Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
1998-06-06
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
7 pages LaTeX with 2 figs. embedded
Scientific paper
Several studies have shown that the column densities inferred from broad absorption lines (BALs) require extremely high metallicities and phosphorus overabundances -- apparently in conflict with other abundance diagnostics. Here I use HST spectroscopy of the BALQSO PG 1254+047 to argue that the BALs abundance estimates are incorrect, because partial line-of-sight coverage of the continuum source(s) has led to gross underestimates of the line optical depths and column densities. I claim that the significant presence of PV 1118,1128 absorption in this and other BALQSOs identifies the saturated absorption-line spectrum. This interpretation implies that the total column densities are at least ten times larger than previous estimates, namely log N_H(cm-2) > 22. The outflowing BAL gas, at velocities from -15,000 to -27,000 km/s in PG 1254+047, is therefore a strong candidate for the X-ray absorber in BALQSOs. If this high-column density outflow is radiately accelerated, it must originate <0.1 pc from the QSO.
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