Variable X-ray Absorption toward Gravitationally-Lensed Blazar PKS1830-211

Abstract

We present X-ray spectral analysis of five Chandra and XMM-Newton observations of the gravitationally-lensed blazar PKS1830-211 from 2000 to 2004. We show that the X-ray absorption toward PKS1830-211 is variable, and the variable absorption is most likely to be intrinsic with amplitudes of about 2-30e22 cm^-2 depending on whether or not the absorber is partially covering the X-ray source. Our results confirm the variable absorption observed previously, although interpreted differently, in a sequence of ASCA observations. This large variation in the absorption column density can be interpreted as outflows from the central engine in the polar direction, consistent with recent numerical models of inflow/outflows in AGNs. In addition, it could possibly be caused by the interaction between the blazar jet and its environment, or the variation from the geometric configuration of the jet. While the spectra can also be fitted with a variable absorption at the lens redshift, we show that this model is unlikely. We also rule out the simple microlensing interpretation of variability which was previously suggested.

arXiv comment15 pages, 4 figures, Accepted to AJ

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• Gamma-ray flaring activity from the gravitationally lensed blazar PKS 1830-211 observed by Fermi LAT
• The Intrinsic Fractions and Radio Properties of Low Ionization Broad Absorption Line Quasars
• Differential X-ray Absorption and Dust-To-Gas Ratios of the Lens Galaxies SBS0909+523, FBQS0951+2635, and B1152+199
• The remarkable gamma-ray activity in the gravitationally lensed blazar PKS 1830-211
• The Nuclear Outflows and Feedback in the Seyfert 2 Galaxy Markarian 573
• The soft X-ray and narrow-line emission of Mrk573 on kiloparcec scales
• Breaks in the X-ray spectra of high redshift blazars and the intervening medium