Supermassive black hole winds in X-rays: SUBWAYS: I. Ultra-fast outflows in quasars beyond the local Universe

We present a new X-ray spectroscopic study of 22 luminous (2 × 1045 ¿ Lbol/erg s-1 ¿ 2 × 1046) active galactic nuclei (AGNs) at intermediate redshifts (0.1 ¿ z ¿ 0.4), as part of the SUpermassive Black hole Winds in the x-rAYS (SUBWAYS) sample, mostly composed of quasars and type 1 AGNs. Here, 17 targets were observed with XMM-Newton in 2019–2020, and the remaining 5 are from previous observations. The aim of this large campaign (1.45 Ms duration) is to characterise the various manifestations of winds in the X-rays driven from supermassive black holes in AGNs. In this paper we focus on the search for and characterisation of ultra-fast outflows (UFOs), which are typically detected through blueshifted absorption troughs in the Fe K band (E > 7 keV). By following Monte Carlo procedures, we confirm the detection of absorption lines corresponding to highly ionised iron (e.g. Fe¿XXV Ha and Fe¿XXVI Lya) in 7 out of 22 sources at the ¿95% confidence level (for each individual line). The global combined probability of such absorption features in the sample is > 99.9%. The SUBWAYS campaign, based on XMM-Newton, extends to higher luminosities and redshifts than previous local studies on Seyferts. We find a UFO detection fraction of ~30% of the total sample, which is in agreement with previous findings. This work independently provides further support for the existence of highly ionised matter propagating at mildly relativistic speeds (¿0.1c) in a considerable fraction of AGNs over a broad range of luminosities, which is believed to play a key role in the self-regulated AGN feeding-feedback cycle, as also supported by hydrodynamical multi-phase simulations.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Active Galaxies in the UV

In this article we present different aspects of AGN studies demonstrating the importance of the UV spectral range. Most important diagnostic lines for studying the general physical conditions as well as the metalicities in the central broad line region in AGN are emitted in the UV. The UV/FUV continuum in AGN excites not only the emission lines in the immediate surrounding but it is responsible for the ionization of the intergalactic medium in the early stages of the universe. Variability studies of the emission line profiles of AGN in the UV give us information on the structure and kinematics of the immediate surrounding of the central supermassive black hole as well as on its mass itself.Comment: 29 pages, 13 figures, Ap&SS in pres

10 Yr transformation of the obscuring wind in NGC 5548

GalaxiesHigh Energy Astrophysic

Multiwavelength observations of the obscuring wind in the radio-quiet quasar MR 2251-178

High Energy Astrophysic

Anatomy of the AGN in NGC 5548. VI. Long-term variability of the warm absorber

Galaxie

Matter Outflows from AGN: A Unifying Model

We discuss a self-consistent unified model of the matter outflows from AGNs based on a theoretical approach and involving data on AGN evolution and structure. The model includes a unified geometry, two-phase gas dynamics, radiation transfer, and absorption spectrum calculations in the UV and X-ray bands. We briefly discuss several questions about the mass sources of the flows, the covering factors, and the stability of the narrow absorption details.Comment: 6 figures, accepted for publication in Astrophysics and Space Scienc

Anatomy of the AGN in NGC 5548. VII. Swift study of obscuration and broadband continuum variability

Galaxie