The high energy emission line spectrum of NGC 1068

¹ Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi Roma Tre, via della Vasca Navale 84, 00146 Roma, Italy
² XMM-Newton Science Operation Center/RSSD-ESA, Villafranca del Castillo, Spain
³ IASF–CNR, Via Bassini 15, 20133, Milano, Italy

Corresponding author: G. Matt, matt@fis.uniroma3.it

Received: 21 August 2003
Accepted: 17 October 2003

Abstract

We present and discuss the high energy ( keV) XMM–Newton spectrum of the Seyfert 2 galaxy, NGC 1068. Possible evidence for flux variability in both the neutral and ionized reflectors with respect to a BeppoSAX observation taken 3.5 years before is found. Several Fe and Ni emission lines, from both neutral and highly ionized material, are detected. The intensity of the iron Kα Compton shoulder implies that the neutral reflector is Compton–thick, likely the visible inner wall of the cm^-2 absorber. From the equivalent width of the ionized iron lines a column density of a few cm^-2 is deduced for the hot ionized reflector. Finally, an iron (nickel) overabundance, when compared to solar values, of about 2 (4) with respect to lower Z elements, is found.