BEPPOSAX OBSERVATION OF NGC-7674 - A NEW REFLECTION-DOMINATED SEYFERT-2 GALAXY

The Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 7674 has been observed within the BeppoSAX Co re Programme with the onboard narrow field instruments between 0.1 and 100 keV. The broad-band spectrum shows four most relevant spectral co mponents: a) a soft excess below similar to 2 keV; b) a prominent (EW similar to 1 keV) Fe line; c) a flat (Gamma(obs) similar to 1.1) 2-10 keV continuum; d) a 4.5 sigma detection above 13 keV. The flat power l aw spectrum can be very well explained within the current AGN unified models assuming a steep (Gamma similar to 2) intrinsic spectrum scatte red by warm gas for the low energy band and totally reflected by optic ally thick cold matter (plausibly a molecular torus) for the high ener gy band. The case of NGC 7674 adds to the increasing number of so call ed ''Compton-thick'' Seyfert 2 galaxies in which the direct emission i s totally absorbed and the X-ray luminosity is thus at least one or tw o orders of magnitude larger than what inferred from the observed flux .