- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJS/171/1
- Title:
- Census of QSOs Narrow Absorption Lines
- Short Name:
- J/ApJS/171/1
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We use Keck HIRES spectra of 37 optically bright quasars at z=2-4 to study narrow absorption lines that are intrinsic to the quasars (intrinsic NALs, produced in gas that is physically associated with the quasar central engine). We identify 150 NAL systems, which contain 124 CIV, 12 NV, and 50 SiIV doublets, of which 18 are associated systems (within 5000km/s of the quasar redshift). We use partial coverage analysis to separate intrinsic NALs from NALs produced in cosmologically intervening structures. We find 39 candidate intrinsic systems (28 reliable determinations and 11 that are possibly intrinsic). We estimate that 10%-17% of CIV systems at blueshifts of 5000-70000km/s relative to quasars are intrinsic. At least 32% of quasars contain one or more intrinsic CIV NALs. Considering NV and SiIV doublets showing partial coverage as well, at least 50% of quasars host intrinsic NALs.
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Search Results
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/655/A109
- Title:
- Chandra view of the LX-LUV relation in quasars
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/655/A109
- Date:
- 22 Feb 2022
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present a study of the relation between X-rays and ultraviolet emission in quasars for a sample of broad-line, radio-quiet objects obtained from the cross-match of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey DR14 with the latest Chandra Source Catalog 2.0 (2332 quasars) and the Chandra COSMOS Legacy survey (273 quasars). The non-linear relation between the ultraviolet (at 2500{AA}, LUV) and the X-ray (at 2keV, LX) emission in quasars has been proved to be characterised by a smaller intrinsic dispersion than the observed one, as long as a homogeneous selection, aimed at preventing the inclusion of contaminants in the sample, is fulfilled. By leveraging on the low background of Chandra, we performed a complete spectral analysis of all the data available for the SDSS-CSC2.0 quasar sample (i.e. 3430 X-ray observations), with the main goal of reducing the uncertainties on the source properties (e.g. flux, spectral slope). We analysed whether any evolution of the LX-LUV relation exists by dividing the sample in narrow redshift intervals across the redshift range spanned by our sample, z~=0.5-4. We find that the slope of the relation does not evolve with redshift and it is consistent with the literature value of 0.6 over the explored redshift range, implying that the mechanism underlying the coupling of the accretion disc and hot corona is the same at the different cosmic epochs. We also find that the dispersion decreases when examining the highest redshifts, where only pointed observations are available. These results further confirm that quasars are 'standardisable candles', that is we can reliably measure cosmological distances at high redshifts where very few cosmological probes are available.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/576/A122
- Title:
- 3C 273 high energy spectrum
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/576/A122
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- The high energy spectrum of 3C 273 is usually understood in terms of inverse-Compton emission in a relativistic leptonic jet. This model predicts variability patterns and delays that could be tested with simultaneous observations from the radio to the GeV range. The instruments IBIS, SPI, JEM-X on board INTEGRAL, PCA on board RXTE, and LAT on board Fermi have enough sensitivity to follow the spectral variability of 3C 273 from the keV to the GeV. We looked for correlations between the different energy bands, including radio data at 37GHz collected at the Metsahovi Radio Observatory and built quasi-simultaneous multiwavelength spectra in the high energy domain when the source is flaring either in the X-rays or in the {gamma} rays.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/666/757
- Title:
- CIV 1549{AA} emission line in AGNs
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/666/757
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We are exploring a spectroscopic unification for all types of broad-line emitting AGNs. The four-dimensional Eigenvector 1 (4DE1) parameter space organizes quasar diversity in a sequence primarily governed by Eddington ratio. This paper considers the role of CIV {lambda}1549 measures as 4DE1 diagnostics. We use HST archival spectra for 130 sources with S/N high enough to permit reliable CIV {lambda}1549 broad-component measures.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/473/791
- Title:
- CIV absorption in DLAs and sub-DLAs systems
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/473/791
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present a study of CIV absorption in a sample of 63 damped Lyman-{alpha} (DLA) systems and 11 sub-DLAs in the redshift range 1.75<z_abs_<3.61, using a dataset of high-resolution (6.6km/s FWHM), high signal-to-noise VLT/UVES spectra. The complex absorption line profiles show both narrow and broad CIV components, indicating the presence of both warm, photoionized and hot, collisionally ionized gas. We report new correlations between the metallicity (measured in the neutral-phase) and each of the CIV column density, the CIV total line width, and the maximum CIV velocity.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/702/767
- Title:
- CIV and FeK{alpha} Baldwin effects in AGNs
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/702/767
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We use UV/optical and X-ray observations of 272 radio-quiet Type 1 active galactic nuclei and quasars to investigate the CIV Baldwin Effect (BEff). The UV/optical spectra are drawn from the Hubble Space Telescope, International Ultraviolet Explorer and Sloan Digital Sky Survey archives. The X-ray spectra are from the Chandra and XMM-Newton archives. We apply correlation and partial-correlation analyses to the equivalent widths (EWs), continuum monochromatic luminosities, and {alpha}_ox_, which characterizes the relative X-ray to UV brightness. The EW of the CIV{lambda}1549 emission line is correlated with both {alpha}_ox_ and luminosity. In our sample, narrow Fe K{alpha} 6.4keV emission lines are detected in 50 objects.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/777/168
- Title:
- CIV and SiIV broad absorption line troughs in SDSS
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/777/168
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We present a detailed investigation of the variability of 428 CIV and 235 SiIV broad absorption line (BAL) troughs identified in multi-epoch observations of 291 quasars by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-I/II/III. These observations primarily sample rest-frame timescales of 1-3.7yr over which significant rearrangement of the BAL wind is expected. We derive a number of observational results on, e.g., the frequency of BAL variability, the velocity range over which BAL variability occurs, the primary observed form of BAL-trough variability, the dependence of BAL variability upon timescale, the frequency of BAL strengthening versus weakening, correlations between BAL variability and BAL-trough profiles, relations between CIV and SiIV BAL variability, coordinated multi-trough variability, and BAL variations as a function of quasar properties. We assess implications of these observational results for quasar winds. Our results support models where most BAL absorption is formed within an order-of-magnitude of the wind-launching radius, although a significant minority of BAL troughs may arise on larger scales. We estimate an average lifetime for a BAL trough along our line-of-sight of a few thousand years. BAL disappearance and emergence events appear to be extremes of general BAL variability, rather than being qualitatively distinct phenomena. We derive the parameters of a random-walk model for BAL EW variability, finding that this model can acceptably describe some key aspects of EW variability. The coordinated trough variability of BAL quasars with multiple troughs suggests that changes in "shielding gas" may play a significant role in driving general BAL variability.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/A+A/616/A114
- Title:
- CIV BAL disappearance in SDSS QSOs
- Short Name:
- J/A+A/616/A114
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- Broad absorption lines (BALs) in the spectra of quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) originate from outflowing winds along our line of sight; winds are thought to originate from the inner regions of the QSO accretion disk, close to the central supermassive black hole (SMBH). These winds likely play a role in galaxy evolution and are responsible for aiding the accretion mechanism onto the SMBH. Several works have shown that BAL equivalent widths can change on typical timescales from months to years; such variability is generally attributed to changes in the covering factor (due to rotation and/or changes in the wind structure) and/or in the ionization level of the gas. We investigate BAL variability, focusing on BAL disappearance. We analyze multi-epoch spectra of more than 1500 QSOs - the largest sample ever used for such a study - observed by different programs from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-I/II/III (SDSS-I/II/III), and search for disappearing CIV BALs. The spectra cover a rest-frame time baseline ranging from 0.28 to 4.9yr; the source redshifts range from 1.68 to 4.27. We detect 73 disappearing BALs in the spectra of 67 unique sources. This corresponds to 3.9% of BALs disappearing within 4.9yr (rest frame), and 5.1% of our BAL QSOs exhibit at least one disappearing BAL within 4.9yr (rest frame). We estimate the average lifetime of a BAL along our line of sight (~=80-100yr), which appears consistent with the accretion disk orbital time at distances where winds are thought to originate. We inspect various properties of the disappearing BAL sample and compare them to the corresponding properties of our main sample. We also investigate the existence of a correlation in the variability of multiple troughs in the same spectrum, and find it persistent at large velocity offsets between BAL pairs, suggesting that a mechanism extending on a global scale is necessary to explain the phenomenon. We select a more reliable sample of disappearing BALs on the basis of some criteria adopted in a previous publication, where a subset of our current sample was analyzed, and compare the findings from the two works, obtaining generally consistent results.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/MNRAS/454/3962
- Title:
- 188 CIV BAL QSOs from SDSS DR7
- Short Name:
- J/MNRAS/454/3962
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- The variability of broad absorption lines (BALs) is investigated for a sample of 188 BAL quasars (QSOs) (z>1.7) with at least two epoch observations from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7, covering a time-scale of about 0.001-3yr in the rest frame. Considering only the longest time-scale between epochs for each QSO, 73 variable regions in the CIV BAL troughs are detected for 43 BAL QSOs. The proportion of BAL QSOs showing variable regions increases with longer time-interval than about 1 yr in the rest frame. The velocity width of variable regions is narrow compared to the BAL-trough outflow velocity. For 43 BAL QSOs with variable regions, it is found that there is a medium strong correlation between the variation of the continuum luminosity at 1500{AA} and the variation of the spectral index. With respect to the total 188 QSOs, a larger proportion of BAL QSOs with variable regions appears bluer during their brighter phases, which implies that the origin of BAL variable regions is related to the central accretion process. For 43 BAL QSOs with variable regions, it is possible that there is a negative medium strong correlation between the absolute variation of the equivalent width and the Mgii-based black hole mass, and a medium strong correlation between the maximum outflow velocity of variable regions and the Eddington ratio. These results imply a connection between the BAL-trough variation and the central accretion process.
- ID:
- ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/ApJ/791/88
- Title:
- C IV BAL troughs properties in quasars
- Short Name:
- J/ApJ/791/88
- Date:
- 21 Oct 2021
- Publisher:
- CDS
- Description:
- We consider how the profile and multi-year variability properties of a large sample of C IV Broad Absorption Line (BAL) troughs change when BALs from Si IV and/or Al III are present at corresponding velocities, indicating that the line of sight intercepts at least some lower ionization gas. We derive a number of observational results for C IV BALs separated according to the presence or absence of accompanying lower ionization transitions, including measurements of composite profile shapes, equivalent width (EW), characteristic velocities, composite variation profiles, and EW variability. We also measure the correlations between EW and fractional-EW variability for C IV, Si IV, and Al III. Our measurements reveal the basic correlated changes between ionization level, kinematics, and column density expected in accretion-disk wind models; e.g., lines of sight including lower ionization material generally show deeper and broader C IV troughs that have smaller minimum velocities and that are less variable. Many C IV BALs with no accompanying Si IV or Al III BALs may have only mild or no saturation.