High Velocity Outflows in Quasars Paola Rodriguez Hidalgo Advisor: Fred Hamann University of Florida Collaborators: Daniel Nestor, Joseph Shields

Classification of Absorption Lines Based on similar redshift to the quasar: Associated Non-associated Based on the absorber is ejected from the quasar: Intrinsic Non-intrinsic Based on the width of the line: BAL NAL miniBAL “Some” and not much, because Wise et al at least ~21%, Barlow et al. 1997 ~30% miniBALs: technically, we call a “miniBAL” CIV systems with FWHMs or ~ 550 km/s, since it is at that FWHM when the doublet is smoothed out. The broader the system is, the most likely is it formed in an outflow, but since some AALs are known to be intrinsic, systems with all FWHM could be intrinsic.

Classification of Absorption Lines Based on similar redshift to the quasar: Associated Non-associated Based on the absorber is ejected from the quasar: Intrinsic Non-intrinsic Based on the width of the line: BAL: form in winds NAL: origin? Most AALs are intrinsic (see Leah Simon, Daniel Nestor and Rajib Ganguly posters), how many at High Velocity (HV) are intrinsic? (36% ? - Richards et al. 1999, 2001) miniBAL: barely studied: how common are they?, how often do they appear at HV? High Velocity Outflows BAL and NAL are and have been studied in the past, but miniBALs haven’t had much attention yet. “Some” and not much, because Wise et al at least ~21%, Barlow et al. 1997 ~30% miniBALs: technically, we call a “miniBAL” CIV systems with FWHMs or ~ 550 km/s, since it is at that FWHM when the doublet is smoothed out. The broader the system is, the most likely is it formed in an outflow, but since some AALs are known to be intrinsic, systems with all FWHM could be intrinsic.

Example of a High Velocity Outflow Ly+NV PG 0935+417 v ~ 51,000 km/s SiIV+OIV CIV SiIV is less abundant than CIV Add \FWHM. Show together with variability plot and some number results. Don’t spend too much time: it’s OLD stuff CIV!

Goals Account for types of outflows to input information into physical/geometrical models. Understand miniBAL-BAL relationship: distinct or same thing with different sightline? Confirm intrinsic nature of large number of systems for follow-up and, hopefully, get information about location, densities, … and to explain wind structure and dynamics.

Searching for High Velocity Outflows: the Sample SDSS Quasar spectra: R ~ 150 km/s Spectral coverage 3820-9200 A; to see CIV 1548,1550 absorbers: zem > 1.8 to see velocities up to 0.2c: zem > 2.1 Choose the n(t) spectra with best S/N Look for every blue-shifted CIV absorber - zabs, v, FWHM, REW, BI, AI One sentence explanation BI! Mention DBN poster

Searching for High Velocity Outflows: the Sample SDSS Quasar spectra: R ~ 150 km/s Spectral coverage 3820-9200 A; to see CIV 1548,1550 absorbers: zem > 1.8 to see velocities up to 0.2c: zem > 2.1 Choose the 2,200 spectra with best S/N -> 1,846 Look for every blue-shifted CIV absorber - zabs, v, FWHM, REW, BI, AI - 5320 absorption systems measured Mention DBN poster. One sentence explanation BI!

Searching for High Velocity Outflows: the results

CIV absorbers found BAL miniBAL NAL Restframe wavelength (A)

CIV absorbers found Number of miniBALs = 423 Number of quasars with miniBALs = 284 Number of quasars with miniBALs at v > 10,000 km s-1 = 175 Number of quasars with miniBALs at v > 25,000 km s-1 = 51

CIV absorbers found 14% 2.5%

Some questions: What sorts of structures and what lines of sight through the outflow produce miniBALs? How often should we see miniBALs vs BALs and NALs if we view these outflows along random sightlines? How fast do miniBALs evolve or cross the line of sight? Should we see acceleration /decceleration? Should HV miniBALs come with more/less Xray abs than BALs?

Variability study Ly+NV PG 0935+417 SiIV+OIV CIV CIV! v ~ 51,000 km/s SiIV is less abundant than CIV Add \FWHM. Show together with variability plot and some number results. Don’t spend too much time: it’s OLD stuff CIV!

Variability study HV CIV Flux Observed wavelength (A) Include another slide with the variability derivations… (ne and distance source-absorber) HV CIV Observed wavelength (A)

Searching for Variability: Data KPNO 2.1m : R~200 km s-1, ~3600-6200 A MDM 2.4m : R~230 km s-1 , ~3600-5200 A (collaboration with Joe Shields) Lick 3.0m : (collaboration with Jason Prochaska) Literature: LBQS survey (Hewitt et al. 1994), etc…

Variability study: some results

Variability study: some results 18 well-measured quasars in 3 observing campaigns 5 quasars show clear variability in miniBALs (5/18~30%): If changes are due to ionization: tobs=0.7-1.9 yrs = high (?) upper limit for tvar ne= 6000-16200 cm-3 : lower limit Rmax=1700-4900 pc : upper limit So far, no variability in NALs Most systems vary only in strength, but some show shift in velocities

Current & Future work Continue Variability study ->looking for more intrinsic systems and monitoring campaign to study flow properties of confirmed ones High resolution observations of best/interesting candidates to obtain more accurate properties Compare to absorption in Xray data to explore UV-Xray correlations and the relationship miniBALs-BALs Input results in current theoretical models to help constrain parameters

Summary We have searched the SDSS database looking for CIV absorbers to compile, for the first time, a catalog of CIV absorption lines in high-redshift quasars: 2,200 quasars, 5320 CIV absorption systems found We did and continue to follow up some of these systems with new observations (KPNO 2.1m, MDM 2.4m, Lick 3.0m) to confirm intrinsic nature based on variability and characterize it. We will follow up with Xray observations to study the relationship UV-Xray absorbers and miniBALs-BALs. We will input the results into theoretical models to help constrain model parameters. Xiexie

Questionable/Interesting HV candidates