Resolving the Multiple Component Outflows in PG 1211+143. I. The Fe–K Absorption Structure and UFO Forest

Abstract We present the initial high-resolution X-ray spectroscopic observations of the Fe–K absorption structure in the luminous nearby quasar PG 1211+143, utilizing the X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM). The primary objective is to characterize the Fe–K absorption features due to ultra-fast outflow (UFO) in this Eddington-luminosity source. Observations were conducted with XRISM’s Resolve and Xtend instruments, complemented by simultaneous data from XMM-Newton and NuSTAR. A historically bright phase was captured. The Resolve spectra clearly reveal a prominent P Cygni profile and resolves the Fe–K absorption into six distinct velocity components, ranging from v = −0.074 to −0.405 c . A similar superposition of multiple UFOs has been reported in PDS 456, suggesting that such a “UFO forest” structure may be a common feature of near Eddington-luminosity sources. Some UFO components exhibit narrow line widths of approximately σ ∼ 200 km s −1 , which may indicate that the outflows have reached their terminal velocities, thereby resulting in a smaller velocity shear. The mass outflow rate is estimated to be M ̇ out ∼ 1 M ⊙ yr − 1 , which is of the order of the Eddington accretion rate. This suggests a physically plausible scenario where the outflow is a significant channel for mass ejection.