2010A&A...512A..25C

We present the results of a ∼160ks-long XMM-Newton observation of the Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 279. The spectrum shows evidence of both broad and narrow emission features. The FeKα line may be equally well explained by a single broad Gaussian (FWHM∼10000km/s) or by two components: an unresolved core plus a very broad profile (FWHM ∼14000km/s). For the first time we quantified, via the ``locally optimally emitting cloud'' model, the contribution of the broad line region (BLR) to the absolute luminosity of the broad component of the FeKα at 6.4keV. We find that the contribution of the BLR is only ∼3%. In the two-line component scenario, we also evaluated the contribution of the highly ionized gas component, which produces the Fexxvi line in the iron K region. This contribution to the narrow core of the FeKα line is marginal <0.1%. Most of the luminosity of the unresolved, component of FeKα may come from the obscuring torus, while the very-broad associated component may come from the accretion disk. However, models of reflection by cold gas are difficult to test because of the limited energy band. The Fexxvi line at 6.9keV is consistent to be produced in a high column density (N_H∼10²³cm^–2), extremely ionized (logξ∼5.5-7) gas. This gas may be a highly ionized outer layer of the torus.