XMM-Newton Reveals the Quasar Outflow in PG 1115+080

By G. Chartas, W. N. Brandt, S. C. Gallagher. 2003

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We report on an observation of the broad absorption line (BAL) quasar PG 1115+080 performed with the XMM-Newton observatory. Spectral analysis reveals the second case of a relativistic X-ray-absorbing outflow in a BAL quasar. The first case was revealed in a recent observation of APM 08279+5255 with the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. As in the case of APM 08279+5255, the observed flux of PG 1115+080 is greatly magnified by gravitational lensing. The relatively high redshift (z = 1.72) of the quasar places the redshifted energies of resonant absorption features in a sensitive portion of the XMM-Newton spectral response. The spectrum indicates the presence of complex low-energy absorption in the 0.2-0.6 keV observed energy band and high-energy absorption in the 2-5 keV observed energy band. The high-energy absorption is best modeled by two Gaussian absorption lines with rest-frame energies of 7.4 and 9.5 keV. Assuming that these two lines are produced by resonant absorption due to Fe XXV Kα, we infer that the X-ray absorbers are outflowing with velocities of ~ 0.10c and ~ 0.34c, respectively. We have detected significant variability of the energies and widths of the X-ray BALs in PG 1115+080 and APM 08279+5255 over timescales of 19 and 1.8 weeks (proper time), respectively. The BAL variability observed from APM 08279+5255 supports our earlier conclusion that these absorbers are most likely launched at relatively small radii of ≲1016(Mbh/M8)1/2 cm. A comparison of the ionization properties and column densities of the low-energy and high-energy absorbers indicates that these absorbers are likely distinct; however, higher spectral resolution is needed to confirm this result. Finally, we comment on prospects for constraining the kinematic and ionization properties of these X-ray BALs with the next generation of X-ray observatories.

Subfields: Astronomy and Astrophysics, Nuclear and High Energy Physics

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/8df9da5043ea734fada71af57c22c7c5c7594ffb

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Citations in the corpus

The XMM-Newton view of PG quasars - I. X-ray continuum and absorption (2004, methodology): “Even though Chartas et al. (2003) suggested that the soft spectrum is best fitted by an ionized absorber, our study found that a neutral absorption model cannot be ruled out.”
A unified model for AGN feedback in cosmological simulations of structure formation (2007, background): “The presence of quasar induced outflows has been observationally confirmed in a number of cases (e.g. Chartas et al., 2003; Crenshaw et al., 2003; Pounds et al., 2003), and has first been demonstrated in simulations of merging galaxy pairs by Di Matteo et al. (2005).”
Unification of X-ray winds in Seyfert galaxies: from ultra-fast outflows to warm absorbers (2012, background): “Besides WAs, highly blueshifted Fe K-shell absorption lines at E&7 keV have been detected in more recent years in the X-ray spectra of several AGNs (Chartas et al. 2002, 2003; Pounds et al. 2003; Dadina et al. 2005; Markowitz et al. 2006; Braito et al. 2007; Cappi et al. 2009; Reeves et al. 2009; Ch”
EVIDENCE FOR ULTRA-FAST OUTFLOWS IN RADIO-QUIET ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI. II. DETAILED PHOTOIONIZATION MODELING OF Fe K-SHELL ABSORPTION LINES (2011, background): “…Fe K absorption lines have been detected in recent years between 7 and 10 keV in the X-ray spectra of several radio-quiet AGNs (e.g., Chartas et al. 2002; Chartas et al. 2003; Pounds et al. 2003; Dadina et al. 2005; Markowitz et al. 2006; Braito et al. 2007; Cappi et al. 2009; Reeves et al. 2009).”
DISCOVERY OF ULTRA-FAST OUTFLOWS IN A SAMPLE OF BROAD-LINE RADIO GALAXIES OBSERVED WITH SUZAKU (2010, background): “…de- tection of blue-shifted Fe K absorption lines at rest-frame energies of ∼7–10 keV in the X-ray spectra of radio-quiet AGN (e.g., Chartas et al. 2002; Chartas et al. 2003; Pounds et al. 2003; Dadina et al. 2005; Markowitz et al. 2006; Braito et al. 2007; Cappi et al. 2009; Reeves et al. 2009a).”
An Exploratory Chandra Survey of a Well-defined Sample of 35 Large Bright Quasar Survey Broad Absorption Line Quasars (2006, background): “Generically, the terminal velocity of outflowing material is set to some extent by the launching radius (e.g., Chartas et al. 2003 and references therein).”
A Physical Model for the Coevolution of QSOs and Their Spheroidal Hosts (2003, methodology): “Such small values of rf are confirmed by the observed variability of the absorption line energies and widths in APM08279 + 0522 over a proper timescale of 1.8 weeks (Chartas et al. 2003).”
On why the iron K-shell absorption in AGN is not a signature of the local warm/hot intergalactic medium (2008, background): “Indeed the iron K absorption features seen in high redshift BAL QSO’s are likewise very far from the iron Kα rest energies for local material (Chartas et al 2002, 2003).”
Evidence for ultra-fast outflows in radio-quiet AGNs - I. Detection and statistical incidence of Fe K-shell absorption lines (2010, background): “…works showing evidence for the presence of blue-shifted Fe K absorption lines in the X-ray spectra of radio-quiet AGNs (e.g., Chartas et al. 2002; Chartas et al. 2003; Pounds et al. 2003a; Dadina et al. 2005; Markowitz et al. 2006; Braito et al. 2007; Cappi et al. 2009; Reeves et al. 2009),…”