Fast inflowing ionized absorber tracing the gas dynamics at sub-parsec scale around Mrk 3

TL;DR

This study presents high-resolution X-ray observations of Mrk 3, revealing a fast, inflowing ionized gas at sub-parsec scales and a soft X-ray outflow, providing insights into SMBH fueling and feedback mechanisms.

Contribution

First direct detection of sub-parsec scale inflowing ionized gas in Mrk 3 using high-resolution X-ray spectra, linking the torus and accretion disk.

Findings

Detected inflowing ionized absorber with decreasing velocity over 11 years.

Located the inflow within 0.04-0.74 pc from the SMBH.

Observed a soft X-ray outflow likely from shocked interstellar medium.

Abstract

Accretion onto supermassive black hole (SMBH) can release energy via radiation, jets or winds, providing feedback effects on the circumnuclear gas environment. However, not all active galactic nuclei (AGNs) exhibit clear signature of such feedback, and the dynamics of accreting gas on the inner sub-parsec scales remains poorly understood. Using high-resolution Chandra X-ray grating spectra of Mrk 3, we detect a fast inflowing ionized absorber characterized by redshifted Fe XXV and Fe XXVI absorption lines with confidence level in the $94-99.6\%$ range. Photoionization modeling reveals the inflowing absorber is located at $\lesssim0.04-0.74\rm~pc$, with red-shifted velocity decreasing from $6.1\pm0.5\times10^3\rm~km~s^{-1}$ to $3.4\pm0.3\times10^3\rm~km~s^{-1}$ over 11 years. Only $\sim0.6$\%--$3$\% of the inflowing material is estimated to reach the event horizon. This direct evidence of sub-parsec scale fueling inflow bridges the gap between the torus and the outer accretion disk. Additionally, a $0.86$-keV gas component with sub-solar metallicity ($Z\sim0.22$), outflowing at a velocity of $\sim330\rm~km~s^{-1}$, is detected in the soft X-ray band from XMM-Newton Reflection Grating Spectrometer, probably corresponding to shocked interstellar medium in the narrow-line region (NLR). The simultaneous presence of the apparent decelerating sub-parsec inflow and the NLR outflow favors a coherent scenario where a putative disk wind or broad-line region clouds may impede or even eject the accretion material, although other possibilities cannot be fully excluded.