Search arXiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 1912.09865

Evidence that Emission and Absorption Outflows in Quasars Are Related

Xinfeng Xu·Nadia Zakamska·Nahum Arav·Timothy Miller·Chris Benn
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

We analyze VLT/X-shooter data for 7 quasars, where we study the relationships between their broad absorption line (BAL) and emission line outflows. We find: 1) the luminosity of the [OIII] $λ$5007 emission profile decreases with increasing electron number density (n$_e$) derived from the BAL outflow in the same quasar, 2) the measured velocity widths from the [OIII] emission features and CIV absorption troughs in the same object are similar, and 3) the mean radial velocity derived from the BAL outflow is moderately larger than the one from the [OIII] emission outflow. These findings can be explained by the physical interpretation that the [OIII] and BAL outflow are different manifestations of the same wind. When we have outflows with smaller distances to the central source, their n$_e$ is higher. Therefore, the [OIII] emission is collisionally de-excited and the [OIII] luminosity is then suppressed. Comparisons to previous studies show that the objects in our sample exhibit broad [OIII] emission features similar to the ones in extremely red quasars (ERQs). This might imply that BAL quasars and ERQs have the same geometry of outflows or are at a similar evolutionary stage. We found that the physical parameters derived from the BAL outflows can explain the amount of observed [OIII] luminosity, which strengthens our claim of both BAL and [OIII] outflows are from the same wind. These estimates can be tested with upcoming James Webb Space Telescope observations.

Explore related subjects

astro-ph.GA

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Xinfeng Xu, Nadia Zakamska, Nahum Arav, Timothy Miller, Chris Benn. 2019-12-20. Evidence that Emission and Absorption Outflows in Quasars Are Related. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras%2Fstaa1142

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

A Rest-frame K-band View of Bulge Growth in Massive Star-forming Galaxies at z~2

We study bulge formation in 16 massive dusty star-forming galaxies at z~2 by combining JWST MIRI F770W imaging, NIRCam imaging in eight bands, and ALMA 870 micron data. At the median redshift of z=2.18, the F770W band probes the rest-frame 2.4 micron light, close to the rest-frame K band, and traces the stellar mass distribution with much less dust attenuation than the NIRCam bands. The effective radii measured in F770W agree with those of the 870 micron dust emission, with a median ratio of 0.95, and are typically 23% smaller than those in F444W. The rest-frame K-band imaging is therefore essential to measure the true extent of the stellar mass, which is as compact as the dusty star-forming regions. In stacks of the 16 galaxies at a matched resolution, the 870 micron and F770W profiles agree closely out to 8 kpc, and a bulge plus disk decomposition of the F770W stack gives a bulge-to-total ratio of 0.50. Fitting the SEDs in radial bins with CIGALE, we find that the attenuation decreases from A_V = 3.7 mag at the center to 1.9 mag at r >~ 7 kpc, while the specific star formation rate profile is flat. In most of the galaxies, the bulge is already in place inside the dusty core. In two galaxies, by contrast, the 870 micron emission is 3 to 6 times more compact than the F770W light, which suggests that they are still in the bulge-building compaction phase. Our sample may thus catch massive galaxies in several phases of bulge formation.

astro-ph.GA↗
arXiv2026

Spatially Resolved Physical Properties of Young Star Clusters and Star-forming Clumps in the Brightest z>6 Galaxy, the Strongly Lensed Cosmic Spear at z=6.2

We present spatially resolved analysis of stellar populations in the brightest $z>6$ galaxy known to date (AB mag 23), the strongly lensed MACS0308$-$zD1 (dubbed the ``Cosmic Spear'') at $z_{\rm spec}=6.2$. New JWST NIRCam imaging and high-resolution NIRSpec IFU spectroscopy span the rest-frame ultraviolet to optical. The NIRCam imaging reveals bright star-forming clumps and a tail consisting of three distinct, extremely compact star clusters that are multiply-imaged by gravitational lensing. The star clusters have delensed effective radii of $R_{\rm{eff}} \lesssim 8$ pc, stellar masses of $M_{*} \sim 10^{6}-10^{7}\,M_{\odot}$, and high stellar mass surface densities of $Σ_{*} \gtrsim 2\times 10^{4}\,M_{\odot}~\rm{pc}^{-2}$. While their stellar populations are very young ($\sim 6-11$ Myr), their dynamical ages exceed unity, consistent with the clusters being gravitationally bound systems. Placing the star clusters in the size vs.~stellar mass density plane, we find they occupy a region similar to other high-redshift star clusters within galaxies observed recently with JWST, being significantly more massive and denser than local star clusters. Spatially resolved analysis of the brightest clump reveals a compact, intensely star-forming core. The ionizing photon production efficiency ($ξ_{\rm{ion}}$) is slightly suppressed in this central region, potentially indicating a locally elevated Lyman continuum escape fraction facilitated by feedback-driven channels.

astro-ph.GA↗
arXiv2026

The abundance of thin dwarf galaxies: a challenge for cosmological simulations

We study the prevalence of thin galaxies as a function of stellar mass in the range $10^7 < M_{\star} / \rm{M_\odot} < 10^{11}$ using data from the GAMA, DESI, ALFALFA, and Nearby Galaxy catalogs. We use the distribution of projected axis ratios, $q$, to infer the abundance of intrinsically flat galaxies needed to reproduce the observed abundance of highly elongated systems in projection. We find that as many as $40\%$ of galaxies in the mass range $10^9<M_{\star}/\rm{M_\odot}<10^{10}$ are intrinsically flatter than $1$:$5$ (i.e., $c/a<0.2$), a fraction that rises to $\sim 80\%$ for $c/a<0.3$. Although the incidence of thin galaxies decreases towards lower and higher $M_{\star}$, they are still quite common in dwarfs: $\sim 30\%$ and $\sim 65\%$ of $\sim 10^8 ~ \rm{M_\odot}$ galaxies are inferred to be intrinsically flatter than $c/a=0.2$ and $0.3$, respectively. A comparison of these results with several state-of-the-art cosmological hydrodynamical simulations (TNG50, FIREbox, Romulus25) reveals a distinctive lack of thin simulated dwarfs. In particular, there are no $M_{\star} < 10^9 ~ \rm{M_{\odot}}$ simulated galaxies flatter than $c/a=0.2$, in clear contrast with observational samples. This discrepancy likely reflects limitations in resolution and in the treatment of baryonic physics, suggesting that our understanding of the mechanisms regulating the formation of disk galaxies less massive than the Milky Way is still quite incomplete. Our results present a clear challenge to current numerical models of dwarf galaxy formation, which future models should attempt to meet.

astro-ph.GA↗