Unification of X-ray winds in Seyfert galaxies: from ultra-fast outflows to warm absorbers

TL;DR

This study unifies the understanding of ionized X-ray outflows in Seyfert galaxies, showing they form a continuous stratified structure influenced by radiation and magnetic forces, with significant implications for AGN feedback.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive analysis linking warm absorbers and ultra-fast outflows as parts of a single outflow system in Seyfert galaxies.

Findings

WAs are present in over 60% of sources; UFOs in over 34%.

Higher ionization and velocity closer to the black hole.

Absorbers can significantly contribute to AGN feedback.

Abstract

The existence of ionized X-ray absorbing layers of gas along the line of sight to the nuclei of Seyfert galaxies is a well established observational fact. This material is systematically outflowing and shows a large range in parameters. However, its actual nature and dynamics are still not clear. In order to gain insights into these important issues we performed a literature search for papers reporting the parameters of the soft X-ray warm absorbers (WAs) in 35 type 1 Seyferts and compared their properties to those of the ultra-fast outflows (UFOs) detected in the same sample. The fraction of sources with WAs is >60%, consistent with previous studies. The fraction of sources with UFOs is >34%, >67% of which also show WAs. The large dynamic range obtained when considering all the absorbers together allows us, for the first time, to investigate general relations among them. In particular, we find significant correlations indicating that the closer the absorber is to the central black hole, the higher the ionization, column, outflow velocity and consequently the mechanical power. The absorbers continuously populate the whole parameter space, with the WAs and the UFOs lying always at the two ends of the distribution. This strongly suggest that these absorbers, often considered of different types, could actually represent parts of a single large-scale stratified outflow observed at different locations from the black hole. The observed parameters and correlations are consistent with both radiation pressure through Compton scattering and MHD processes contributing to the outflow acceleration, the latter playing a major role. Most of the absorbers, especially the UFOs, have a sufficiently high mechanical power to significantly contribute to AGN feedback.