Multiwavelength observations of short time-scale variability in NGC 4151. III. X-ray and Gamma-ray observations

Abstract

A series of {\sl ROSAT\/}, {\sl ASCA\/} and Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory ({\sl CGRO\/}) observations of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151 were carried out during the period 1993 November 30 to December 13 as part of an intensive campaign to study the multiwavelength spectral characteristics of its short time-scale variability. In the softest X-ray bands monitored by {\sl ROSAT} (0.1--0.4 keV, 0.5--1.0 keV) the source flux remained constant throughout the observing period. However, in an adjacent band (1.0--2.0 keV) significant variability was evident, the most obvious feature being a marked increase (factor 1.45) in the count rate over a timescale of $\sim 2$ days commencing roughly 3 days into the monitoring period. In contrast, only a low amplitude of variability ($\simless 10\%$) was measured in the four {\sl ASCA} observations in the 2-10 keV band (but note that the first {\sl ASCA} observation was performed somewhat after the onset of the flux increase seen by {\sl ROSAT}). The count rates recorded by the Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer Experiment (OSSE) on {\sl CGRO\/} are consistent with $\pm 15\%$ variations in the 50--150 keV gamma-ray band but there is no direct correspondence between the gamma-ray and soft X-ray light curves. The 0.1 to $\sim300$ keV spectrum of NGC 4151 is dominated by a hard power-law continuum which is cut-off at both high ($\sim90$ keV) and low ($\sim4$ keV) energy. A high energy cut-off is characteristic of a continuum generated by the process of thermal Comptonization whereas that at low energy arises from absorption in line-of-sight gas. In NGC 4151 this gas may be partially photoionized by the continuum source but still retains significant opacity below 1 keV. The observed soft X-ray variability may be the result of