Characterizing the Properties of Powerful Quasar Outflows with SimBAL
Abstract
Broad absorption line (BAL) features in quasar spectra reveal unambiguous signatures of energetic outflows from central supermassive black holes. BAL quasars are thus prime targets for investigating the potential mechanism of luminous quasar feedback on galaxies. We have developed a powerful forward-modeling spectral synthesis tool, SimBAL, that allows us to extract the physical properties of these outflows from high signal-to-noise-ratio spectra. We have the greatest success from broad-band spectra with absorption lines from ions with a range of ionization and excitation energies. A notable recent result from SimBAL analysis is the discovery of an extreme outflow from the overlapping-trough iron low-ionization BAL quasar, SDSS J1352+4239, with a measured kinetic luminosity of 10$^{48}$ erg/s. Further analysis of this population of BAL quasars holds promise for understanding the upper range of kinetic power of luminous quasar winds and thus their potential for impacting massive galaxy evolution.
- Publication:
-
43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly. Held 28 January - 4 February
- Pub Date:
- January 2021
- Bibcode:
- 2021cosp...43E1573G