Absorption Troughs Research Articles

HST/COS Observations of Quasar Outflows in the 500–1050 Å Rest Frame. IV. The Largest Broad Absorption Line Acceleration

Abstract We present an analysis of the broad absorption line (BAL) velocity shift that appeared in one of the outflow systems in quasar SDSS J1042+1646. Observations were taken by the Hubble Space Telescope/Cosmic Origins Spectrograph in 2011 and 2017 in the 500–1050 Å rest frame. The outflow’s velocity centroid shifted by ∼−1550 km s−1 from −19,500 km s−1 to −21,050 km s−1 over a rest-frame time of 3.2 yr. The velocity shift signatures are most apparent in the absorption features from the Ne viii λλ770.41 and 780.32 doublet and are supported by the absorption troughs from O v λ629.73 and the Mg x λλ609.79 and 624.94 doublet. This is the first time where a quasar outflow velocity shift is observed in troughs from more than one ion and in distinct troughs from a doublet transition (Ne viii). We attribute the velocity shift to an acceleration of an existing outflow as we are able to exclude photoionization changes and motion of material into and out of the line of sight as alternate explanations. This leads to an average acceleration of 480 km s−1 yr−1 (1.52 cm s−2) in the quasar rest frame. Both the acceleration and the absolute velocity shift are the largest reported for a quasar outflow to date. Based on the absorption troughs of the O v* multiplet, we derive a range for the distance of the outflow (R) from the central source, 0.05 pc < R < 54.3 pc. This outflow shows similarities with the fast X-ray outflow detected in quasar PG 1211+143. We use the acceleration and velocity shift to constrain radiatively accelerated active galactic nucleus disk–wind models and use them to make predictions for future observations.

An all small molecule organic solar cell based on a porphyrin donor and a non-fullerene acceptor with complementary and broad absorption

A thieno[3,2-b]thiophene-functionalized porphyrin molecule (DEP-TT) with the ethynylene bridges between the diketopyrrolopyrrole and porphyrin units has been designed and synthesized as the donor material. DEP-TT exhibits a broad absorption wavelength in the visible region with the onset absorption to 898 nm of the film and a low optical band gap of 1.38 eV. IDT-C8, as the acceptor material has a relatively strong absorption spectrum ranging from 500 to 750 nm in the solid film, which exactly fills the absorption trough of DEP-TT. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of all small molecule increased from 0.64% (Jsc = 2.61 mA cm−2, Voc = 0.82 V, and FF = 0.30) to 5.14% (Jsc = 11.15 mA cm−2, Voc = 0.71 V, and FF = 0.65) after solvent vapor annealing. The PCE of 5.14% provided valuable recommendation based on porphyrin all small molecule system, since few work has involved in this field.

Multi-wavelength campaign on NGC 7469

Context. AGN outflows are thought to influence the evolution of their host galaxies and their super massive black holes. To better understand these outflows, we executed a deep multiwavelength campaign on NGC 7469. The resulting data, combined with those of earlier epochs, allowed us to construct a comprehensive physical, spatial, and temporal picture for this AGN wind. Aims. Our aim is to determine the distance of the UV outflow components from the central source, their abundances and total column-density, and the mechanism responsible for their observed absorption variability. Methods. We studied the UV spectra acquired during the campaign as well as from three previous epochs (2002–2010). Our main analysis tools are ionic column-density extraction techniques and photoionization models (both equilibrium and time-dependent models) based on the code CLOUDY. Results. For component 1 (at –600 km s−1) our findings include the following: metallicity that is roughly twice solar; a simple model based on a fixed total column-density absorber, reacting to changes in ionizing illumination that matches the different ionic column densities derived from four spectroscopic epochs spanning 13 years; and a distance of R = 6+2.5−1.5 pc from the central source. Component 2 (at –1430 km s−1) has shallow troughs and is at a much larger R. For component 3 (at –1880 km s−1) our findings include: a similar metallicity to component 1; a photoionization-based model can explain the major features of its complicated absorption trough variability and an upper limit of 60 or 150 pc on R. This upper limit is consistent and complementary to the X-ray derived lower limit of 12 or 31 pc for R. The total column density of the UV phase is roughly 1% and 0.1% of the lower and upper ionization components of the warm absorber, respectively. Conclusions. The NGC 7469 outflow shows super-solar metallicity similar to the outflow in Mrk 279, carbon and nitrogen are twice and four times more abundant than their solar values, respectively. Similar to the NGC 5548 case, a simple model can explain the physical characteristics and the variability observed in the outflow.

BALQSO spectra explained by shock disruption of galactic clouds

ABSTRACT Blue-shifted broad absorption lines (BALs) detected in quasar’s spectra are indicative of active galactic nuclei (AGN) outflows. We show, using 2D hydrodynamical simulations, that disruption of interstellar clouds by a fast AGN wind can lead to formation of cold, dense high-speed blobs that give rise to broad absorption features in the transmission spectrum of the AGN continuum source. For a wind velocity of 0.1c and sufficiently high cloud density (nc ≳ 104 cm−3; depending on size), absorption troughs with velocities up to about 3000 km s−1can be produced. For slower winds and/or lower cloud density, the anticipated velocity of the absorbing clouds should be smaller.

Long troughs in the Lyman-α forest below redshift 6 due to islands of neutral hydrogen

ABSTRACT A long (110 cMpc h−1) and deep absorption trough in the Ly α forest has been observed extending down to redshift 5.5 in the spectrum of ULAS J0148+0600. Although no Ly α transmission is detected, Ly β spikes are present which has led to claims that the gas along this trough must be ionized. Using high-resolution cosmological radiative transfer simulations in large volumes, we show that in a scenario where reionization ends late (z ∼ 5.2), our simulations can reproduce troughs as long as observed. In this model, we find that the troughs are caused by islands of neutral hydrogen. Small ionized holes within the neutral islands allow for the transmission of Ly β. We have also modelled the Ly α emitter population around the simulated troughs, and show that there is a deficit of Ly α emitters close to the trough as is observed.

Evaluations of acoustic damping performances of double-layer in-duct perforated plates at low Mach and Helmholtz number.

In this work, acoustic damping performances of double-layer in-duct perforated plates are studied at low Mach (Ma) and Helmholtz number (He) to evaluate the effects of (1) Ma, (2) the porosities (i.e., open-area ratio) σ1 and σ2 of the front and back plates, and (3) the axial distance Lc between these two plates. The orifices' damping is characterized by sound absorption coefficient α denoting the fraction of incident sound energy being absorbed. For this, a quasi-steady acoustic model is developed first and experiments are then conducted. When Ma = 0, α is experimentally found to oscillate with He, whatever the porosities of σ1 and σ2 are set. However, when Ma is increased to and above 0.037, the power absorption troughs, i.e., local αmin of the double-layer plates with σ1,2 ≤ 9% are more separated and shallower. Furthermore, when σ1= 9% or σ2 = 9%, the damping performances are quite different in terms of the local αmax peaks and their number. In addition, increasing Lc with respect to the downstream pipe length Ld gives rise to an increase of αmin and αmax by 10%. Finally, the double-layer plates are shown to involve a larger α than that of single-layer one over a broader He range.

Radiation-pressure Waves and Multiphase Quasar Outflows

Abstract We report on quasar outflow properties revealed by analyzing more than 60 composite outflow spectra built from ∼60,000 C iv absorption troughs in the SDSS-III/BOSS DR12QBAL catalog. We assess the dependences of the equivalent widths of many outflow metal absorption features on outflow velocity, trough width and position, and quasar magnitude and redshift. The evolution of the equivalent widths of the O vi and N v lines with outflow velocity correlates with that of the mean absorption-line width, the outflow electron density, and the strength of lines arising from collisionally excited metastable states. None of these correlations are found for the other high- or low-ionization species, and different behaviors with trough width are also suggested. We find no dependence on quasar magnitude or redshift in any case. All the observed trends can be reconciled by considering a multiphase stratified outflow structure, where inner regions are colder, denser, and host lower-ionization species. Given the prevalence of radiative acceleration in quasar outflows found by Mas-Ribas & Mauland, we suggest that radiation pressure sweeps up and compresses the outflowing gas outward, creating waves or filaments where the multiphase stratified structure could take form. This scenario is supported by the suggested correlation between electron density and outflow velocity, as well as by the similar behavior observed for the line and line-locking components of the absorption features. We show that this outflow structure is also consistent with other X-ray, radiative transfer, and polarization results, and discuss the implications of our findings for future observational and numerical quasar outflow studies.

A Momentum-conserving Accretion Disk Wind in the Narrow-line Seyfert 1 I Zwicky 1

Abstract I Zwicky 1 (hereafter I Zw 1) is the prototype optical narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy. It is also a nearby (z = 0.0611), luminous quasi-stellar object (QSO), accreting close to the Eddington limit. XMM-Newton observations of I Zw 1 in 2015 reveal the presence of a broad and blueshifted P Cygni iron K profile, as observed through a blueshifted absorption trough at 9 keV and a broad excess of emission at 7 keV in the X-ray spectra. The profile can be well fitted with a wide-angle accretion disk wind, with an outflow velocity of at least −0.25c. In this respect, I Zw 1 may be analogous to the prototype fast wind detected in the QSO PDS 456, while its overall mass outflow rate is scaled down by a factor of 50, due to its lower black hole mass. The mechanical power of the fast wind in I Zw 1 is constrained to within 5%–15% of Eddington, while its momentum rate is of the order unity. Upper limits placed on the energetics of any molecular outflow, from its CO profile measured by IRAM, appear to rule out the presence of a powerful, large-scale, energy-conserving wind in this active galactic nucleus (AGN). We consider whether I Zw 1 may be similar to a number of other AGNs, such as PDS 456, where the large-scale galactic outflow is much weaker than what is anticipated from models of energy-conserving feedback.

The WISSH quasars project

Context.The WISSH quasars project aims at studying the nuclear and host galaxy properties of the most luminous quasars (Lbol > 1047erg s−1, 1.8 < z < 4.6), with special emphasis on the occurrence and physical parameters of winds at different scales.Aims.Nuclear winds are manifested as UV-broad (≥2000 km s−1) absorption lines (BAL) in about 15% of quasars. We aim at studying the incidence and properties of such winds in the WISSH sample to investigate possible differences to active galactic nucleus regimes with lower luminosity.Methods.We collected optical spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data release 12, and identified those showing absorption troughs in the region between the Si IVand C IVemission lines. We used three different indices for BAL absorption: the classic balnicity index (BI), the absorption index (AI), and the intermediate AI1000.Results.We find a higher observed fraction of C IVBAL quasars in the WISSH sample (24%) than in previous catalogues (10−15%). These WISSH BAL quasars are also characterised by a higher average BI (∼4000 km s−1) and maximum velocity (∼17 000 km s−1). Moreover, for two objects we discovered BAL features bluewards of the Si IVpeak, which can be associated with C IVabsorption with a velocity of 0.15c. We also updated previous studies on the dependence of maximum outflow velocity upon bolometric luminosity, showing that BAL winds have intermediate properties compared to molecular or ionised winds and ultra-fast outflows. Finally, the radio properties of the WISSH BAL quasars as a whole are in line with those of samples at lower luminosities from previous studies.Conclusions.Our results suggest that the higherLbolof the WISSH quasars likely favours the acceleration of BAL outflows and that their most likely driving mechanism is radiation pressure. Furthermore, we estimate that the kinetic power associated with these winds in hyperluminous quasars for the highest column density and fastest winds is sufficient to provide efficient feedback onto the host galaxy.

A comparative analysis of sound absorption performance of ZL104/aluminum fiber composite foam

Abstract

On the contamination of the global 21 cm signal from polarized foregrounds

Abstract Global (i.e. sky-averaged) 21 cm signal experiments can measure the evolution of the universe from the Cosmic Dawn to the Epoch of Reionization. These measurements are challenged by the presence of bright foreground emission that can be separated from the cosmological signal if its spectrum is smooth. This assumption fails in the case of single polarization antennas as they measure linearly polarized foreground emission - which is inevitably Faraday rotated through the interstellar medium. We investigate the impact of Galactic polarized foregrounds on the extraction of the global 21 cm signal through realistic sky and dipole simulations both in a low frequency band from 50 to 100 MHz, where a 21 cm absorption profile is expected, and in a higher frequency band (100 − 200 MHz). We find that the presence of a polarized contaminant with complex frequency structure can bias the amplitude and the shape of the reconstructed signal parameters in both bands. We investigate if polarized foregrounds can explain the unexpected 21 cm Cosmic Dawn signal recently reported by the EDGES collaboration. We find that unaccounted polarized foreground contamination can produce an enhanced and distorted 21 cm absorption trough similar to the anomalous profile reported by Bowman et al. (2018), and whose amplitude is in mild tension with the assumed input Gaussian profile (at ∼1.5σ level). Moreover, we note that, under the hypothesis of contamination from polarized foreground, the amplitude of the reconstructed EDGES signal can be overestimated by around 30%, mitigating the requirement for an explanation based on exotic physics.

Neutral island statistics during reionization from 21-cm tomography

Abstract We present the prospects of extracting information about the epoch of reionization by identifying the remaining neutral regions, referred to as islands, in tomographic observations of the redshifted 21-cm signal. Using simulated data sets we show that at late times the 21-cm power spectrum is fairly insensitive to the details of the reionization process but that the properties of the neutral islands can distinguish between different reionization scenarios. We compare the properties of these islands with those of ionized bubbles. At equivalent volume-filling fractions, neutral islands tend to be fewer in number but larger compared to the ionized bubbles. In addition, the evolution of the size distribution of neutral islands is found to be slower than that of the ionized bubbles and also their percolation behaviour differs substantially. Even though the neutral islands are relatively rare, they will be easier to identify in observations with the low frequency component of the Square Kilometre Array due to their larger size and the lower noise levels at lower redshifts. The size distribution of neutral islands at the late stages of reionization is found to depend on the source properties, such as the ionizing efficiency of the sources and their minimum mass. We find the longest line of sight through a neutral region to be more than 100 comoving Mpc until very late stages (90–95 per cent reionized), which may have relevance for the long absorption trough at z = 5.6–5.8 in the spectrum of quasar ULAS J0148+0600.

Evaluation of MWCNT/ethylene glycol nanofluid flow in a parabolic trough collector with glass-glass absorber tube

PurposeBecause of its increased absorptance in fluid and reduced heat loss, direct absorption nanofluid (DANF) is receiving intense interest as an efficient way to harvest solar energy. This work aims to investigate, for the first time, the application of DANF in parabolic trough collectors (PTC), a promising collector for solar thermal systems.Design/methodology/approachA representative flow and heat transfer study of different fluids in a straight tube is conducted, and the basic energy equation and radiative transfer equations are numerically solved to obtain the fluid temperature distribution and energy conversion efficiency. Ethylene glycol (EG) and different concentrations of (i.e., 0.1-0.6 per cent) multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) in EG are used as sample fluids. Four cases are studied for a traditional PTC (i.e., using metal tube) and a direct absorption PTC (i.e., using transparent tube) including a bare tube, a tube with an air-filled glass envelope and a tube with vacuumed glass envelop. The numerical results are verified by an experimental study using a copper-glass absorber tube, which reveals the good potential of DANFs.FindingsCompared with a conventional PTC, using DANF shows an increase of 8.6 per cent and 6.5 K, respectively, in thermal efficiency and outlet temperature difference at a volume fraction (0.5 per cent) of nanoparticles. The results also show that the improvement in solar efficiency increases with increasing particle concentrations, and the vacuum insulated case has the highest efficiency.Originality/valueIn all previous studies, an important section was missing as the effect of photons on the direct solar absorption trough collector, which is considered in this study. This paper proposes a new concept of using direct solar absorption nanofluids for concentrated solar collectors and analyzes the performance of both absorptance and transmittance efficiency considerations. To reveal the potential of the new concept, an analytical model based on energy balance is developed, and two case studies are performed.

The effect of large amplitude vibration on the pressure-dependent absorption of a structure multiple cavity system.

This study addresses the effects of large-amplitude vibration on the pressure-dependent absorption of a structure multiple-cavity system. It is the first study to consider the effects of large-amplitude vibration and pressure-dependent absorption. Previous studies considered only one of these two factors in the absorption calculation of a perforated panel absorber. Nonlinear differential equations, which represent the structural vibration of a perforated panel absorber, are coupled with the wave equation, which represents the acoustic pressures induced within the cavities. The coupled nonlinear differential equations are solved with the proposed harmonic balance method, which has recently been adopted to solve nonlinear beam problems and other nonlinear structural-acoustic problems. Its main advantage is that when compared with the classical harmonic balance method, the proposed method generates fewer nonlinear algebraic equations during the solution process. In addition, the solution form of the nonlinear differential equations from this classical method can be expressed in terms of a set of symbolic parameters with various physical meanings. If a numerical method is used, there is no analytic solution form, and the final solution is a set of numerical values. The effects of the excitation magnitude, cavity depth, perforation ratio, and hole diameter on the sound absorption of a panel absorber are investigated, and mode and solution convergence studies are also performed. The solutions from the proposed harmonic balance method and a numerical integration method are compared. The numerical results show that the present harmonic balance solutions agree reasonably well with those obtained with the numerical integration method. Several important observations can be made. First, perforation nonlinearity is a very important factor in the absorption of a panel absorber at the off structural resonant frequency range. The settings of the hole diameter, perforation ratio, and cavity depth for optimal absorption differ greatly with consideration of perforation nonlinearity. Second, the “jump up phenomenon,” which does not occur in the case of linear perforation, is observed when perforation nonlinearity is considered. Third, one or more absorption troughs, which worsen the average absorption performance, may exist in cases with multiple cavities.

Analytic Formulation of 21 cm Signal from Cosmic Dawn: Lyα Fluctuations

Abstract We present an analytic formalism to compute the fluctuating component of the H i signal and extend it to take into account the effects of partial Lyα coupling during the era of cosmic dawn. We use excursion set formalism to calculate the size distribution of randomly distributed self-ionized regions. These ionization bubbles are surrounded by partially heated and Lyα coupled regions, which create spin temperature T S fluctuations. We use the ratio of number of Lyα to ionizing photons (f L ) and number of X-ray photons emitted per stellar baryon (N heat) as modeling parameters. Using our formalism, we compute the global H i signal, its autocorrelation, and its power spectrum in the redshift range 10 ≤ z ≤ 30 for the ΛCDM model. We check the validity of this formalism for various limits and simplified cases. Our results agree reasonably well with existing results from N-body simulations, in spite of following a different approach and requiring orders of magnitude less computation power and time. We further apply our formalism to study the fluctuating component corresponding to the recent observation by the Experiment to Detect the Global Epoch of reionization Signature (EDGES) that shows an unexpectedly deep absorption trough in the global H i signal in the redshift range 15 < z < 19. We show that, generically, the EDGES observation predicts a larger signal in this redshift range but a smaller signal at higher redshifts. We also explore the possibility of negative real-space autocorrelation of spin temperature and show that it can be achieved for partial Lyα coupling in many cases corresponding to simplified models and a complete model without density perturbations.

SN 2016B a.k.a. ASASSN-16ab: a transitional Type II supernova

AbstractWe present photometry, polarimetry, and spectroscopy of the Type II supernova ASASSN-16ab/SN 2016B in PGC 037392. The photometric and spectroscopic follow-up commenced about 2 weeks after shock breakout and continued until nearly 6 months. The light curve of SN 2016B exhibits intermediate properties between those of Type IIP and IIL. The early decline is steep (1.68 ± 0.10 mag 100 d−1), followed by a shallower plateau phase (0.47 ± 0.24 mag 100 d−1). The optically thick phase lasts for 118 d, similar to Type IIP. The 56Ni mass estimated from the radioactive tail of the bolometric light curve is 0.082 ± 0.019 M⊙. High-velocity component contributing to the absorption trough of H α and H β in the photospheric spectra are identified from the spectral modelling from about 57–97 d after the outburst, suggesting a possible SN ejecta and circumstellar material interaction. Such high-velocity features are common in the spectra of Type IIL supernovae. By modelling the true bolometric light curve of SN 2016B, we estimated a total ejected mass of ∼15 M⊙, kinetic energy of ∼1.4 foe, and an initial radius of ∼400 R⊙.

The XMM-Newton/HST View of the Obscuring Outflow in the Seyfert Galaxy Mrk 335 Observed at Extremely Low X-Ray Flux

Abstract The Seyfert galaxy Mrk 335 is known for its frequent changes of flux and spectral shape in the X-ray band that occurred during recent years. These variations may be explained by the onset of a wind that previous, noncontemporaneous high-resolution spectroscopy in X-ray and UV bands located at accretion disk scale. A simultaneous new campaign by XMM-Newton and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) caught the source at a historically low flux in the X-ray band. The soft X-ray spectrum is dominated by prominent emission features and by the effect of a strong ionized absorber with an outflow velocity of (5–6) × 103 km s−1. The broadband spectrum obtained by the EPIC-pn camera reveals the presence of an additional layer of absorption by gas at moderate ionization covering ∼80% of the central source, as well as tantalizing evidence for absorption in the Fe K band outflowing at the same velocity of the soft X-ray absorber. The HST Cosmic Origins Spectrograph spectra confirm the simultaneous presence of broad absorption troughs in C iv, Lyα, Lyβ, and O vi, with velocities of the order of 5000 km s−1 and covering factors in the range of 20%–30%. Comparison of the ionic column densities and of other outflow parameters in the two bands shows that the X-ray and UV absorbers are likely originated by the same gas. The resulting picture from this latest multiwavelength campaign confirms that Mrk 335 undergoes the effect of a patchy, medium-velocity outflowing gas in a wide range of ionization states that seem to be persistently obscuring the nuclear continuum.

Ionization-driven intrinsic absorption line variability of BAL quasars in the Stripe 82 region

Abstract We investigate the connection between the intrinsic C iv absorption line variability and the continuum flux changes of broad absorption line (BAL) quasars using a sample of 78 sources in the Stripe 82 region. The absorption trough variability parameters are measured using the archival multi-epoch spectroscopic data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), and the continuum flux variability parameters are estimated from the photometric light curves obtained by the SDSS and the Catalina Real-Time Survey surveys. We find evidence for weak correlations (ρs ∼ 0.3) between the intrinsic C iv absorption line variability and the quasar continuum variability for the final sample of 78 BAL quasars. The correlation strengths improve (ρs ∼ 0.5) for the ‘high-signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)’ sample sources that have higher spectral SNR. Using two subsets of the high-SNR sample differing on the absorption trough depth, we find that the shallow-trough subset shows an even stronger correlation (ρs ∼ 0.6), whereas the deep-trough subset does not show any correlation between the absorption line variability and the continuum variability. These results point to the important role of saturation effects in the correlation between the absorption line variability and the continuum variability of BAL quasars. Considering other effects that can also smear the correlation, we conclude that the actual correlation between the absorption line and continuum variability is even stronger.

On the possible enhancement of the global 21-cm signal at reionization from the decay of cosmic string cusps

We consider cosmic string cusp annihilations as a possible source of enhancement to the global background radiation temperature in 21-cm photons at reionization. A soft photon spectrum is induced via the Bremsstrahlung and Synchrotron emission of electrons borne out of QCD jets formed off the cusp. The maximal energy density background comes from synchrotron induced photons with a string tension of Gμ ∼ 10−18. In this instance, the radiation background at reionization is heated up by 5 · 10−3 K. We find that the depth of the absorption trough (δ Tb) in 21-cm at reionization is altered by one part in 104 from the strings, requiring high precision measurements to be detectable. This mechanism cannot explain the δ Tb observed by the EDGES experiment.

Predicting the X-Ray Spectra of Stellar-mass Black Holes from Simulations

Abstract We describe results from a new technique for the prediction of complete, self-consistent X-ray spectra from three-dimensional general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations of black hole accretion flows. Density and cooling rate data from a harm3d GRMHD simulation are post-processed by an improved version of the Monte Carlo radiation transport code pandurata (in the corona) and the Feautrier solver ptransx (in the disk), with xstar subroutines. The codes are run in a sequential, iterative fashion to achieve globally energy-conserving and self-consistent radiation fields, temperature maps, and photoionization equilibria. The output is the X-ray spectrum as seen by a distant observer, including features, such as the Fe Kα emission line and corresponding K-edge absorption trough, due to disk reprocessing of coronal power. For the example cases we consider—a non-rotating 10 M ⊙ black hole with solar abundances, accreting at 0.01, 0.03, 0.1, or 0.3 Eddington—we find spectra resembling actual observations of stellar-mass black holes in the soft or steep power-law state: broad thermal peaks (at 1–3 keV), steep power laws extending to high energy (Γ = 2.7–4.5), and prominent, asymmetric Fe Kα emission lines with equivalent widths in the range 40–400 eV (larger EW at lower accretion rates). By starting with simulation data, we obviate the need for parameterized descriptions of the accretion flow geometry—no a priori specification of the corona’s shape or flux, or the disk temperature or density, etc., is needed. Instead, we apply the relevant physical principles to simulation output using appropriate numerical techniques; this procedure allows us to calculate inclination-dependent spectra after choosing only a small number of physically meaningful parameters: black hole mass and spin, accretion rate, and elemental abundances.