Multiwavelength campaign on Mrk 509: XVI. Continued HST/COS monitoring of the far-ultraviolet spectrum⋆

Aims. To elucidate the location, physical conditions, mass outflow rate, and kinetic luminosity of the outflow from the active nucleus of the Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 509, we used coordinated UV and X-ray spectral observations in 2012 to follow up our lengthier campaign conducted in 2009. Methods. We observed Mrk 509 with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) on 2012-09-03 and 2012-10-11 coordinated with X-ray observations using the High Energy Transmission Grating on the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Our far-ultraviolet spectra used grating G140L on COS to cover wavelengths from 920-2000 angstrom at a resolving power of similar to 2000, and gratings G130M and G160M to cover 1160-1750 angstrom at a resolving power of similar to 15, 000. Results. We detect variability in the blueshifted UV absorption lines on timescales spanning 3-12 years. The inferred densities in the absorbing gas are greater than log n cm(-3) similar to 3. For ionization parameters ranging over log U = -1.5 to -0.2, we constrain the distances of the absorbers to be closer than 220 pc to the active nucleus. Conclusions. The impact on the host galaxy appears to be confined to the nuclear region.