Fourier-resolved spectroscopy of AGN using XMM-Newton data

We present a brief account of the theory on which the novel method of 'Fourier-resolved spectroscopy' is based. We summarize the results from the past application of this method to the study of Galactic Black Hole candidate sources and MCG-6-30-15, and we present new results from the Fourier-resolved spectroscopy of archival XMM-Newton data of five AGN, namely, Mrk 766, NGC 3516, NGC 3783, NGC 4051 and Ark 564. When we combine all the past and present results from Galactic sources and AGN, we find that the slope of the Fourier-resolved spectra in accreting black hole systems decreases with increasing frequency as ∝ f^-0.25, irrespective of whether the system is in its High or Low state. We find significant evidence that the iron line in Mrk 766, NGC 3783 and NGC 4051 is variable on time scales ∼ 1 day-1 hour. There is an indication that, just like in Galactic sources, the equivalent width of the line in the Fourier-resolved spectra of AGN decreases with increasing frequency.