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B. J. Mattson (NASA-GSFC/UMD/L-3 Com), K. A. Weaver (NASA), C. S. Reynolds (UMD)
We report early results of a systematic X-ray spectral variability study of bright Seyfert galaxies observed by the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). The RXTE public archive contains data for 42 Seyfert and Seyfert-like galaxies with suitable temporal coverage to perform variability studies covering short (days/weeks) to long (years) timescales. We have developed a data pipeline to automate the data reduction. The pipeline produces a series of spectra for each source divided temporally in such a way that each has at least 100,000 net photons to ensure a good spectral fit. Each spectrum is then fitted to a model that contains an absorbed power law continuum and reflection plus an iron line. The goal of this research is first to build a database of spectral parameters for a large sample of AGN, and then to seek correlations between parameters and trends specific to various classes of AGN (e.g. Seyfert type or radio-loudness). The results will shed light on the geometry of the nuclear region, providing tests for current reflection and unification models of AGN.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 37 #2
© 2005. The American Astronomical Soceity.