Variability at all observed wavelengths is a distinctive property of active galactic nuclei (AGN). Hard X-rays provide us with a view of the innermost regions of AGN, mostly unbiased by absorption along the line of sight. Characterizing the intrinsic hard X-ray variability of a large AGN sample and comparing it to the results obtained at lower X-ray energies can significantly contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the high-energy radiation. Swift/BAT provides us with the unique opportunity to follow, on time scales of days to years and with regular sampling, the 14-195keV emission of the largest AGN sample available up to date for this kind of investigation. As a continuation of an early work using the first 9 months of BAT data, we study the amplitude of the variations and their dependence on subclass and on energy, for a sample of 110 radio quiet and radio loud AGN selected from the BAT 58-month survey.

Cone search capability for table J/A+A/563/A57/table2 (Hard X-ray variability of SWIFT/BAT AGN)