Resolving the Multiple Component Outflows in PG 1211+143: I. The Fe-K Absorption Structure and UFO Forest

Abstract

We present the initial high-resolution X-ray spectroscopic observations of the Fe-K absorption structure in the luminous nearby quasar PG 1211+143, utilizing the X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM). The primary objective is to characterize the Fe-K absorption features due to Ultra-Fast Outflow (UFO) in this Eddington-luminosity source. Observations were conducted with XRISM's Resolve and Xtend instruments, complemented by simultaneous data from XMM-Newton and NuSTAR. A historically bright phase was captured. The Resolve spectra clearly reveal a prominent P Cygni profile and resolves the Fe-K absorption into six distinct velocity components, ranging from $v = -0.074c$ to $-0.405c$. A similar superposition of multiple UFOs has been reported in PDS~456, suggesting that such a ``UFO forest'' structure may be a common feature of near Eddington-luminosity sources. Some UFO components exhibit narrow line widths of approximately $σ\sim 200\,\mathrm{km\,s^{-1}}$, which may indicate that the outflows have reached their terminal velocities, thereby resulting in a smaller velocity shear. The mass outflow rate is estimated to be $\dot{M}_\mathrm{out} \sim 1~M_{\odot}~\text{yr}^{-1}$, which is of the order of the Eddington accretion rate. This suggests a physically plausible scenario where the outflow is a significant channel for mass ejection.