Disk winds spectral energy distribution and the variability timescale of active galactic nuclei (2504.19344v1)

Abstract: Accretion disk winds are commonly observed in active galactic nuclei (AGN). The winds may be associated with the changing spectral properties of such sources, yet such connections have not been studied in detail so far. This paper presents detailed calculations of accretion disk winds and their impact on the observed spectrum of AGN, emphasizing recent observations of Mrk 817. The model consists of a radial and time-dependent mass outflow rate with a half-ejection radius of 50Rg and a variability timescale of 100 days. The resulting spectral energy distribution (SED) is characterized by a large drop in the ionizing luminosity and less significant changes in the optical luminosity. The time-dependent intensities of the broad emission lines and the spectrum emitted by the wind material reflect these variations. For Mrk 817, the variability timescale of the 1500-5500A continuum, the thermal time of the disk at the locations where most of this radiation is emitted, and the range of radii over which most of the mass outflow is taking place are all in agreement with the black hole mass and the radial-dependent accretion rate through the disk. This suggests a general connection between time-dependent disk winds, SED shape, thermal timescale, and optical-UV variability in AGN.