A High-Velocity Narrow Absorption Line Outflow in the Quasar J212329.46-005052.9

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of a high-velocity, narrow absorption line outflow in a quasar, characterized by multiple outflow systems with similar properties, located about 5 parsecs from the quasar, with variable ionization driven by flux changes.

Contribution

It presents the first detailed analysis of a high-velocity narrow absorption line outflow with multiple systems and discusses its physical properties and implications for quasar feedback.

Findings

Five distinct outflow systems with velocities from -9710 to -14050 km/s.

Outflow structures are located approximately 5 parsecs from the quasar.

The outflow's kinetic energy is insufficient for significant galactic feedback.

Abstract

We report on a variable high-velocity narrow absorption line outflow in the redshift 2.3 quasar J2123-0050. Five distinct outflow systems are detected with velocity shifts from -9710 to -14,050 km/s and CIV 1548,1551 line widths of FWHM = 62-164 km/s. These data require five distinct outflow structures with similar kinematics, physical conditions and characteristic sizes of order 0.01-0.02 pc. The most likely location is ~5 pc from the quasar. The coordinated line variations in <0.63 yr (rest) are best explained by global changes in the outflow ionization caused by changes in the quasar's ionizing flux. The absence of strong X-ray absorption shows that radiative shielding is not needed to maintain the moderate ionizations and therefore, apparently, it is not needed to facilitate the radiative acceleration to high speeds. The kinetic energy yield of this flow is at least two orders of magnitude too low to be important for feedback to the host galaxy's evolution.