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G. Chartas (PSU), M. Bautz, P. Schechter (MIT), G. Garmire (PSU), N. Morgan (MIT)
We present results from monitoring of the distant z = 2.64 gravitationally lensed quasar MG 0414+0534 with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. An Fe K\alpha line due to fluorescence from a neutral medium is detected in the Chandra spectra of MG 0414+0534 and appears to be variable on time scales of weeks (observed frame). The detection of an Fe K\alpha line in the quasar MG 0414+0534 has been aided by the large magnification factor in this lens system ( M ~ 30 ) and the enhanced efficiency of the Chandra HMRA/mirror combination at the redshifted energy (~ 1.76 keV) of the reprocessed Fe K\alpha line. The study of the spectral profiles and variability of reprocessed components in quasars may constrain the properties of the surrounding medium, such as, the geometry of the accretion disk and the medium responsible for the observed hard X-ray power-law components. Observations of lensed quasars allows us to efficiently detect objects that are intrinsically fainter in luminosity and therefore are expected to have larger Fe K\alpha line equivalent widths ,(``X-ray Baldwin Effect''), and amplitude variations. Each observation of the quadruply lensed quasar MG~0414+0534 provides a view of the quasar at four different epochs spaced by the time-delays between the lensed images. X-ray variability is also detected with high significance in the continuum component on time-scales of weeks and spectral analysis indicates the presence of an intrinsic absorber with NH ~ 5 \times 1022 cm-2, consistent with the reddening observed in the optical band.