Transient Relativistically Shifted Lines as a Probe of Black Hole Systems

Abstract

X-ray spectra of Seyfert galaxies have revealed a new type of X-ray spectral feature, one that appears to offer important new insight into the black hole system. XMM revealed several narrow emission lines redward of Fe Kα in NGC 3516. Since that discovery the phenomenon has been observed in other Seyfert galaxies, e.g., NGC 7314 and ESO 198-G24. We present new evidence for a redshifted Fe line in XMM spectra of Mrk 766. These data reveal the first evidence for a significant shift in the energy of such a line, occurring over a few tens of kiloseconds. This shift may be interpreted as deceleration of an ejected blob of gas traveling close to the escape velocity.