The Multi-component X-ray Emission of 3C 273

3C 273 is the brightest quasar in the sky and among the most extensively observed and studied AGN, therefore one of the most suitable targets for a long‐term, multi‐frequency study. The superposition of a thermal Comptonisation component, similar to that observed in Seyfert galaxies, and of a non‐thermal component, related to the jet emission, seems to explain some of the spectral and timing properties of the X‐ray emission of 3C 273. Yet, during some observations this dichotomy has not been observed and the variability properties could also be consistent with a single‐component scenario, characterised by two parameters varying independently. In order to understand the nature of the X‐ray emission in 3C 273, a series of observations up to 80–100 keV, possibly catching the source in different flux states, are essential. Simbol‐X will be able to study the emission of 3C 273 in the broad 0.5–80 keV band with high sensitivity, allowing us to disentangle the emission from different spectral components, with 20...