Multicomponent Analysis of the UV Si IV and C IV Broad Absorption Troughs in BALQSO Spectra: The Examples of J01225 + 1339 and J02287 + 0002

Abstract

Broad Absorption Line QSOs (BALQSOs) are a subtype of radio-quite QSOs that exhibit complex and unusually broad (FWHM ≥ 2,000 km/s) absorption lines. The existence of these lines in BALQSO spectra raises some questions with respect to the properties, the physical conditions and kinematics of the BAL material as well as the morphology of BAL troughs. In this study, taking into consideration the clumpy structure of the AGN outflow winds, we propose a physical model in order to explain the formation of BAL troughs and we give the mathematical description of this model. We also propose a method for analyzing spectroscopically the BAL profiles in the UV region of the electromagnetic spectrum. This method consists of the criteria we set during the fitting process of BAL troughs. The purpose of these criteria is to enable us to determine the exact number of components needed to simulate accurately the BAL troughs and guarantee the uniqueness of the fit. We give an application of the model and the method for Si IV and C IV resonance lines in the case of two BALQSOs. From the analysis, we conclude that the BAL material is in the form of clouds (density enhancements) that move radially and intercept the line-of-sight to the central continuum source. Using our method, we find the number of absorption components needed to simulate the BAL profiles, which means the number of clouds in the line-of-sight. We calculate the velocity shifts, the FWHM and the optical depths of the absorption components of BALs and we propose an internal structure for these clouds. Finally, we give some correlations between the properties of absorption components of Si IV and C IV. © 2015, Indian Academy of Sciences