2001A&A...365..400C

The BeppoSAX observations of the bright Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy Ark 564 are presented along with a high quality optical spectrum taken at the 1.5 m telescope at La Silla. The 0.1-10keV X-ray spectrum is characterized by a strong soft component which is best described by blackbody-like emission with a temperature of ∼160eV. At higher energies a steep (Γ≃2.4) power-law tail is present. There is evidence of an ionized reflector in the form of an iron line and edge. We do not find significant evidence of soft X-ray features if the spectrum is modelled with a two component continuum. The optical and X-ray spectral properties support the hypothesis of a high accretion rate onto a low mass black hole.