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X-ray evidence for ultra-fast outflows in local AGNs

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 نشر من قبل Francesco Tombesi PhD
 تاريخ النشر 2012
  مجال البحث فيزياء
والبحث باللغة English
 تأليف F. Tombesi




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X-ray evidence for ultra-fast outflows (UFOs) has been recently reported in a number of local AGNs through the detection of blue-shifted Fe XXV/XXVI absorption lines. We present the results of a comprehensive spectral analysis of a large sample of 42 local Seyferts and 5 Broad-Line Radio Galaxies (BLRGs) observed with XMM-Newton and Suzaku. We detect UFOs in >40% of the sources. Their outflow velocities are in the range 0.03-0.3c, with a mean value of ~0.14c. The ionization is high, in the range logxi~3-6 erg s^{-1} cm, and also the associated column densities are large, in the interval ~10^{22}-10^{24} cm^{-2}. Overall, these results point to the presence of highly ionized and massive outflowing material in the innermost regions of AGNs. Their variability and location on sub-pc scales favor a direct association with accretion disk winds/outflows. This also suggests that UFOs may potentially play a significant role in the AGN cosmological feedback besides jets and their study can provide important clues on the connection between accretion disks, winds and jets.



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106 - F. Tombesi 2012
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106 - F. Tombesi (1 , 2 , 3 2010
We performed a blind search for narrow absorption features at energies greater than 6.4 keV in a sample of 42 radio-quiet AGNs observed with XMM-Newton. We detect 36 narrow absorption lines on a total of 101 XMM-Newton EPIC pn observations. The numbe r of absorption lines at rest-frame energies E>7 keV is 22. Their global probability to be generated by random fluctuations is very low, less than 3x10^-8, and their detection have been independently confirmed by a spectral analysis of the MOS data, with associated random probability <10^-7. We identify the lines as Fe XXV and Fe XXVI K-shell resonant absorption. They are systematically blue-shifted, with a velocity distribution ranging from zero up to 0.3c, with a peak and mean value at 0.1c. We detect variability of the lines on both EWs and blue-shifted velocities among different observations even on time-scales as short as a few days, possibly suggesting somewhat compact absorbers. Moreover, we find no significant correlation between the cosmological red-shifts of the sources and the lines blue-shifted velocities, ruling out any systematic contamination by local absorption. If we define Ultra-fast Outflows (UFOs) those highly ionized absorbers with outflow velocities higher than 10^4 km/s, then the majority of the lines are consistent with being associated to UFOs and the fraction of objects with detected UFOs in the whole sample is at least 35%. This fraction is similar for Type 1 and Type 2 sources. The global covering fraction of the absorbers is consequently estimated to be in the range C=0.4-0.6, thereby implying large opening angles. These lines indicate that UFOs are a rather common phenomenon observable in the central regions of these sources and they are probably the direct signature of AGN accretion disk winds/ejecta. The detailed photo-ionization modeling of these absorbers is presented in a companion paper.
153 - F. Tombesi (1 , 2 , 3 2011
X-ray absorption line spectroscopy has recently shown evidence for previously unknown Ultra-fast Outflows (UFOs) in radio-quiet AGNs. In the previous paper of this series we defined UFOs as those absorbers with an outflow velocity higher than 10,000k m/s and assessed the statistical significance of the associated blueshifted FeK absorption lines in a large sample of 42 local radio-quiet AGNs observed with XMM-Newton. In the present paper we report a detailed curve of growth analysis and directly model the FeK absorbers with the Xstar photo-ionization code. We confirm that the frequency of sources in the radio-quiet sample showing UFOs is >35%. The outflow velocity distribution spans from sim10,000km/s (sim0.03c) up to sim100,000km/s (sim0.3c), with a peak and mean value of sim42,000km/s (sim0.14c). The ionization parameter is very high and in the range logxi 3-6erg s^{-1} cm, with a mean value of logxi 4.2 erg s^{-1} cm. The associated column densities are also large, in the range N_Hsim10^{22}-10^{24} cm^{-2}, with a mean value of N_Hsim10^{23} cm^{-2}. We discuss and estimate how selection effects, such as those related to the limited instrumental sensitivity at energies above 7keV, may hamper the detection of even higher velocities and higher ionization absorbers. We argue that, overall, these results point to the presence of extremely ionized and possibly almost Compton thick outflowing material in the innermost regions of AGNs. This also suggests that UFOs may potentially play a significant role in the expected cosmological feedback from AGNs and their study can provide important clues on the connection between accretion disks, winds and jets.
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115 - F. Tombesi 2012
The existence of ionized X-ray absorbing layers of gas along the line of sight to the nuclei of Seyfert galaxies is a well established observational fact. This material is systematically outflowing and shows a large range in parameters. However, its actual nature and dynamics are still not clear. In order to gain insights into these important issues we performed a literature search for papers reporting the parameters of the soft X-ray warm absorbers (WAs) in 35 type 1 Seyferts and compared their properties to those of the ultra-fast outflows (UFOs) detected in the same sample. The fraction of sources with WAs is >60%, consistent with previous studies. The fraction of sources with UFOs is >34%, >67% of which also show WAs. The large dynamic range obtained when considering all the absorbers together allows us, for the first time, to investigate general relations among them. In particular, we find significant correlations indicating that the closer the absorber is to the central black hole, the higher the ionization, column, outflow velocity and consequently the mechanical power. The absorbers continuously populate the whole parameter space, with the WAs and the UFOs lying always at the two ends of the distribution. This strongly suggest that these absorbers, often considered of different types, could actually represent parts of a single large-scale stratified outflow observed at different locations from the black hole. The observed parameters and correlations are consistent with both radiation pressure through Compton scattering and MHD processes contributing to the outflow acceleration, the latter playing a major role. Most of the absorbers, especially the UFOs, have a sufficiently high mechanical power to significantly contribute to AGN feedback.
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