Supermassive Black Hole Winds in X-rays: SUBWAYS

Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 670, pp. A182

Abstract

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 withXMM-Newtonin 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 XXVHαand Fe XXVILyα) 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 onXMM-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.

Authors 52

1. G. A. Matzeu

   European Space Astronomy Centre · Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio · National Institute for Astrophysics · University of Bologna

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Physics and Astronomy (DIFA), University of Bologna, Via Gobetti, 93/2, 40129 Bologna, Italy

   European Space Agency (ESA), European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC), 28691 Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain

   INAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio di Bologna, Via Gobetti, 93/3, 40129 Bologna, Italy

2. M. Brusa

   Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio · National Institute for Astrophysics · University of Bologna

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Physics and Astronomy (DIFA), University of Bologna, Via Gobetti, 93/2, 40129 Bologna, Italy

   INAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio di Bologna, Via Gobetti, 93/3, 40129 Bologna, Italy

3. G. Lanzuisi

   Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio · National Institute for Astrophysics

   Affiliation as printed

   INAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio di Bologna, Via Gobetti, 93/3, 40129 Bologna, Italy

4. M. Dadina

   Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio · National Institute for Astrophysics

   Affiliation as printed

   INAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio di Bologna, Via Gobetti, 93/3, 40129 Bologna, Italy

5. S. Bianchi

   Roma Tre University

   Affiliation as printed

   Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Universitá degli Studi Roma Tre, Via della Vasca Navale 84, 00146 Roma, Italy

6. Gerard A. Kriss

   Space Telescope Science Institute

   Affiliation as printed

   Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA

7. Missagh Mehdipour

   Space Telescope Science Institute

   Affiliation as printed

   Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA

8. Emanuele Nardini

   Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory

   Affiliation as printed

   INAF – Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Largo Enrico Fermi 5, 50125 Firenze, Italy

9. G. Chartas

   College of Charleston

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 29424, USA

10. R. Middei

    Agenzia Spaziale Italiana

    Affiliation as printed

    Space Science Data Center – ASI, Via del Politecnico s.n.c., 00133 Roma, Italy

11. E. Piconcelli

    Astronomical Observatory of Rome · National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, Via Frascati 33, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone (Roma), Italy

12. Vittoria Elvezia Gianolli

    Roma Tre University · Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble · Université Grenoble Alpes

    Affiliation as printed

    Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Universitá degli Studi Roma Tre, Via della Vasca Navale 84, 00146 Roma, Italy

    Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IPAG, 621 Av. Centrale, 38400 Saint-Martin-d’Hères, France

    Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IPAG, 621 Av. Centrale, 38400 Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France

13. A. Comastri

    Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio · National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio di Bologna, Via Gobetti, 93/3, 40129 Bologna, Italy

14. Anna Lia Longinotti

    Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

    Affiliation as printed

    Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México 04510, México

15. Y. Krongold

    Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

    Affiliation as printed

    Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México 04510, México

16. Federica Ricci

    Roma Tre University

    Affiliation as printed

    Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Universitá degli Studi Roma Tre, Via della Vasca Navale 84, 00146 Roma, Italy

17. Pierre-Olivier Petrucci

    Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble · Université Grenoble Alpes

    Affiliation as printed

    Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IPAG, 621 Av. Centrale, 38400 Saint-Martin-d’Hères, France

    Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IPAG, 621 Av. Centrale, 38400 Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France

18. Francesco Tombesi

    University of Rome Tor Vergata · Goddard Space Flight Center · Astronomical Observatory of Rome · University of Maryland, College Park · National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA

    Department of Physics, University of Rome ‘Tor Vergata’, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy

    INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, Via Frascati 33, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone (Roma), Italy

    NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 662, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA

    Department of Physics, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy

19. A. Luminari

    Astronomical Observatory of Rome · Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology · National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF – Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via Fosso del Cavaliere, 00133 Roma, Italy

    INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, Via Frascati 33, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone (Roma), Italy

20. L. Zappacosta

    Astronomical Observatory of Rome · National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, Via Frascati 33, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone (Roma), Italy

21. GIOVANNI MINIUTTI

    Centro de Astrobiología

    Affiliation as printed

    Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Camino Bajo del Castillo s/n, Villanueva de la Cañada, 28692 Madrid, Spain

22. M. Gaspari

    Princeton University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, 4 Ivy Lane, Princeton, NJ 08544-1001, USA

23. Ehud Behar

    Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

    Affiliation as printed

    Physics Department, The Technion, 32000 Haifa, Israel

24. M. Bischetti

    Trieste Astronomical Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste, Via G. B. Tiepolo 11, 34143 Trieste, Italy

25. Smita Mathur

    The Ohio State University

    Affiliation as printed

    Center for Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 191 West Woodruff Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA

    Department of Astronomy, The Ohio State University, 140 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA

26. Michele Perna

    Centro de Astrobiología

    Affiliation as printed

    Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Camino Bajo del Castillo s/n, Villanueva de la Cañada, 28692 Madrid, Spain

27. M. Giustini

    Centro de Astrobiología

    Affiliation as printed

    Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Camino Bajo del Castillo s/n, Villanueva de la Cañada, 28692 Madrid, Spain

28. P. Grandi

    Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio · National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio di Bologna, Via Gobetti, 93/3, 40129 Bologna, Italy

29. E. Torresi

    Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio · National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio di Bologna, Via Gobetti, 93/3, 40129 Bologna, Italy

30. C. Vignali

    Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio · National Institute for Astrophysics · University of Bologna

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Physics and Astronomy (DIFA), University of Bologna, Via Gobetti, 93/2, 40129 Bologna, Italy

    INAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio di Bologna, Via Gobetti, 93/3, 40129 Bologna, Italy

31. G. Bruni

    Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology · National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF – Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via Fosso del Cavaliere, 00133 Roma, Italy

32. M. Cappi

    Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio · National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio di Bologna, Via Gobetti, 93/3, 40129 Bologna, Italy

33. E. Costantini Aachen SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research

    Space Research Organisation Netherlands

    Affiliation as printed

    SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Niels Bohrweg 4, 2333 CA Leiden, The Netherlands

34. G. Cresci

    Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF – Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Largo Enrico Fermi 5, 50125 Firenze, Italy

35. Barbara De Marco

    Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

    Affiliation as printed

    Departament de Física, EEBE, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Av. Eduard Maristany 16, 08019 Barcelona, Spain

36. Alessandra De Rosa

    Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology · National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF – Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via Fosso del Cavaliere, 00133 Roma, Italy

37. R. Gilli

    Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio · National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio di Bologna, Via Gobetti, 93/3, 40129 Bologna, Italy

38. M. Guainazzi

    European Space Research and Technology Centre

    Affiliation as printed

    ESA – European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk, The Netherlands

39. Jelle S. Kaastra Aachen SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research

    Leiden Observatory · Space Research Organisation Netherlands

    Affiliation as printed

    Leiden Observatory, PO Box 9513 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands

    SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Niels Bohrweg 4, 2333 CA Leiden, The Netherlands

40. S. B. Kraemer

    Catholic University of America

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Physics, Institute for Astrophysics and Computational Sciences, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, USA

41. Fabio La Franca

    Roma Tre University

    Affiliation as printed

    Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Universitá degli Studi Roma Tre, Via della Vasca Navale 84, 00146 Roma, Italy

42. ALESSANDRO MARCONI

    University of Florence

    Affiliation as printed

    Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Firenze, via G. Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy

43. F. Panessa

    Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology · National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF – Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Via Fosso del Cavaliere, 00133 Roma, Italy

44. G. Ponti

    Brera Astronomical Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera, Via Bianchi 46, 23807 Merate (LC), Italy

45. Daniel Proga

    University of Nevada, Las Vegas

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA

46. F. Ursini

    Roma Tre University

    Affiliation as printed

    Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Universitá degli Studi Roma Tre, Via della Vasca Navale 84, 00146 Roma, Italy

47. P. Baldini

    University of Bologna

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Physics and Astronomy (DIFA), University of Bologna, Via Gobetti, 93/2, 40129 Bologna, Italy

48. Fabrizio Fiore

    Trieste Astronomical Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste, Via G. B. Tiepolo 11, 34143 Trieste, Italy

49. Andrew R. King

    University of Leicester

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK

50. R. Maiolino

    University of Cambridge

    Affiliation as printed

    Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, 19 J. J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK

    Kavli Institute for Cosmology, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA, UK

51. G. Matt

    Roma Tre University

    Affiliation as printed

    Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Universitá degli Studi Roma Tre, Via della Vasca Navale 84, 00146 Roma, Italy

52. A. Merloni

    Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics

    Affiliation as printed

    Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstraße 1, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany