Distance, Energy, and Variability of Quasar Outflows: Two HST/COS Epochs of LBQS 1206+1052∗

Abstract

Abstract We analyze new HST/COS spectra for two quasar absorption outflows seen in the quasi-stellar object LBQS 1206+1052. These data cover, for the first time, absorption troughs from S iv, Si ii, and P v. From the ratio of the S iv* to S iv column densities, we measure the electron number density of the higher-velocity (−1400 km s−1, v1400) outflow to be cm−3 and constrain the lower-velocity (−730 km s−1, v700) outflow to log(n e ) > 5.3 cm−3. The n e associated with the higher-velocity outflow is an order of magnitude larger than reported in prior work. We find that the previous measurement was unreliable since it was based on density-sensitive absorption troughs that were likely saturated. Using photoionization models, we determine the best χ 2-minimization fit for the ionization parameter and hydrogen column density of the higher-velocity outflow: log( and log( cm−2, respectively. We calculate from U H and n e a distance of pc from the central source to the outflow. Using an SED attenuated by the v700 outflow yields a two-phase photoionization solution for the v1400 outflow, separated by a . Otherwise, the resultant distance, mass flux, and kinetic luminosity are similar to the unattenuated case. However, the attenuated analysis has significant uncertainties due to a lack of constraints on the v700 outflow in 2017.