Absorption in 3C 212
Abstract
3C 212 (Q0855+143) is a red quasar with ambiguous evidence for strong low-energy X-ray absorption in its ROSAT spectrum (Elvis et al. 1994). We combine Einstein and ROSAT data with ultraviolet absorption-line strengths to investigate the physical state of the absorber. We find that a highly ionized absorber (U ~ 0.3) provides a consistent fit to both X- ray and UV data as well as providing a significantly improved fit to the X-ray spectrum. The absorber is outflowing with a velocity of ~1600 km s^-1^ with respect to the Mg II emission line, situated outside the broad emission-line region (BELR) and has low density. The alternative blackbody fit to the X-ray data is excluded if the source has not varied, and it is also unable to predict the UV absorption lines. This is the second case of an X-ray absorber identified with a UV absorber (the first one being 3C 351; Mathur et al. 1994) and suggests that UV/X-ray absorbers may be common. This is an exciting possibility as the combination of UV and X-ray constraints is very powerful in determining the physical conditions of an absorber.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- August 1994
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 1994ApJ...431L..75M
- Keywords:
-
- Doppler-Fizeau Effect;
- Photoionization;
- Quasars;
- X Ray Spectra;
- Black Body Radiation;
- Photoabsorption;
- Rosat Mission;
- Stellar Composition;
- Astrophysics;
- GALAXIES: QUASARS: INDIVIDUAL ALPHANUMERIC: 3C 212;
- GALAXIES: QUASARS: ABSORPTION LINES;
- X-RAYS: GALAXIES