X-ray Observations of Broad Absorption Line Quasars

Details X-ray Observations of Broad Absorption Line Quasars X-ray Observations of Broad Absorption Line Quasars

Jan 2012

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2012aas...21915406m&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #219, #154.06

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

Iron low-ionization broad absorption line quasars (FeLoBALs) are an extremely rare but important subset of quasars. They have the reddest continuum spectra and possibly the largest X-ray absorbing column densities of all quasars. These unique characteristics could be interpreted as either a stage in the normal AGN lifetime, or simply a viewing angle effect on a uniform class of objects. To probe these theories using X-ray absorbing column density, we perform an analysis of Suzaku observations of three FeLoBALs (J0943+5417, J1352+4293, and J1723+5553), detecting J1723+5553 to the 3-sigma significance level in the observed 2-10 keV band. We use the X-ray hardness ratio, as well as the broadband spectral index between the X-ray and UV bands as compared to normal active galactic nuclei (AGN) spectral energy distributions (SED), to constrain the intrinsic column densities in these three objects. We find that the FeLoBALs are consistent with the SED of normal quasars if the intrinsic column densities are NH > 7x1023 cm-2 for J0943+5417, NH > 2x1024 cm-2 for J1352+4293, and 6x1023 < NH x1024 cm-2 for J1723+5553. At these large intrinsic column densities, the optical depth from Thomson scattering can reach τ 6, which would significantly modulate the UV flux. Since the UV flux is unaffected, our results suggest the X-ray absorbing material is located at a different place from the UV absorbing wind, likely between the X-ray and UV emitting regions. This implies a geometric interpretation. We further calculate the kinetic feedback efficiency for FeLoBALs and find it to be significant, indicating that the outflows are an important feedback mechanism in quasars.

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