Extreme FeLoBAL outflow in the VLT/UVES spectrum of quasar SDSS J1321−0041

Department of Physics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
e-mail: dbyun@vt.edu

Received: 9 October 2023
Accepted: 9 February 2024

Abstract

Context. Quasar outflows are often analyzed to determine their ability to contribute to active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback. We identified a broad absorption line (BAL) outflow in the VLT/UVES spectrum of the quasar SDSS J1321−0041. The outflow shows troughs from Fe II, and is thus categorized as an FeLoBAL. This outfow is unusual among the population of FeLoBAL outflows, as it displays C II and Si II BALs.

Aims. Outflow systems require a kinetic luminosity above ∼0.5% of the quasar’s luminosity to contribute to AGN feedback. For this reason, we analyzed the spectrum of J1321−0041 to determine the outflow’s kinetic luminosity, as well as the quasar’s bolometric luminosity.

Methods. We measured the ionic column densities from the absorption troughs in the spectrum and determined the hydrogen column density and ionization parameter using those column densities as our constraints. We also determined the electron number density, n_e, based on the ratios between the excited-state and resonance-state column densities of Fe II and Si II. This allowed us to find the distance of the outflow from its central source, as well as its kinetic luminosity.

Results. We determined the kinetic luminosity of the outflow to be 8.4_−5.4^+13.7 × 10⁴⁵ erg s⁻¹ and the quasar’s bolometric luminosity to be 1.72 ± 0.13 × 10⁴⁷ erg s⁻¹, resulting in a ratio of Ė_k/L_Bol = 4.8_−3.1^+8.0%. We conclude that this outflow has a sufficiently high kinetic luminosity to contribute to AGN feedback.