X-Ray Resonance Opacity of Oxygen and Iron in AGN MCG--6-30-15

Abstract

Theoretical differential oscillator strengths related to monochromatic opacity due to K- and L-shell absorption from oxygen and iron ions are directly compared with the Chandra and Xmm-Newton spectra of Seyfert~1 galaxy MCG--6-30-15. We compute the highly resolved continuum with resonances due to O I - VI and Fe XVI. It is found that the KLn (n --> infty) resonance series limits in O VI, and the lowest LMM resonance in Fe XVI, lie at the prominent 17.5 A break in the observed spectra. We also calculate and identify, for the first time, the observed gap in spectral flux at 22-23 A in the Chandra spectra due to K --> L resonant absorption features from all O-ions O I - VI, potentially leading to abundance determination of several or all ionization stages; similar signature gaps may be predicted due to other elements. The precise atomic parameters are computed in the relativistic close coupling approximation using the Breit-Pauli R-matrix method. The new X-ray opacities might possibly distinguish between models of a dusty warm absorber, and/or gravitational redshift and broadening due to a massive black hole in MCG--6-30-15.