Pushing the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array to the Limit: 140 pc Resolution Observations of a z = 6.6 Quasar–Galaxy Merger Resolve Strikingly Different Morphologies of Dust Continuum and [C ii] 158 μm Emission
We present $0\mathop{.}\limits^{^{\prime\prime} }026$ (140 pc) resolution Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations of [C ii ] 158 μ m and dust continuum emission of the z = 6.6 quasar J0305–3150, resolved over ~300–400 independent resolution elements. The dust continuum emissi...
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2025-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ada351 |
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| author | Romain A. Meyer Bram Venemans Marcel Neeleman Roberto Decarli Fabian Walter |
| author_facet | Romain A. Meyer Bram Venemans Marcel Neeleman Roberto Decarli Fabian Walter |
| author_sort | Romain A. Meyer |
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| description | We present $0\mathop{.}\limits^{^{\prime\prime} }026$ (140 pc) resolution Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations of [C ii ] 158 μ m and dust continuum emission of the z = 6.6 quasar J0305–3150, resolved over ~300–400 independent resolution elements. The dust continuum emission is compact with ~80% recovered within $r\lt 0\mathop{.}\limits^{^{\prime\prime} }3$ (1.6 kpc), whereas the [C ii ] emission profile is composed of a central Gaussian ( $r\lt 0\mathop{.}\limits^{^{\prime\prime} }4$ , i.e., <2.2 kpc) and an extended component (detected up to ~10 kpc at >3 σ ). We infer a direct contribution of the quasar to the observed 260 GHz continuum S _ν _,QSO / S _ν _,QSO + Host ≲ 1%. We report the detection of far-infrared (FIR)-detected star-forming clumps with r < 200 pc and properties similar to that of rest-frame UV–optical clumps reported in the literature. The 200 pc resolved [C ii ]/FIR ratio follows the global relation with the FIR surface brightness established in low- and high-redshift galaxies, even at the quasar location. We find that dust continuum is emitted in regions of $\unicode{x0007E}0^{\prime\prime} \,.02-0^{\prime\prime} \,.04$ consistent with the size of photodissociation regions (PDRs), whereas 50% of the [C ii ] originates from larger physical scales ( θ ≳ 2″). The large-scale [C ii ] emission presents a velocity gradient aligned with a nearby companion with perturbed kinematics, and misaligned with the kinematics of the small-scale emission. The absence of significant [C ii ] emission by structures with physical scale ≲ 1 kpc implies that [C ii ] emission is not produced in dense PDRs located at the boundary of giant molecular clouds. We argue instead that [C ii ] is produced in low-density PDRs in the interstellar medium and diffuse H i gas tidally stripped during the ongoing merger. |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-786c049e4eae45fabea312bfb771d3d22025-01-31T06:44:21ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-0198012010.3847/1538-4357/ada351Pushing the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array to the Limit: 140 pc Resolution Observations of a z = 6.6 Quasar–Galaxy Merger Resolve Strikingly Different Morphologies of Dust Continuum and [C ii] 158 μm EmissionRomain A. Meyer0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5492-4522Bram Venemans1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9024-8322Marcel Neeleman2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9838-8191Roberto Decarli3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2662-8803Fabian Walter4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4793-7880Department of Astronomy, University of Geneva , Chemin Pegasi 51, 1290 Versoix, Switzerland; Max Planck Institut für Astronomie , Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, GermanyLeiden Observatory, Leiden University , PO Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, The NetherlandsMax Planck Institut für Astronomie , Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany; National Radio Astronomy Observatory , 520 Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USAINAF—Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio di Bologna , Via Gobetti 93/3, I-40129 Bologna, ItalyMax Planck Institut für Astronomie , Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, GermanyWe present $0\mathop{.}\limits^{^{\prime\prime} }026$ (140 pc) resolution Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations of [C ii ] 158 μ m and dust continuum emission of the z = 6.6 quasar J0305–3150, resolved over ~300–400 independent resolution elements. The dust continuum emission is compact with ~80% recovered within $r\lt 0\mathop{.}\limits^{^{\prime\prime} }3$ (1.6 kpc), whereas the [C ii ] emission profile is composed of a central Gaussian ( $r\lt 0\mathop{.}\limits^{^{\prime\prime} }4$ , i.e., <2.2 kpc) and an extended component (detected up to ~10 kpc at >3 σ ). We infer a direct contribution of the quasar to the observed 260 GHz continuum S _ν _,QSO / S _ν _,QSO + Host ≲ 1%. We report the detection of far-infrared (FIR)-detected star-forming clumps with r < 200 pc and properties similar to that of rest-frame UV–optical clumps reported in the literature. The 200 pc resolved [C ii ]/FIR ratio follows the global relation with the FIR surface brightness established in low- and high-redshift galaxies, even at the quasar location. We find that dust continuum is emitted in regions of $\unicode{x0007E}0^{\prime\prime} \,.02-0^{\prime\prime} \,.04$ consistent with the size of photodissociation regions (PDRs), whereas 50% of the [C ii ] originates from larger physical scales ( θ ≳ 2″). The large-scale [C ii ] emission presents a velocity gradient aligned with a nearby companion with perturbed kinematics, and misaligned with the kinematics of the small-scale emission. The absence of significant [C ii ] emission by structures with physical scale ≲ 1 kpc implies that [C ii ] emission is not produced in dense PDRs located at the boundary of giant molecular clouds. We argue instead that [C ii ] is produced in low-density PDRs in the interstellar medium and diffuse H i gas tidally stripped during the ongoing merger.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ada351QuasarsHigh-redshift galaxiesMillimeter astronomyInterferometryQuasar-galaxy pairsInterstellar medium |
| spellingShingle | Romain A. Meyer Bram Venemans Marcel Neeleman Roberto Decarli Fabian Walter Pushing the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array to the Limit: 140 pc Resolution Observations of a z = 6.6 Quasar–Galaxy Merger Resolve Strikingly Different Morphologies of Dust Continuum and [C ii] 158 μm Emission The Astrophysical Journal Quasars High-redshift galaxies Millimeter astronomy Interferometry Quasar-galaxy pairs Interstellar medium |
| title | Pushing the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array to the Limit: 140 pc Resolution Observations of a z = 6.6 Quasar–Galaxy Merger Resolve Strikingly Different Morphologies of Dust Continuum and [C ii] 158 μm Emission |
| title_full | Pushing the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array to the Limit: 140 pc Resolution Observations of a z = 6.6 Quasar–Galaxy Merger Resolve Strikingly Different Morphologies of Dust Continuum and [C ii] 158 μm Emission |
| title_fullStr | Pushing the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array to the Limit: 140 pc Resolution Observations of a z = 6.6 Quasar–Galaxy Merger Resolve Strikingly Different Morphologies of Dust Continuum and [C ii] 158 μm Emission |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pushing the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array to the Limit: 140 pc Resolution Observations of a z = 6.6 Quasar–Galaxy Merger Resolve Strikingly Different Morphologies of Dust Continuum and [C ii] 158 μm Emission |
| title_short | Pushing the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array to the Limit: 140 pc Resolution Observations of a z = 6.6 Quasar–Galaxy Merger Resolve Strikingly Different Morphologies of Dust Continuum and [C ii] 158 μm Emission |
| title_sort | pushing the atacama large millimeter submillimeter array to the limit 140 pc resolution observations of a z 6 6 quasar galaxy merger resolve strikingly different morphologies of dust continuum and c ii 158 μm emission |
| topic | Quasars High-redshift galaxies Millimeter astronomy Interferometry Quasar-galaxy pairs Interstellar medium |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ada351 |
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