Chasing the Quasar Wind: theory and observational signatures

This talk concerns the physical processes governing the propagation of quasar winds from accretiondisc scales to cosmological distances, and how these processes can be accurately modeled and constrained by observations. I will begin by introducing a new numerical framework designed to bridgethe gap between small- and large-scale models of winds, jets, and black hole accretion. Using thisframework, I will present new simulations that reveal in great detail how small-scale, quasar windsevolve into large-scale, multiphase outflows. These simulations indicate that quasar-driven outflowsare almost always energy-driven, featuring an adiabatic bubble that couples strongly to both theinterstellar and circumgalactic media of massive galaxies. Through new sub-parsec simulations, Iwill present predictions for both the hot and cool components of these outflows. I will argue thatthe more observationally accessible cool component provides only a biased view of the full outflowstructure. In particular, the density of the cool gas scales with wind power and AGN luminosity,significantly affecting outflow rate measurements. I will argue that this predicted scaling, however,offers a subtle and testable prediction of the energy-driven feedback scenario.