Speaker
Description
We present a broadband X-ray spectral study of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy Ark 564 using a long-term monitoring dataset obtained with the X-Ray Telescope (XRT) onboard Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Ark 564 is known for its strong X-ray variability and prominent soft X-ray excess, making it an excellent laboratory for investigating accretion processes. We analyze more than 70 Swift/XRT observations spanning around 16 years and perform spectral fitting in the 0.3-10 keV band using both phenomenological and physically motivated Comptonization models. The spectra are initially modeled using an absorbed power-law plus blackbody component to characterize the soft excess. We further employ Comptonization models to investigate coronal emission and spectral variability. Flux and luminosity were computed and analysed to investigate the variability. The source exhibits strong variability in X-ray flux across the monitoring period. Statistical tests using reduced χ² values indicate significant variability in Comptonized flux components. Variations in the Eddington-scaled luminosity indicate changes in the accretion rate of the source. Our results provide insights into the spectral variability and coronal behavior of Ark 564 and contribute to understanding the accretion physics in rapidly accreting narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies.