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arxiv: 2506.05273 · v3 · pith:SHK7YEKYnew · submitted 2025-06-05 · 🌌 astro-ph.HE

Unraveling the structure of the stratified ultra-fast outflows in PDS 456 with XRISM

classification 🌌 astro-ph.HE
keywords x-rayufosxrismsim0softstructureanalysiscomponents
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Multiple clumpy wind components ($v_{out}\sim0.2-0.3c$) in the luminous quasar PDS 456 have recently been resolved by XRISM in the Fe-K band for the first time. In this paper, we investigate the structure of ultra-fast outflows (UFOs) using coordinated observations from XRISM, XMM-Newton, and NuSTAR, along with the self-consistently calculated photoionization model \texttt{PION}. Our results reveal a stratified ionization structure, characterized by a relation between wind velocity and ionization parameter $v_{out}\propto\xi^{(0.14\pm0.04)}$. To evaluate the impact of the screening effect, we tested all possible order permutations of six \texttt{PION} components. We find that highly ionized UFOs ($\log\xi>4.5$) are insensitive to their relative positions, whereas the soft X-ray UFO ($\log\xi\sim3$ and $v_{out}\sim0.27c$) and the lowest-ionized hard X-ray UFO ($\log\xi\sim4.1$ and $v_ {out}\sim0.23c$) are statistically favored -- based on the evidence from both the C-statistic and Bayesian analysis -- to occupy the middle and innermost layers, respectively. This suggests a possible trend where slower UFOs are launched from regions closer to the supermassive black hole (SMBH). The soft X-ray UFO is found to be thermally unstable, regardless of its relative position. However, its location remains unclear. Our sequence analysis and its similarity to hard X-ray UFOs suggest that they may be co-spatial, while variability constraints support its location within the broad-line region at sub-parsec scales. Simulations with the gate-valve opened XRISM show that high-resolution soft X-ray data can enhance the reliability of our results. Furthermore, simulations with the future X-ray mission NewAthena demonstrate its capability to resolve the absorber sequence and spatial distributions, enabling the determination of UFO structures and their roles in AGN feedback.

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Cited by 2 Pith papers

Reviewed papers in the Pith corpus that reference this work. Sorted by Pith novelty score.

  1. Ultra-thick warm absorbers: Enlarging the parameter space of AGN ionised outflows

    astro-ph.HE 2026-04 unverdicted novelty 6.0

    Ultra-thick warm absorbers form a new subclass of AGN ionized outflows with exceptionally high column densities and moderate ionization that drive strong variability and may connect to ultra-fast outflows.

  2. Discovery of ultra-fast outflows with v$_{\rm out}>0.3 \rm c$ in local bright active galactic nuclei

    astro-ph.HE 2026-04 unverdicted novelty 6.0

    Ultra-fast outflows with v_out > 0.3c detected in 18% of local bright AGNs via systematic X-ray search up to 12 keV, with no link to SMBH accretion rates.