A long look at NGC 3783 with the XMM-NEWTON reflection grating spectrometer

A long 280 ks observation of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 3783 with XMM-Newton is reported. We focus on the oxygen line complex between 17 and 24 Angstrom as measured with the Reflection Grating Spectrometer. Accurate absorption column densities and emission-line fluxes are obtained. We explore several options for the geometry and physical form of the emitting and absorbing gas. The lack of change in ionization in the absorber despite an increase in continuum flux during the observation restricts the high-ionization (O-K) and the low-ionization (Fe-M) gas to distances of at least 0.5 and 2.8 pc, respectively, away from the central source. Given the P Cygni type profiles in the resonance spectral lines and the similar velocity widths, column densities, and ionization structure inferred separately from the emission and absorption lines, it is tempting to relate the X-ray narrow-line emitting plasma with the X-ray-absorbing gas. Under this assumption, the scenario of dense clumped clouds can be ruled out. Conversely, extended ionization cones (r greater than or similar to 10 pc) are consistent with the observation independent of this assumption. These findings are in stark contrast to the picture of numerous clumpy (n(e) greater than or similar to 10(9) cm(-3)) clouds drawn recently from UV spectra, but they are consistent with the extended X-ray emission cones observed directly in Seyfert 2 galaxies.