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P. -O. Petrucci

Publications and source records attributed to P. -O. Petrucci.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Spectro-polarimetric study of the black hole X-ray binary Swift J1727.8-1613 in the JED-SAD framework

Context. Swift J1727.8-1613 is an X-ray binary observed during its 2023-2024 outburst, including bright and dim hard states with similar X-ray polarimetric signatures but fluxes differing by two orders of magnitude. Aims. We aim to reproduce the spectro-polarimetric properties of these two hard states. Methods. We modelled their spectra in the JED-SAD framework and computed the X-ray polarisation properties of the best-fit configurations with the MONK general relativistic radiative transfer code. Results. Both spectra are well reproduced within the JED-SAD framework, although the dominant radiative process differs: self-Comptonised bremsstrahlung in the bright state and self-Comptonised synchrotron in the dim state. In the bright state, the simulated polarisation fraction remains below the observed value of about 4%, while the polarisation angle differs from the observations by 90 degrees because of the JED's large vertical optical depth. In contrast, the dim state's simulated polarisation fraction is about 3% and its polarisation angle is perpendicular to the disk, both broadly consistent with IXPE measurements. The dim-state results are largely insensitive to the magnetic field configuration because of Faraday depolarisation. Conclusions. The dim hard state's spectro-polarimetric properties are well reproduced, whereas those of the bright state are not. We discuss a non-thermal particle distribution and electron scattering in an accretion-disk wind as possible explanations for the observed bright-state polarisation.

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A XRISM view of the iron line complex in NGC 1068: Rethinking the prototypical Compton-thick AGN

We analyze a XRISM/Resolve observation of NGC1068, focusing on the Fe K$α$ and Fe K$β$ fluorescent lines and on the Fe XXV and Fe XXVI emission complexes. Line centroid energies, intrinsic widths, flux ratios, and constraints on the Compton shoulder are derived through local spectral fitting, and compared with atomic calculations and theoretical predictions. The centroid energies of the Fe K$α$ and Fe K$β$ lines tightly constrain the emitting material to be neutral or near-neutral. The observed Fe K$β$/K$α$ ratio, together with the stringent upper limit on the Compton shoulder ($\lesssim$8--11% of the core flux), disfavour reflection dominated by a homogeneous, classical Compton-thick medium, indicating that most of the neutral Fe K$α$ emission arises in optically thin or moderately Compton-thick gas. The Fe XXV and Fe XXVI emission lines exhibit remarkably large velocity widths, of several thousand km~s$^{-1}$. These broad profiles closely resemble the integrated optical and infrared [O III] and [O IV] lines associated with the large-scale biconical outflow, and are naturally interpreted as the X-ray signature of a more highly ionized, faster, and more spatially confined phase of the same outflow. The iron-K emission of NGC1068 reveals a stratified circumnuclear environment in which neutral and highly ionized components arise in physically distinct regions. The neutral Fe K fluorescence originates predominantly in optically thin or mildly Compton-thick material, despite the persistently Compton-thick line-of-sight obscuration, indicating a geometrically complex cold reprocessor. The highly ionized iron emission lines trace a fast component consistent with a warm bipolar outflow on parsec scales, whose large velocities and inferred energetics suggest that it may represent an efficient channel for feedback in a heavily obscured Seyfert galaxy.

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A high-resolution X-ray view of the ultra-fast outflow in MAXI J1810-222

In previous work, it was reported that the Galactic black hole candidate MAXI J1810-222 exhibited a notable absorption spectral feature at around 1 keV in low-resolution X-ray spectra of CCD-like detectors. The feature was correlated with the spectral state of the source, being stronger in the soft states, as it occurs in the typical Fe K winds of X-ray binaries (XRBs). However, the results hinted towards rather extreme wind velocities of up to ~0.1 c. We therefore requested and obtained an observation with XMM-Newton to take advantage of the 10-fold higher spectral resolution (R ~200-400) provided by the RGS detector in order to resolve the lines and break the degeneracy between different models and interpretations. We applied state-of-the-art models of plasma in photoionisation equilibrium and multiphase interstellar medium. Further comparisons are performed with a re-analysis of NICER and NuSTAR data. The XMM-Newton/RGS spectrum is consistent with the presence of a mildly relativistic wind, confirming the earlier indications obtained with NICER, but places tighter constraints on the outflow properties, with the lines being intrinsically broad. The data would then favour magnetically driven winds, although thermal effects may still contribute to mass loading. NuSTAR and XMM-Newton (EPIC) show a further hotter component indicating a stratified or multiphase outflow. Fe K spectra taken with calorimetric detectors (e.g., Resolve on XRISM) will enable a high-resolution view of the complex extreme outflow in this source and shed new light on outflow processes in XRBs.

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Discovery of Strong Energy-Dependent X-ray Polarization in the Intermediate State of GS 1354-64

We report the discovery of significant X-ray polarization from the dynamically confirmed black hole X-ray binary (BHXB) GS 1354-64 during its 2025-2026 outburst, obtained with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). The observation, obtained shortly after a bright X-ray flare, captures the source in an intermediate state following a stalled (failed) state transition. We discover significant 2-8 keV polarization at the ~4% level with high statistical support--14-sigma significance from frequentist analysis and log Bayes Factor 283+/-1 in a Bayesian framework--measuring PD 4.0+/-0.2% and PA-1+/-2 degrees (90% credible interval). The PD exhibits a statistically significant increasing trend with energy--the strongest such increase yet observed by IXPE in a BHXB--going from 2.1+/-0.3% in the 2-3 keV band to 11+/-3% in the 6.5-7 keV band, while the PA appears stable across both energy and time to within statistical uncertainties. Timing analysis of the IXPE data reveals a ~5 Hz Type-C quasi-periodic oscillation. IXPE + NuSTAR spectropolarimetric modeling suggests that the data can be described by polarized thermal disk and Comptonized components with PAs differing by ~90 degrees, or by a dominant Comptonized polarized component whose effective PD increases across the IXPE bandpass--the inferred component-level polarization levels are therefore model-dependent. In either picture, GS 1354-64 retains a strong coronal component during the transitional period observed by IXPE. These results illustrate how X-ray polarimetry can provide a sensitive diagnostic of the accretion state and geometry in black hole X-ray binary accretion flows, exploring a liminal phase at the cusp of state transition.

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Spatially resolved broad line region in a quasar at z=4: Dynamical black hole mass and prominent outflow

We present the first near-infrared interferometric data of a QSO at z=4. The K-band observations were performed with GRAVITY+ on the VLTI using all four UTs, detecting a differential phase signal that traces the spatially resolved kinematics for both the \hb\ and \hg\ lines in the broad line region. We fit the two lines simultaneously with an updated model that includes distinct rotating and conical outflowing components. For the best fit model, more than 80\% of the \hi\ line emission from the BLR originates in an outflow with a velocity up to $10^4$ km s$^{-1}$. This is oriented so that our line of sight is along an edge of the conical structure, which produces the prominent blue wing on the line profile. A combination of anisotropic line emission and mid-plane opacity lead to the single-sided phase signal. The model is able to qualitatively match both the outflowing \civ\ line profile and the systemic \oi\ fluorescent emission. The derived black hole mass of $8\times10^8$ M$_\odot$ is the highest redshift black hole mass measurement to date obtained directly from BLR dynamics. It is an order of magnitude lower than that inferred from various single epoch scaling relations, and implies that the accretion is highly super-Eddington. With reference to recent simulations, the data suggest that this QSO is emitting close to its radiative limit in a regime where strong outflows are expected around a polar conical region.

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Recovery of the X-ray polarisation of Swift J1727.8$-$1613 after the soft-to-hard spectral transition

We report on the detection of X-ray polarisation in the black-hole X-ray binary Swift J1727.8$-$1613 during its dim hard spectral state by the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). This is the first detection of X-ray polarisation at the transition from the soft to the hard state in an X-ray binary. We find an averaged 2$-$8 keV polarisation degree of (3.3 ${\pm}$ 0.4) % and a corresponding polarisation angle of 3° ${\pm}$ 4°, which matches the polarisation detected during the rising stage of the outburst, in September$-$October 2023, within 1$σ$ uncertainty. The observational campaign complements previous studies of this source and enables comparison of the X-ray polarisation properties of a single transient across the X-ray hardness-intensity diagram. The complete recovery of the X-ray polarisation properties, including the energy dependence, came after a dramatic drop in the X-ray polarisation during the soft state. The new IXPE observations in the dim hard state at the reverse transition indicate that the accretion properties, including the geometry of the corona, appear to be strikingly similar to the bright hard state during the outburst rise despite the X-ray luminosities differing by two orders of magnitude.

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20 years of disk winds in 4U 1630-47 -- I. Long-term behavior and influence of hard X-rays

Highly ionized X-ray wind signatures have been found in the soft states of high-inclination Black Hole Low Mass X-ray Binaries (BHLMXBs) for more than two decades. Yet signs of a systematic evolution of the outflow itself along the outburst remain elusive, due to the limited sampling of individual sources and the necessity to consider the broad-band evolution of the Spectral Energy Distribution (SED). We perform an holistic analysis of archival X-ray wind signatures in the most observed wind-emitting transient BHLMXB to date, 4U 1630-47 . The combination of Chandra, NICER, NuSTAR, Suzaku, and XMM-Newton, complemented in hard X-rays by Swift/BAT and INTEGRAL, spans more than 200 individual days over 9 individual outbursts, and provides a near complete broad-band coverage of the brighter portion of the outburst. Our results show that the hard X-rays allow to define "soft" states with ubiquitous wind detections, and their contribution is strongly correlated with the Equivalent Width (EW) of the lines. We then constrain the evolution of the outflow in a set of representative observations, using thermal stability curves and photoionization modeling. The former confirms that the switch to unstable SEDs occurs well after the wind signatures disappear, to the point where the last canonical hard states are thermally stable. The latter shows that intrinsic changes in the outflow are required to explain the main correlations of the line EWs, be it with luminosity or the hard X-rays. These behaviors are seen systematically over all outbursts and confirm individual links between the wind properties, the thermal disk, and the corona.

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XMM/HST monitoring of the ultra-soft highly accreting Narrow Line Seyfert 1 RBS 1332

Ultra-soft narrow line Seyfert 1 (US-NLSy) are a poorly observed class of active galactic nuclei characterized by significant flux changes and an extreme soft X-ray excess. This peculiar spectral shape represents a golden opportunity to test whether the standard framework commonly adopted for modelling local AGN is still valid. We thus present the results on the joint XMM-Newton and HST monitoring campaign of the highly accreting US-NLSy RBS 1332. The optical-to-UV spectrum of RBS 1332 exhibits evidence of both a stratified narrow-line region and an ionized outflow, that produces absorption troughs over a wide range of velocities (from ~1500 km s-1 to ~1700 km s-1) in several high-ionization transitions (Lyalpha, N V, C IV). From a spectroscopic point of view, the optical/UV/FUV/X-rays emission of this source is due to the superposition of three distinct components which are best modelled in the context of the two-coronae framework in which the radiation of RBS 1332 can be ascribed to a standard outer disk, a warm Comptonization region and a soft coronal continuum. The present dataset is not compatible with a pure relativistic reflection scenario. Finally, the adoption of the novel model reXcor allowed us to determine that the soft X-ray excess in RBS 1332 is dominated by the emission of the optically thick and warm Comptonizing medium, and only marginal contribution is expected from relativistic reflection from a lamppost-like corona.

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X-ray observations of Blueberry galaxies

Compact star-forming galaxies were dominant galaxy types in the early Universe. Blueberry galaxies (BBs) represent their local analogues being very compact and having intensive star formation. Motivated by high X-ray emission recently found in other analogical dwarf galaxies, called Green Peas, we probe into the X-ray properties of BBs to determine if their X-ray emission is consistent with the empirical laws for star-forming galaxies. We performed the first X-ray observations of a small sample of BBs with the XMM-Newton satellite. Spectral analysis for detected sources and upper limits measured via Bayesian-based analysis for very low-count measurements were used to determine the X-ray properties of our galaxy sample. Clear detection was obtained only for 2 sources, with one source exhibiting an enhanced X-ray luminosity to the scaling relations. For the remaining 5 sources, only an upper limit was constrained, suggesting BBs to be rather underluminous as a whole. Our analysis shows that the large scatter cannot be easily explained by the stochasticity effects. While the bright source is above and inconsistent at almost the 99% confidence level, the upper limits of the two sources are below the expected distribution. These results indicate that the empirical relations between the star formation rate, metallicity, and X-ray luminosity might not hold for BBs with uniquely high specific star formation rates. One possible explanation could be that the BBs may not be old enough to have a significant X-ray binary population. The high luminosity of the only bright source can be then caused by an additional X-ray source, such as a hidden active galactic nucleus or more extreme ultraluminous X-ray sources.

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X-ray polarization measurement of the gold standard of radio-quiet active galactic nuclei : NGC 1068

We used the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) satellite to measure, for the first time, the 2-8 keV polarization of NGC 1068. We pointed IXPE for a net exposure time of 1.15 Ms on the target, in addition to two ~ 10 ks each Chandra snapshots in order to account for the potential impact of several ultraluminous X-ray source (ULXs) within IXPE's field-of-view. We measured a 2 - 8 keV polarization degree of 12.4% +/- 3.6% and an electric vector polarization angle of 101° +/- 8° at 68% confidence level. If we exclude the spectral region containing the bright Fe K lines and other soft X-ray lines where depolarization occurs, the polarization fraction rises up to 21.3% +/- 6.7% in the 3.5 - 6.0 keV band, with a similar polarization angle. The observed polarization angle is found to be perpendicular to the parsec scale radio jet. Using a combined Chandra and IXPE analysis plus multi-wavelength constraints, we estimated that the circumnuclear "torus" may sustain a half-opening angle of 50° - 55° (from the vertical axis of the system). Thanks to IXPE, we have measured the X-ray polarization of NGC 1068 and found comparable results, both in terms of polarization angle orientation with respect to the radio-jet and torus half-opening angle, to the X-ray polarimetric measurement achieved for the other archetypal Compton-thick AGN : the Circinus galaxy. Probing the geometric arrangement of parsec-scale matter in extragalactic object is now feasible thanks to X-ray polarimetry.

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Unveiling Energy Pathways in AGN Accretion Flows with the Warm Corona Model for the Soft Excess

The soft excess in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) may arise through a combination of relativistic reflection and the effects of a warm corona at the surface of the accretion disc. Detailed examination of the soft excess can therefore constrain models of the transport and dissipation of accretion energy. Here, we analyze 34 XMM-Newton observations from 14 Type I AGNs with the reXcor spectral model which self-consistently combines emission from a warm corona with relativistic reflection assuming a lamppost corona. The model divides accretion energy between the disc, the warm corona, and the lamppost. The XMM-Newton observations span a factor of 188 in Eddington ratio ($λ_{\mathrm{obs}}$) and 350 in black hole mass, and we find that a warm corona is a significant contributor to the soft excess for 13 of the 14 AGNs with a mean warm corona heating fraction of $0.51$. The reXcor fits reveal that the fraction of accretion energy dissipated in the lamppost is anti-correlated with $λ_{\mathrm{obs}}$. In contrast, the relationship between $λ_{\mathrm{obs}}$ and both the optical depth and heating fraction of the warm corona appears to transition from an anti-correlation to a correlation at $λ_{\mathrm{obs,t}} \approx 0.15$. Therefore, at least one other physical process in addition to the accretion rate is needed to explain the evolution of the warm corona. Overall, we find that a warm corona appears to be a crucial depository of accretion energy in AGNs across a broad range of $λ_{\mathrm{obs}}$ and black hole mass.

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The current state of disk wind observations in BHLMXBs through X-ray absorption lines in the iron band

The presence of blueshifted absorption lines in the X-ray spectra of Black Hole Low Mass X-ray Binaries is the telltale of massive outflows called winds. These signatures are found almost exclusively in soft states of high-inclined systems, hinting at equatorial ejections originating from the accretion disk and deeply intertwined with the evolution of the outburst patterns displayed by these systems. In the wake of the launch of the new generation of X-ray spectrometers, studies of wind signatures remain mostly restricted to single sources and outbursts, with some of the recent detections departing from the commonly expected behaviors. We thus give an update to the current state of iron band absorption lines detections, through the analysis of all publicly available XMM-$Newton$-PN and $Chandra$-HETG exposures of known Black Hole Low-Mass X-ray Binary candidates. Our results agree with previous studies, with wind detections exclusively found in dipping, high-inclined sources, and almost exclusively in bright ($L_{X}>0.01L_{Edd}$) soft ($HR<0.8$) states, with blueshift values generally restricted to few 100 km s$^{-1}$. The line parameters indicate similar properties between objects and outbursts of single sources, and despite more than 20 years of data, very few sources have the HID sampling necessary to properly study the evolution of the wind during single outbursts. We provide an online tool with details of the wind signatures and outburst evolution data for all sources in the sample.

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X-ray polarimetry and spectroscopy of the neutron star low-mass X-ray binary GX 9+9: an in-depth study with IXPE and NuSTAR

We report on a comprehensive analysis of simultaneous X-ray polarimetric and spectral data of the bright atoll source GX 9+9 with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) and NuSTAR. The source is significantly polarized in the 4--8 keV band, with a degree of $2.2\% \pm 0.5\%$ (uncertainty at the 68% confidence level). The NuSTAR broad-band spectrum clearly shows an iron line, and is well described by a model including thermal disk emission, a Comptonized component, and reflection. From a spectro-polarimetric fit, we obtain an upper limit to the polarization degree of the disk of 4% (at 99% confidence level), while the contribution of Comptonized and reflected radiation cannot be conclusively separated. However, the polarization is consistent with resulting from a combination of Comptonization in a boundary or spreading layer, plus reflection off the disc, which gives a significant contribution in any realistic scenario.

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The first X-ray look at SMSS J114447.77-430859.3: the most luminous quasar in the last 9 Gyr

SMSS\,J114447.77-430859.3 ($z=0.83$) has been identified in the SkyMapper Southern Survey as the most luminous quasar in the last $\sim 9\,\rm Gyr$. In this paper, we report on the eROSITA/Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG) observations of the source from the eROSITA All Sky Survey, along with presenting results from recent monitoring performed using Swift, XMM-Newton, and NuSTAR. The source shows a clear variability by factors of $\sim 10$ and $\sim 2.7$ over timescales of a year and of a few days, respectively. When fit with an absorbed power law plus high-energy cutoff, the X-ray spectra reveal a $Γ=2.2 \pm 0.2$ and $E_{\rm cut}=23^{+26}_{-5}\,\rm keV$. Assuming Comptonisation, we estimate a coronal optical depth and electron temperature of $τ=2.5-5.3\, (5.2-8)$ and $kT=8-18\, (7.5-14)\,\rm keV$, respectively, for a slab (spherical) geometry. The broadband SED is successfully modelled by assuming either a standard accretion disc illuminated by a central X-ray source, or a thin disc with a slim disc emissivity profile. The former model results in a black hole mass estimate of the order of $10^{10}\,M_\odot$, slightly higher than prior optical estimates; meanwhile, the latter model suggests a lower mass. Both models suggest sub-Eddington accretion when assuming a spinning black hole, and a compact ($\sim 10\,r_{\rm g}$) X-ray corona. The measured intrinsic column density and the Eddington ratio strongly suggest the presence of an outflow driven by radiation pressure. This is also supported by variation of absorption by an order of magnitude over the period of $\sim 900\,\rm days$.

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An ultrafast outflow in the black hole candidate MAXI J1810-222?

The transient X-ray source MAXI J1810-222 was discovered in 2018 and has been active ever since. A long combined radio and X-ray monitoring campaign was performed with ATCA and Swift respectively. It has been proposed that MAXI J1810-222 is a relatively distant black hole X-ray binary, albeit showing a very peculiar outburst behaviour. Here, we report on the spectral study of this source making use of a large sample of NICER observations performed between 2019 February and 2020 September. We detected a strong spectral absorption feature at $\sim$1 keV, which we have characterised with a physical photoionisation model. Via a deep scan of the parameters space, we obtained evidence for a spectral-state dependent outflow, with mildly relativistic speeds. In particular, the soft and intermediate states point to a hot plasma outflowing at 0.05-0.15 $c$. This speeds rule-out thermal winds and, hence, they suggest that such outflows could be radiation pressure or (most likely) magnetically-driven winds. Our results are crucial to test current theoretical models of wind formation in X-ray binaries.

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X-ray polarimetry of X-ray pulsar X Persei: another orthogonal rotator?

X Persei is a persistent low-luminosity X-ray pulsar of period of $\sim$835 s in a Be binary system. The field strength at the neutron star surface is not known precisely, but indirect signs indicate a magnetic field above $10^{13}$ G, which makes the object one of the most magnetized known X-ray pulsars. Here we present the results of observations X Persei performed with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). The X-ray polarization signal was found to be strongly dependent on the spin phase of the pulsar. The energy-averaged polarization degree in 3-8 keV band varied from several to $\sim$20 per cent over the pulse with a positive correlation with the pulsed X-ray flux. The polarization angle shows significant variation and makes two complete revolutions during the pulse period resulting in nearly nil pulse-phase averaged polarization. Applying the rotating vector model to the IXPE data we obtain the estimates for the rotation axis inclination and its position angle on the sky as well as for the magnetic obliquity. The derived inclination is close to the orbital inclination reported earlier for X Persei. The polarimetric data imply a large angle between the rotation and magnetic dipole axes, which is similar to the result reported recently for the X-ray pulsar GRO J1008$-$57. After eliminating the effect of polarization angle rotation over the pulsar phase using the best-fitting rotating vector model, the strong dependence of the polarization degree with energy was discovered with its value increasing from 0% at $\sim$2 keV to 30% at 8 keV.

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Transient obscuration event captured in NGC 3227 IV. Origin of the obscuring cloud variability

Obscuration events in type I active galactic nuclei (AGN) have been detected more frequently in recent years. The strong flux decrease in the soft X-ray band between observations has been caused by clouds with large column densities transiting our line-of-sight (LOS) and covering the central AGN. Another event has been captured in NGC 3227 at the end of 2019. We aim to determine the nature of the observed spectral variability in 2019 obscuration event. We split the two XMM-Newton observations from 2019 into timing bins of length $\sim$ 10 ks. We used the SPEX code to analyse the 0.35-10 keV EPIC-PN spectra of each timing bin. In the first observation (Obs 1), there is a strong anti-correlation between the column density ($N_H$) of the obscurer and the continuum normalisations of the X-ray power-law and soft Comptonisation components ($N_{pow}$ and $N_{comt}$, respectively). The powerlaw continuum models the hard X-rays produced by the corona, and the Comptonisation component models the soft X-ray excess and emission from the accretion disk. Through further testing we conclude that the continuum is likely to drive the observed variability, but we cannot rule out a possible contribution from NH of the obscurer if it fully transverses across the ionising source within our LOS during the observation. The ionisation parameter ($ξ$) of the obscurer is not easily constrained, and therefore it is not clear whether it varies in response to changes in ionising continuum. The second observation (Obs 2) displays a significantly lower count rate due to the combination of a high NH and covering fraction of the obscurer, and a lower continuum flux. The observed variability seen during the obscuration event of NGC 3227 in 2019 is likely driven by the continuum, but the obscurer varies at the same time, making it difficult to distinguish between the two possibilities with full certainty.

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Tracking the spectral properties across the different epochs in ESO 511-G030

The Type I active galactic nucleus (AGN) ESO 511-G030, a formerly bright and soft-excess dominated source, has been observed in 2019 in the context of a multi-wavelength monitoring campaign. However, in these novel exposures, the source was found in a $\sim$10 times lower flux state, without any trace of the soft-excess. Interestingly, the X-ray weakening corresponds to a comparable fading of the UV suggesting a strong link between these components. The UV/X-ray spectral energy distribution (SED) of ESO 511-G030 shows remarkable variability. We tested both phenomenological and physically motivated models on the data finding that the overall emission spectrum of ESO 511-G030 in this extremely low flux state is the superposition of a power-law-like continuum ($Γ\sim$1.7) and two reflection components emerging from hot and cold matter. has Both the primary continuum and relativistic reflection are produced in the inner regions. The prominent variability of ESO 511-G030 and the lack of a soft-excess can be explained by the dramatic change in the observed accretion rate, which dropped from an L/L$_{\rm Edd}$ of 2\% in 2007 to 0.2\% in 2019. The X-ray photon index also became harder during the low flux 2019 observations, perhaps as a result of a photon starved X-ray corona.

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