Modelling the variable broad-band optical/UV/X-ray spectrum of
  PG1211+143: Implications for the ionized outflow
  We present the results from a detailed analysis of the 2007 Swift monitoring
campaign of the quasar PG1211+143. We constructed broad-band, optical/UV/X-ray
spectral energy distributions over three X-ray flux intervals. We fitted them
with a model which accounts for the disc and the X-ray coronal emission and the
warm absorber (well established in this source). The three flux spectra are
well fitted by the model we considered. The disc inner temperature remains
constant at ~2 eV, while X-rays are variable both in spectral slope and
normalization. The absorber covers almost 90% of the central source. It is
outflowing with a velocity less than 2.3*10^4 km/s (3sigma upper limit), and
has a column density of ~10^23.2. Its ionization parameter varies by a factor
of 1.6, and it is in photo-ionizing equilibrium with the ionizing flux. It is
located at a distance of less than 0.35 pc from the central source and its
relative thickness, DR/R is less than 0.1. The absorber' s ionization parameter
variations can explain the larger than average amplitude of the X-ray
variations. The absence of optical/UV variations (consistent with the high
black hole mass estimate) argues against the presence of inward propagating
disc fluctuations and strong X-ray illumination of the disc (in agreement with
the low ratio of X-ray over the bolometric luminosity of ~20-35). We estimate
an upper limit for the mass outflow of ~5 solar masses per year (~2.3 times the
Eddington mass accretion rate). If the outflow rate is indeed that high, then
it must be a short-lived episode in the quasar's life time. Finally, we
estimate an upper limit for the kinetic power of the outflow of ~1.4*10^43
ergs/s. This outflow cannot deploy significant mechanical energy to the
surrounding ISM of the quasar's host galaxy, but is sufficient to heat the ISM
to 10^7 K and to produce a fast decline to the star formation rate of the
galaxy.
