Exceptional AGN long-timescale X-ray variability: The case of PHL 1092

Abstract

PHL 1092 is a z ∼ 0.4 high-luminosity counterpart of the class of Narrow–Line Seyfert 1 galaxies. In 2008, PHL 1092 was found to be in a remarkably low X-ray flux state during an XMM–Newton observation. Its 2 keV flux density had dropped by a factor of ∼ 260 with respect to a previous observation performed 4.5 yr earlier. The UV flux remained almost constant, resulting in a significant steepening of the optical-to-X-ray slope αox from − 1.57 to − 2.51, making PHL 1092 one of the most extreme X-ray weak quasars with no observed broad absorption lines (BALs) in the UV. We have monitored the source since 2008 with three further XMM–Newton observations, producing a simultaneous UV and X-ray database spanning almost 10 yr in total in the activity of the source. We present here results from our monitoring campaign.