# Narrow, Intrinsic CIV Absorption in Quasars as it Relates to Outflows,   Orientation, and Radio Properties

**Authors:** Robert B. Stone, Gordon T. Richards

arXiv: 1907.11876 · 2019-08-14

## TL;DR

This study analyzes a large sample of quasar C IV narrow absorption lines to understand their origins, linking them to accretion disk winds, outflows, and quasar orientation, with implications for models of quasar structure.

## Contribution

It extends previous research by using a vast dataset to connect NAL properties with quasar radio and optical characteristics, supporting wind and disk models.

## Key findings

- NAL velocity distribution is independent of radio loudness when accounting for luminosity.
- Differences in NALs relate to radio spectral index and optical/UV luminosity.
- Evidence suggests many NALs originate from outflows driven by accretion disk winds.

## Abstract

This work provides evidence that a large fraction of \ion{C}{IV} narrow absorption lines (NALs) seen along the line of sight to distant quasars are due to accretion disk winds, while also seeking to understand the relationship between NALs and certain quasar-intrinsic properties. We extend the results from past work in the literature using $\sim105,000$ NALs from a sample of $\sim58,000$ SDSS quasars. The primary results of this work are summarized as follows: (1) the velocity distribution (${\rm d}N/{\rm d}\beta$) of NALs is not a function of radio loudness (or even detection) once marginalized by optical/UV luminosity; (2) there are significant differences in the number and distribution of NALs as a function of both radio spectral index and optical/UV luminosity, and these two findings are not entirely interdependent; (3) improvements in quasar systemic redshift measurements and differences in the NAL distribution as a combined function of optical luminosity and radio spectral index together provide evidence that a significant portion of NALs are due to outflows; (4) the results are consistent with standard models of accretion disk winds governed by the $L_{\rm UV}$-$\alpha_{ox}$ relationship and line-of-sight orientation indicated by radio spectral index, and (5) possibly support a magnetically arrested disk model as an explanation for the semi-stochastic nature of strong radio emission in a fraction of quasars.

## Full text

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## Figures

41 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/1907.11876/full.md

## References

99 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/1907.11876/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/1907.11876