Exploratory ASCA Observations of Broad Absorption Line Quasi-Stellar Objects

We present exploratory ASCA observations of eight Broad Absorption Line Quasi-Stellar Objects (BALQSOs). Though among the brightest BALQSOs in optically selected surveys, we find these targets to be extremely weak X-ray sources in the 2-10 keV band. Assuming BALQSOs are typical QSOs viewed through an absorbing column of gas, we derive column density constraints up to ten times higher than previous results from pointed ROSAT observations. Contrary to observations of non-BALQSOs, optical brightness is not a good predictor of X-ray brightness for our sample. Future spectroscopic analysis of BALQSOs in X-rays may prove difficult even for AXAF and XMM.