Program: GN-2016B-FT-10

Quasar outflows are key to understanding the nature of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) at small and large scales. Outflowing material is common in AGN spectra, and it likely plays a role in regulating the black hole growth and star formation in the surrounding galaxies. Broad UV absorption lines (BAL troughs) in quasars demonstrate that outflows can reach velocities >0.1c. Models of radiatively-driven winds predict that X-ray absorbing gas acts as a shield, preventing over-ionization of the UV outflowing gas by the strong illuminating continuum source. However, the connection between the X-ray and UV absorbers is not understood: e.g., do variations of an X-ray shield drive UV absorption variations? We have an ongoing Chandra program to determine the X-ray properties of quasars with newly emerged outflows, and one of our targets has been scheduled for the upcoming month. This quasar was X-ray normal and lacked UV absorption in 2006, but it has developed a UV absorption trough recently. This is one of the only emergent BAL quasars known with X-ray data predating the BAL appearance. We are requesting a 1.1 hr GMOS-N observation to constrain this quasar’s rest-frame UV properties with the goal of exploring the connection (if any) between the UV and X-ray absorbing outflowing phase.