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Title: Variability of the high-velocity outflow in the quasar PDS 456

Abstract

We present a comparison of two Suzaku X-ray observations of the nearby (z = 0.184), luminous (L {sub bol} ∼ 10{sup 47} erg s{sup –1}) type I quasar, PDS 456. A new 125 ks Suzaku observation in 2011 caught the quasar during a period of low X-ray flux and with a hard X-ray spectrum, in contrast with a previous 190 ks Suzaku observation in 2007 when the quasar appeared brighter and had a steep (Γ > 2) X-ray spectrum. The 2011 X-ray spectrum contains a pronounced trough near 9 keV in the quasar rest frame, which can be modeled with blueshifted iron K-shell absorption, most likely from the He- and H-like transitions of iron. The absorption trough is observed at a similar rest-frame energy as in the earlier 2007 observation, which appears to confirm the existence of a persistent high-velocity wind in PDS 456, at an outflow velocity of 0.25-0.30c. The spectral variability between 2007 and 2011 can be accounted for by variations in a partial covering absorber, increasing in covering fraction from the brighter 2007 observation to the hard and faint 2011 observation. Overall, the low-flux 2011 observation can be explained if PDS 456 is observed at relatively lowmore » inclination angles through a Compton-thick wind, originating from the accretion disk, which significantly attenuates the X-ray flux from the quasar.« less

Authors:
; ; ;  [1];  [2];  [3]; ;  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7]
  1. Astrophysics Group, School of Physical and Geographical Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG (United Kingdom)
  2. INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, Via Bianchi 46, I-23807 Merate (Italy)
  3. School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom)
  4. Department of Physics, Technion, Haifa 32000 (Israel)
  5. Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3RH (United Kingdom)
  6. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH (United Kingdom)
  7. Center for Space Science and Technology, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22348339
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 780; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; ABSORPTION; ACCRETION DISKS; BLACK HOLES; COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS; HARD X RADIATION; K SHELL; KEV RANGE; QUASARS; VARIATIONS; VELOCITY; X-RAY GALAXIES; X-RAY SPECTRA

Citation Formats

Reeves, J. N., Gofford, J., Costa, M., Matzeu, G., Braito, V., Sim, S. A., Behar, E., Kaspi, S., Miller, L., O'Brien, P., Turner, T. J., and Ward, M., E-mail: j.n.reeves@keele.ac.uk. Variability of the high-velocity outflow in the quasar PDS 456. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/780/1/45.
Reeves, J. N., Gofford, J., Costa, M., Matzeu, G., Braito, V., Sim, S. A., Behar, E., Kaspi, S., Miller, L., O'Brien, P., Turner, T. J., & Ward, M., E-mail: j.n.reeves@keele.ac.uk. Variability of the high-velocity outflow in the quasar PDS 456. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/780/1/45
Reeves, J. N., Gofford, J., Costa, M., Matzeu, G., Braito, V., Sim, S. A., Behar, E., Kaspi, S., Miller, L., O'Brien, P., Turner, T. J., and Ward, M., E-mail: j.n.reeves@keele.ac.uk. 2014. "Variability of the high-velocity outflow in the quasar PDS 456". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/780/1/45.
@article{osti_22348339,
title = {Variability of the high-velocity outflow in the quasar PDS 456},
author = {Reeves, J. N. and Gofford, J. and Costa, M. and Matzeu, G. and Braito, V. and Sim, S. A. and Behar, E. and Kaspi, S. and Miller, L. and O'Brien, P. and Turner, T. J. and Ward, M., E-mail: j.n.reeves@keele.ac.uk},
abstractNote = {We present a comparison of two Suzaku X-ray observations of the nearby (z = 0.184), luminous (L {sub bol} ∼ 10{sup 47} erg s{sup –1}) type I quasar, PDS 456. A new 125 ks Suzaku observation in 2011 caught the quasar during a period of low X-ray flux and with a hard X-ray spectrum, in contrast with a previous 190 ks Suzaku observation in 2007 when the quasar appeared brighter and had a steep (Γ > 2) X-ray spectrum. The 2011 X-ray spectrum contains a pronounced trough near 9 keV in the quasar rest frame, which can be modeled with blueshifted iron K-shell absorption, most likely from the He- and H-like transitions of iron. The absorption trough is observed at a similar rest-frame energy as in the earlier 2007 observation, which appears to confirm the existence of a persistent high-velocity wind in PDS 456, at an outflow velocity of 0.25-0.30c. The spectral variability between 2007 and 2011 can be accounted for by variations in a partial covering absorber, increasing in covering fraction from the brighter 2007 observation to the hard and faint 2011 observation. Overall, the low-flux 2011 observation can be explained if PDS 456 is observed at relatively low inclination angles through a Compton-thick wind, originating from the accretion disk, which significantly attenuates the X-ray flux from the quasar.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/780/1/45},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22348339}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = 1,
volume = 780,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2014},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2014}
}