SUMMARY OF PROPOSAL 72151

DR. SMITA MATHUR
SMITA@CFA.HARVARD.EDU

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY
60 GARDEN STREET
CAMBRIDGE
MA USA 02138
Tel: (617) 495-7382 Fax: (617) 496-7577
Medium: 4GBDAT
Subject: AGN

X-RAY DETECTED BROAD ABSORPTION LINE QUASARS


ABSTRACT

We propose deep observations of 3 Broad Absorption Line (BAL) QSOs with previous X-ray detections. BALs are caused by outflows from the nucleus with velocities reaching 0.2c. While the X-ray diagnostics of this region would be powerful, BALQSOs have been essentially undetected in X-rays so far. Our proposed observations would determine accurate spectral shape and absorbing column density and will limit the partial covering required by current models. This would test the hypothesis that BALQSOs are normal radio-quiet quasars viewed along a line-of-sight through absorbing material. If instead BALQSOs are found to be intrinsically underluminous in X-rays, it would change the X-ray luminosity function of AGN and would alter photoionization modeling of BALQSOs themselves.

CO-INVESTIGATORS
CO-I NAME INSTITUTE COUNTRY
PAUL GREENSAOUSA
MARTIN ELVISSAOUSA
K. P. SINGHTIFRINDIA

TARGETS

TARGET NAMEPRIRADECTIMETCOFFGISSIS CNTOBS
1)PHL5200
B
337.1250 -5.3153
100 ks
N
N
P
0.01000
1