Description
We present a spectroscopic analysis of XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observations of the 'complex' NLS1 PG 1535+547 at redshift $z=0.038$. These observations span three epochs: 2002 and 2006 with XMM-Newton alone, and a coordinated XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observation in 2016, covering the $0.3-70$ keV energy range. The X-ray spectra across all epochs exhibit both neutral and ionized absorption, along with reflection features from the accretion disc, including a prominent Compton hump in the broadband data. Notably, the spectral shape varies across epochs. Our analysis suggests this variability being attributed to changes in both line-of-sight absorption and intrinsic emission. The source is obscured by multiple layers of partially and/or fully covering neutral and ionized absorbers, with neutral column densities ranging from undetectable levels in the least obscured phase to $\sim3-5\times10^{23} ~ \rm cm^{-2} $ in the most obscured phase. A clear warm absorber is revealed during the least obscured phase. The continuum remains fairly consistent ($\Gamma \approx 2.2\pm0.1$) during the first two observations, followed by a substantial flux decrease (by a factor of $\sim7$ in the $2-10$ keV band) in 2016 compared to 2006. The 2016 data indicates the source is in a reflection-dominated state during this epoch, with a reflection fraction of $R > 7$ and an X-ray source located at a height $\leq 1.72 ~ R_g$. Simultaneous fitting of the multi-epoch data suggests a rapidly rotating black hole with a spin parameter, $a > 0.9$. These findings imply that strong light-bending effects may account for the observed continuum flux reduction.
