Revealing EMRI/IMRI candidates with quasiperiodic ultrafast outflows

Abstract

The first detection of the quasiperiodic ultrafast outflow in the ASASSN-20qc system was reported by Pasham et al. (2024). The outflow is revealed in the soft X-ray spectra as an absorption feature, which is enhanced periodically every $\sim 8.3$ days. The repetitive nature of the ultrafast outflow is tentatively explained by an orbiting massive perturber, possibly an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH), trajectory of which is inclined with respect to the accretion flow around the primary supermassive black hole (SMBH). In this scenario, the orbiting body pushes the disc gas into the outflow funnel, where it is accelerated by the ordered magnetic field (Suková et al. 2021). Quasiperiodic ultrafast outflows (a.k.a. QPOuts) are thus a novel phenomenon that can help reveal new extreme-/intermediate-mass ratio inspiral (EMRI/IMRI) candidates. These then would be prime candidate sources for a simultaneous detection and monitoring in electromagnetic as well as gravitational wave domains.

11 pages, 4 figures, in print in the IAU GA Proceedings; based on the talk presented at IAUS 389 (XXXII IAU GA) in Cape Town, South Africa; implemented additions+new references following the referee's report