A wind origin for the reflection features in quasars Original Research Article

An alternative origin for the X-ray reflection features in quasar spectra is proposed. Unlike the relativistic disk model, the features are formed in an accelerating wind at a relatively large distance from the central black hole. This wind model was developed to explain entirely other phenomena: the narrow and broad quasar absorption lines (NALs and BALs). The particular geometry and kinematics of the wind model also remove longstanding problems with having the quasar broad emission line region (BELR) gas be pressure confined. The wind has to be Compton thick along its flow direction, and this gives rise to a scattering and fluorescing region that must produce X-ray fluorescence and scattering features.