Assessing black hole spin in deep Suzaku observations of Seyfert 1 AGN

We present a broad-band analysis of deep Suzaku observations of nearby Seyfert 1 active galactic nuclei (AGN): Fairall 9, MCG−6-30-15, NGC 3516, 3783 and 4051. The use of deep observations (exposures >200 ks) with high signal-to-noise ratio allows the complex spectra of these objects to be examined in full, taking into account features such as the soft excess, reflection continuum and complex absorption components. After a self-consistent modelling of the broad-band data (0.6-100.0 keV, also making use of Burst Alert Telescope data from Swift), the subtle curvature which may be introduced as a consequence of warm absorbers has a measured affect upon the spectrum at energies >3 keV and the Fe K region. Forming a model (including absorption) of these AGN allows the true extent to which broadened disc line emission is present to be examined and as a result the measurement of accretion disc and black hole parameters which are consistent over the full 0.6-100.0 keV energy range. Fitting relativistic line emission models appears to rule out the presence of maximally spinning black holes in all objects at the 90 per cent confidence level, in particular MCG−6-30-15 at >99.5 per cent confidence. Relativistic Fe K line emission is only marginally required in NGC 3516 and not required in NGC 4051, over the full energy bandpass. None the less, statistically significant broadened 6.4 keV Fe Kα emission is detected in Fairall 9, MCG−6-30-15 and NGC 3783 yielding black hole spin estimates of a= 0.67+0.10 − 0.11, a= 0.49+0.20 − 0.12 and a < −0.04, respectively, when fitted with disc emission models.