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arXiv · 1509.08471

Transient C IV Broad Absorption Lines in radio detected QSOs

M. Vivek·R. Srianand·N. Gupta
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Abstract

We study the transient (i.e. emerging or disappearing) C IV broad absorption line (BAL) components in 50 radio detected QSOs using multi-epoch spectra available in Sloan Digital Sky Survey DR10. We report the detectionof 6 BALQSOs having at least one distinct transient C IV absorption component. Based on the structure function analysis of optical light curves, we suggest that the transient absorption is unlikely to be triggered by continuum variations. Transient absorption components usually have low C IV equivalent widths (< 8 \AA), high ejection velocities (> 10000 \kms) and typically occur over rest-frame timescales > 800 days. The detection rate of transient C IV absorption seen in our sample is higher than that reported in the literature. Using a control sample of QSOs, we show that this difference is most likely due to the longer monitoring time-scale of sources in our sample while the effect of small number statistics cannot be ignored. Thus, in order to establish the role played by radio jets in driving the BAL outflows, we need a larger sample of radio detected BALs monitored over more than 3 years in the QSO's rest frame. We also find that the transient phenomenon in radio detected and radio quiet BALs does not depend on any of the QSO properties i.e. the Eddington ratio, black hole mass, bolometric luminosity and optical-to-IR colours. All this suggests that transient BAL phenomenon is simply the extreme case of BAL variability.

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M. Vivek, R. Srianand, N. Gupta. 2015-09-28. Transient C IV Broad Absorption Lines in radio detected QSOs. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras%2Fstv2240

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