Ubiquitous Variability of X‐Ray–absorbing Column Densities in Seyfert 2 Galaxies

We present a study of the variations in the absorbing column density of 25 X-ray defined Seyfert 2 galaxies, as inferred from hard X-ray observations, on timescales from months to several years. We show that a significant variation of NH (from 20% to 80%) is observed in almost all (22/25) the sources with multiple X-ray observations, although X-ray absorption never vanishes. For a subsample of 11 sources observed at least five times the typical variation time, as defined by a structure function, is less than one year for both heavily absorbed (nH ~ 10²3 cm^ (-2) ) and moderately absorbed (nH ~ 10²2 cm^ (-2) ) sources. These variations rule out the simplest version of the unified models, based on a homogeneous obscuring torus, and suggest the presence of clumpy circumnuclear material on a scale well below a parsec. We propose a modification of the torus model in which an overabundance of slightly dusty BELR clouds obscures the BELR. The BELR needs, like the torus, to have an axisymmetric structure. This model is closely related to that of Elvis (2000) for type 1 AGN. For lightly obscured AGN (nH ~ 10²2 cm^ (-2) ) the structure function shows an increase at a timescale of \5 yr, indicating a second absorber, most probably on a 5-10 pc scale associated with the host galaxy.