A BeppoSAX observation of 3C273: broadband spectrum and detection of a low-energy absorption feature

Grandi, P.; Guainazzi, M.; Mineo, T.; Parmar, A. N.; Fiore, F.; Matteuzzi, A.; Nicastro, F.; Perola, G. C.; Piro, L.; Cappi, M.; Cusumano, G.; Frontera, F.; Giarrusso, S.; Palazzi, E.; Piraino, S.

A BeppoSAX observation of 3C273: broadband spectrum and detection of a low-energy absorption feature

Authors

Description

We report the results of a 3C273 observation performed during the Science Verification Phase (SVP) of the BeppoSax satellite. The broad-band spectrum is well represented by a power-law between 1 keV and 200 keV. The spectral slope is flat (Γ~1.6) with a weak emission line at ~ 6.4 keV (rest frame) of EW ~ 30 eV. Below 1 keV, a deviation from a power-law due to an absorption feature plus a soft component is present. This is the first time that a feature in absorption at ~ 0.5 keV (observer frame) is unambiguously detected in 3C273.
4 pages. Accepted for publication in A&A (Letters)