TY - JOUR
T1 - The quasar outflow contribution to AGN feedback
T2 - VLT measurements of SDSS J0318-0600
AU - Dunn, Jay P.
AU - Bautista, Manuel
AU - Arav, Nahum
AU - Moe, Max
AU - Korista, Kirk
AU - Costantini, Elisa
AU - Benn, Chris
AU - Ellison, Sara
AU - Edmonds, Doug
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - We present high spectral resolution Very Large Telescope observations of the broad absorption line quasar SDSS J0318 - 0600. This high-quality data set allows us to extract accurate ionic column densities and determine an electron number density of ne = 103.3±0.2cm-3 for the main outflow absorption component. The heavily reddened spectrum of SDSS J0318-0600 requires purely silicate dust with a reddening curve characteristic of predominately large grains, from which we estimate the bolometric luminosity. We carry out photoionization modeling to determine the total column density, ionization parameter, and distance of the gas and find that the photoionization models suggest abundances greater than solar. Due to the uncertainty in the location of the dust extinction, we arrive at two viable distances for the main ouflow component from the central source, 6 and 17kpc, where we consider the 6kpc location as somewhat more physically plausible. Assuming the canonical global covering of 20% for the outflow and a distance of 6kpc, our analysis yields a mass flux of 120 M⊙yr-1 and a kinetic luminosity that is ∼0.1% of the bolometric luminosity of the object. Should the dust be part of the outflow, then these values are ∼4× larger. The large mass flux and kinetic luminosity make this outflow a significant contributor to active galactic nucleus feedback processes.
AB - We present high spectral resolution Very Large Telescope observations of the broad absorption line quasar SDSS J0318 - 0600. This high-quality data set allows us to extract accurate ionic column densities and determine an electron number density of ne = 103.3±0.2cm-3 for the main outflow absorption component. The heavily reddened spectrum of SDSS J0318-0600 requires purely silicate dust with a reddening curve characteristic of predominately large grains, from which we estimate the bolometric luminosity. We carry out photoionization modeling to determine the total column density, ionization parameter, and distance of the gas and find that the photoionization models suggest abundances greater than solar. Due to the uncertainty in the location of the dust extinction, we arrive at two viable distances for the main ouflow component from the central source, 6 and 17kpc, where we consider the 6kpc location as somewhat more physically plausible. Assuming the canonical global covering of 20% for the outflow and a distance of 6kpc, our analysis yields a mass flux of 120 M⊙yr-1 and a kinetic luminosity that is ∼0.1% of the bolometric luminosity of the object. Should the dust be part of the outflow, then these values are ∼4× larger. The large mass flux and kinetic luminosity make this outflow a significant contributor to active galactic nucleus feedback processes.
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U2 - 10.1088/0004-637X/709/2/611
DO - 10.1088/0004-637X/709/2/611
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:73949157194
SN - 0004-637X
VL - 709
SP - 611
EP - 631
JO - Astrophysical Journal
JF - Astrophysical Journal
IS - 2
ER -