The properties of the clumpy torus and BLR in the polar-scattered Seyfert 1 galaxy ESO 323-G77 through X-ray absorption variability

We report results from multi-epoch (2006-2013) X-ray observations of the polar-scattered Seyfert 1 galaxy ESO 323-G77. The source exhibits remarkable spectral variability from months to years timescales. The observed spectral variability is entirely due to variations of the column density of a neutral absorber towards the intrinsic nuclear continuum. The column density is generally Compton-thin ranging from a few times 10²² cm^-2 to a few times 10²³ cm^-2. However, one observation reveals a Compton-thick state with column density of the order of 1.5 × 10²⁴ cm^-2. The observed variability offers a rare opportunity to study the properties of the X-ray absorber(s) in an active galaxy. We identify variable X-ray absorption from two different components, namely (i) a clumpy torus whose individual clumps have a density of ≤1.7 × 10⁸ cm^-3 and an average column density of ∼4 × 10²² cm^-2, and (ii) the broad-line region (BLR), comprising individual clouds with density of 0.1-8 × 10⁹ cm^-3 and column density of 10²³-10²⁴ cm^-2. The derived properties of the clumpy torus can also be used to estimate the torus half-opening angle, which is of the order of 47°. We also confirm the previously reported detection of two highly ionized warm absorbers with outflow velocities of 1000-4000 km s^-1. The observed outflow velocities are consistent with the Keplerian/escape velocity at the BLR. Hence, the warm absorbers may be tentatively identified with the warm/hot intercloud medium which ensures that the BLR clouds are in pressure equilibrium with their surroundings. The BLR line-emitting clouds may well be the cold, dense clumps of this outflow, whose warm/hot phase is likely more homogeneous, as suggested by the lack of strong variability of the warm absorber(s) properties during our monitoring.