X-ray signatures of an ionized reprocessor in the Seyfert galaxy Ton S180

We discuss the hard X-ray properties of the Seyfert galaxy Ton S180 based on the analysis of ASCA data. We find the X-ray flux varied by a factor similar to 2 on a timescale of a few thousand seconds. The source showed a significantly higher amplitude of variability in the 0.5-2 keV band than in the 2-10 keV band. The continuum is adequately parameterized as a Gamma similar to 2.5 power law across the 0.6-10 keV band. We confirm the recent discovery of an emission line of high equivalent width due to Fe K shell emission from highly ionized material. These ASCA data show the Fe line profile to be broad and asymmetric, and they tentatively suggest it is stronger during the X-ray hares, which is consistent with an origin from the inner parts of an accretion disk. The X-ray spectrum is complex below 2 keV, possibly because of emission from a blend of soft X-ray lines, which would support the existence of an ionized reprocessor most likely due to a relatively high accretion rate in this source.