spectra are modelled in the 0.3--5 keV band by a steep power law with Γ= 2.3\pm 0.1, and the upper limit on intrinsic absorption is 8.7 x 10^{20} cm^{-2}. The spectral slopes are consistent with power law indices commonly observed in NLS1s, and it appears that we observe the central engine X-rays directly. Including two recent Swift ToO snapshots, a factor of ~5 variability was observed among the five X-ray observations reported here. In contrast, the UV photometry obtained by the XMM-Newton OM and Swift UVOT, and the HST spectrum reveal no significant UV variability. The α_{ox} inferred from the Chandra and contemporaneous HST spectrum is -2.3 \pm 0.1, significantly steeper than observed from other quasars of the same optical luminosity. The steep, canonical X-ray spectra, lack of absorption, and significant X-ray variability lead us to conclude that PHL 1811 is intrinsically X-ray weak. We also discuss an accretion disk model, and the host galaxy of PHL 1811.

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arXiv2006

Hubble Space Telescope Ultraviolet Spectroscopy of Fourteen Low-Redshift Quasars

We present low-resolution ultraviolet spectra of 14 low redshift (z<0.8) quasars observed with HST/STIS as part of a Snap project to understand the relationship between quasar outflows and luminosity. By design, all observations cover the CIV emission line. Nine of the quasars are from the Hamburg-ESO catalog, three are from the Palomar-Green catalog, and one is from the Parkes catalog. The sample contains a few interesting quasars including two broad absorption line (BAL) quasars (HE0143-3535, HE0436-2614), one quasar with a mini-BAL (HE1105-0746), and one quasar with associated narrow absorption (HE0409-5004). These BAL quasars are among the brightest known (though not the most luminous) since they lie at z<0.8. We compare the properties of these BAL quasars to the z<0.5 Palomar-Green and z>1.4 Large Bright Quasar samples. By design, our objects sample luminosities in between these two surveys, and our four absorbed objects are consistent with the v ~ L^0.62 relation derived by Laor & Brandt (2002). Another quasar, HE0441-2826, contains extremely weak emission lines and our spectrum is consistent with a simple power-law continuum. The quasar is radio-loud, but has a steep spectral index and a lobe-dominated morphology, which argues against it being a blazar. The unusual spectrum of this quasar resembles the spectra of the quasars PG1407+265, SDSSJ1136+0242, and PKS1004+13 for which several possible explanations have been entertained.

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arXiv2006

Swift Observations of the highly X-ray variable Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxy RX J0148.3-2758

We report on Swift observations of the Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy (NLS1) RX J0148.3--2758. It was observed for 41.6 ks in 2005 May and for 15.8 ks in 2005 December. On short as well as on long timescales RX J0148.3--2758 is a highly variable source. It doubles its X-ray flux within 18-25 ks. The observation of 2005 December 09, which had a flux 4 times lower than during the 2005 May observations, shows a significant hardening of the X-ray hardness ratio compared with the 2005-May and 2005-December 20/21 observations. A detailed analysis of the X-ray spectra shows that we actually observe two spectral changes in RX J0148.3-2758: First a decrease of the soft X-ray component between 2005 May and December 09, which is most likely due to an increase of the intrinsic absorber column, and second a decrease of the hard X-ray flux in the December 20/21 observations. The soft X-ray spectral slope $α_{\rm X, soft}$=2.58$^{+0.15}_{-0.12}$ during the high state in 2005 May agrees well with that measured by ROSAT (\axs=2.54\plm0.82). In contrast to the strong X-ray variability, the analysis of the Swift UVOT photometry from December 2005 of RX J0148.3--2758 shows no significant variability in any of the 6 UVOT filters. From the simultaneous X-ray and UV observations in 2005 December we measured the X-ray loudness alpha-ox varies between alpha-ox=1.5 and 1.8. Our Swift observations of RX J0148.3-2758 demonstrate the great potential the multi-wavelength observatory Swift has for AGN science. (shortened)

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arXiv2006

Fe II and Mg II in Luminous, Intermediate-Redshift Narrow-line Seyfert 1 Galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

We present results from analysis of spectra from a sample of ~900 quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. These objects were selected for their intermediate redshift (1.2<z<1.8), placing MgII and UV FeII in the optical band pass, relatively narrow MgII lines, and moderately good signal-to-noise-ratio spectra. Using a maximum likelihood analysis, we discovered that there is a significant dispersion in the FeII/MgII ratios in the sample. Using simulations, we demonstrate that this range, and corresponding correlation between FeII equivalent width and FeII/MgII ratio, are primarily a consequence of a larger dispersion of FeII equivalent width (EW) relative to MgII EW. This larger dispersion in FeII EW could be a consequence of a range in iron abundance, or in a range of FeII excitation. The latter possibility is supported by evidence that objects with weak (zero) CII]λ2325 equivalent width are likely to have large FeII/MgII ratios. We discuss physical effects that could produce a range of FeII/MgII ratio.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

FUSE Observation of the Narrow-line Seyfert 1 Galaxy RE 1034+39

We present analysis from simultaneous FUSE, ASCA, and EUVE observations, as well as a reanalysis of archival HST spectra, from the extreme Narrow-line Seyfert 1 Galaxy RE 1034+39 (KUG 1031+398). RE 1034+39 has an unusually hard spectral energy distribution (SED) that peaks in the soft X-rays. Its emission lines are unusual in that they can all be modelled as a Lorentzian centered at the rest wavelength with only a small range in velocity widths. In order to investigate whether the unusual SED influences the emission line ratios and equivalent widths, we present three complementary types of photoionization analysis. The FUSE spectrum was particularly important because it includes the high-ionization line OVI. First, we use the photoionization code Cloudy and the SED developed from the coordinated observations to confirm that the emission lines are consistent with observed hard SED. The best model parameters were an ionization parameter log(U) ~ -2 and a hydrogen number density log(n_H)=9.75 [cm^-2]. Second, we present a Locally Optimally-emitting Cloud model. This model produced enhanced OVI as observed, but also yielded far too strong MgII. Third, we develop a series of semi-empirical SEDs, run Cloudy models, and compare the results with the measured values using a figure of merit (FOM). The FOM minimum indicates similar SED and gas properties as were inferred from the one-zone model using the RE 1034+39 continuum. Furthermore, the FOM increases sharply toward softer continua, indicating that a hard SED is required by the data in the context of a one-zone model.

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arXiv2005

Extreme X-ray Behavior of the Low-Luminosity Active Nucleus in NGC 4395

We present the results of a 17 ks Chandra ACIS-S observation of the nearby dwarf spiral galaxy NGC 4395. Chandra affords the first high-quality, broadband X-ray detection of the active nucleus of this object that is uncontaminated by nearby sources in the field. We find the nuclear X-ray source to be unresolved and confirm the rapid, large-amplitude variability reported in previous studies. The light curve appears to show ~ 11 cycles of a quasi-periodic oscillation with a period of ~ 400 s. If associated with an orbital feature near the innermost stable orbit of the accretion disk, this period would constrain the black-hole mass to be M < 9e5 M_sun. The X-ray spectrum indicates absorption by an ionized medium, and the spectral shape appears to vary over the course of our observation. Contrary to prior reports, however, the spectral variations are uncorrelated with changes in the hard X-ray flux. It is possible that the short-term spectral variability we observe results from column density fluctuations in the ionized absorber. A power-law fit to the spectrum above 1 keV yields a photon index of Gamma ~ 0.6, much flatter than that typically observed in the spectra of Seyfert 1 galaxies. We have ruled out photon pile-up as the cause of the flat spectrum. Even when complex spectral features are considered, the photon index is constrained to be Gamma < 1.25 (90% confidence). Comparing our results with previous determinations of the photon index (Gamma = 1.46 and 1.72), we conclude that the slope of the primary continuum varies significantly on time scales of a year or less. The extreme flatness and dramatic long-term variability of the X-ray spectrum are unprecedented among active galactic nuclei.

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