A multiwavelength study of the Seyfert 1 galaxy MCG-6-30-15

We present a multiwaveband spectroscopic study of the nearby Seyfert 1 galaxy MCG-6-30-15. New optical spectra from the Anglo-Australian Telescope are presented which clearly show the effects of dust extinction/reddening on both the emission-line spectrum and the non-stellar AGN continuum. The reddening is constrained to be in the range E(B-V)=0.61-1.09. Spectroscopy in the X-ray band, with both ROSAT and ASCA, reveals absorption by the warm absorber but little or no neutral absorption expected to accompany the dust responsible for the optical reddening. The dusty warm absorber solution to this discrepancy is discussed, and photoionization models of such warm absorbers are constructed. The optical spectrum also displays the relatively strong `coronal' lines of [Fex]lambda6375, [Fexi]lambda7892 and [Fexiv]lambda5303. We show that these lines may plausibly originate from the outer regions of the warm absorber, although better calculations of the collision strengths for these transitions are required in order to address this issue conclusively. We also present new ultraviolet data from the International Ultraviolet Explorer, and suggest that much of the observed UV flux is scattered into our line of sight (with a scattering fraction of 1-5 per cent). We conclude with a discussion of the global energetics of this system.