Warm absorber outflows in radio-loud active galactic nucleus 3C 59

Context. Both jets and ionized outflows in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are thought to play important roles in affecting the star formation and evolution of host galaxies, but their relationship is still unclear. Aims. As a pilot study, we performed a detailed spectral analysis of a radio-loud (RL) AGN 3C 59 ( z = 0.1096) by systematically considering various factors that may affect the fitting results, thereby establishing a general spectral fitting strategy for subsequent research with a larger sample. AGN 3C 59 is a rare target for simultaneously studying jets and warm absorbers, which are one type of ionized outflow. Methods. Based on the multiwavelength data from near-infrared (NIR) to hard X-ray bands detected by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, Galaxy Evolution Explorer, and XMM-Newton, we used the spex code to build broadband continuum models and perform photoionization modeling with the pion code to constrain the physical parameters of warm absorbers in 3C 59. Results. We found two warm absorbers with ionization parameters of log[ξ / (erg cm s −1 ) ] = 2.65 −0.09 +0.10 and 1.65 ± 0.11; their outflowing velocities are v out = −528 −222 +163 km s −1 and −228 −122 +121 km s −1 , respectively. These warm absorbers are located between the outer torus and the narrow (emission-)line region, and their positive v out − ξ relation can be explained by the radiation pressure-driven mechanism. We found that the estimations of these physical properties are affected by the different spectral fitting strategies, such as the inclusion of NIR to ultraviolet data, the choice of energy range of spectrum, or the composition of the spectral energy distribution. Conclusions. Based on the same fitting strategy, this work presents a comparative study of the outflow-driven mechanism between a RL AGN (3C 59) and a radio-quiet AGN (NGC 3227), which suggests a similar driven mechanism of their warm absorber outflows and a negligible role of jets in this process.

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Journal
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Published
2025-11-04
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202553945
Primary Topic
Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena
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article
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article

Warm absorber outflows in radio-loud active galactic nucleus 3C 59

Fangzheng Shi, Junjie Mao, Zhicheng He, Yerong Xu et al.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena
article

Warm absorber outflows in radio-loud active galactic nucleus 3C 59

Fangzheng Shi, Junjie Mao, Zhicheng He, Yerong Xu, M. Mehdipour, Tao Wang, Yongquan Xue, Zheng Zhou, Jiayi Chen, Yijun Wang, Chen Li
article en

Abstract

Context. Both jets and ionized outflows in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are thought to play important roles in affecting the star formation and evolution of host galaxies, but their relationship is still unclear. Aims. As a pilot study, we performed a detailed spectral analysis of a radio-loud (RL) AGN 3C 59 ( z = 0.1096) by systematically considering various factors that may affect the fitting results, thereby establishing a general spectral fitting strategy for subsequent research with a larger sample. AGN 3C 59 is a rare target for simultaneously studying jets and warm absorbers, which are one type of ionized outflow. Methods. Based on the multiwavelength data from near-infrared (NIR) to hard X-ray bands detected by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, Galaxy Evolution Explorer, and XMM-Newton, we used the spex code to build broadband continuum models and perform photoionization modeling with the pion code to constrain the physical parameters of warm absorbers in 3C 59. Results. We found two warm absorbers with ionization parameters of log[ξ / (erg cm s −1 ) ] = 2.65 −0.09 +0.10 and 1.65 ± 0.11; their outflowing velocities are v out = −528 −222 +163 km s −1 and −228 −122 +121 km s −1 , respectively. These warm absorbers are located between the outer torus and the narrow (emission-)line region, and their positive v out − ξ relation can be explained by the radiation pressure-driven mechanism. We found that the estimations of these physical properties are affected by the different spectral fitting strategies, such as the inclusion of NIR to ultraviolet data, the choice of energy range of spectrum, or the composition of the spectral energy distribution. Conclusions. Based on the same fitting strategy, this work presents a comparative study of the outflow-driven mechanism between a RL AGN (3C 59) and a radio-quiet AGN (NGC 3227), which suggests a similar driven mechanism of their warm absorber outflows and a negligible role of jets in this process.

Astronomy and AstrophysicsVol. 705
Leiden University (NL), University of Science and Technology of China (CN), Space Telescope Science Institute (US), Xiamen University (CN), University of Michigan (US), Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (CN), Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (ES), Ministry of Education (CL), Institute of Space Sciences (ES), Astronomy and Space (AU), Space Research Organisation Netherlands (NL), Xiamen University of Technology (CN), Nanjing University (CN), Tsinghua University (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 77%
Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena
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