A high-velocity ionized outflow and XUV photosphere in the narrow emission line quasar PG1211+143

We report on the analysis of a 60-ks XMM–Newton observation of the bright, narrow emission line quasar PG1211+143. Absorption lines are seen in both European Photon Imaging Camera and Reflection Grating Spectrometer spectra corresponding to H- and He-like ions of Fe, S, Mg, Ne, O, N and C. The observed line energies indicate an ionized outflow velocity of 24 000 km s1. The highest energy lines require a column density of NH 5 × 1023 cm2, at an ionization parameter of log ξ 3.4. If the origin of this high-velocity outflow lies in matter being driven from the inner disc, then the flow is likely to be optically thick within a radius of 130 Schwarzschild radii, providing a natural explanation for the big blue bump (and strong soft X-ray) emission in PG1211+143.