Narrow Absorption Lines Complex. II. Probing the Line-locking Signatures within the Trough-like Broad Absorption Line

TL;DR

This study identifies line-locking signatures within broad absorption lines of a quasar, providing observational evidence that radiative forces significantly influence quasar outflows.

Contribution

It presents the first detailed analysis of line-locking phenomena within BAL troughs, highlighting the role of radiative forces in quasar outflow dynamics.

Findings

Multiple NAL systems are embedded within BAL troughs.

Velocity separations match doublet splittings, indicating line-locking.

Evidence supports radiative driving of BAL outflows.

Abstract

In this paper, we report the line-locking phenomenon of the blended narrow absorption lines (NALs) within trough-like broad absorption lines (BALs) in quasar SDSS J021740.96--085447.9 (hereafter J0217--0854). Utilizing the two-epoch spectroscopic observations of J0217--0854 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, we find that each of its C\,{\footnotesize IV}, Si\,{\footnotesize IV}, N\,{\footnotesize V}, and Ly$\alpha$ BAL troughs actually contain at least seven NAL systems. By splitting these BAL troughs into multiple NAL systems, we find that the velocity separations between the NAL systems are similar to their doublet splittings, with some of them matching perfectly. Cases like J0217--0854, showing line-locking signatures of NALs within BAL troughs, offer a direct observational evidence for the idea that radiative forces play a significant role in driving BAL (at least for Type N BAL) outflows.