We present results on the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC4388 in the Virgo cluster observed with ASCA during its performance verification ( PV ) phase .
The 0.5–10 keV X-ray spectrum consists of multiple components ; ( 1 ) a continuum component heavily absorbed by a column density N _ { H } \approx 4 \times 10 ^ { 23 } cm ^ { -2 } above 3 keV ; ( 2 ) a strong 6.4 keV line ( equivalent width EW \sim 500 eV ) ; ( 3 ) a weak flat continuum between 1 and 3 keV ; and ( 4 ) excess soft X-ray emission below 1 keV .
The detection of strong absorption for the hard X-ray component is firm evidence for an obscured active nucleus in this Seyfert 2 galaxy .
The absorption corrected X-ray luminosity is about 2 \times 10 ^ { 42 } erg s ^ { -1 } .
This is the first time that the fluorescent iron-K line has been detected in this object ; the large EW is a common property of classical Seyfert 2 nuclei .
The flat spectrum in the intermediate energy range may be a scattered continuum from the central source .
The soft X-ray emission below 1 keV can be thermal emission from a temperature kT \simeq 0.5 keV , consistent with the spatially extended emission observed by ROSAT HRI .
However , the low abundance ( Z \sim 0.05 Z _ { \odot } ) and high mass flow rate required for the thermal model and an iron-K line stronger than expected from the obscuring torus model are puzzling .
An alternative consistent solution can be obtained if the central source was a hundred times more luminous over than a thousand years ago .
All the X-ray emission below 3 keV is then scattered radiation .