Blowing Star Formation Away in AGN Hosts (BAH). II. Investigating the Origin of the H2 Emission Excess in Nearby Galaxies with JWST MIRI

We use James Webb Space Telescope Mid-Infrared Instrument Medium-resolution Spectrometer observations of 3C 293 (UGC 8782), CGCG 012-070 and NGC 3884 to investigate the origin of the H _2 emission. These three nearby active galactic nucleus (AGN) hosts are known to present H _2 emission excess relat...

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Main Authors: Rogemar A. Riffel, Gabriel L. Souza-Oliveira, José Henrique Costa-Souza, Nadia L. Zakamska, Thaisa Storchi-Bergmann, Rogério Riffel, Marina Bianchin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:The Astrophysical Journal
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb8dd
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author Rogemar A. Riffel
Gabriel L. Souza-Oliveira
José Henrique Costa-Souza
Nadia L. Zakamska
Thaisa Storchi-Bergmann
Rogério Riffel
Marina Bianchin
author_facet Rogemar A. Riffel
Gabriel L. Souza-Oliveira
José Henrique Costa-Souza
Nadia L. Zakamska
Thaisa Storchi-Bergmann
Rogério Riffel
Marina Bianchin
author_sort Rogemar A. Riffel
collection DOAJ
description We use James Webb Space Telescope Mid-Infrared Instrument Medium-resolution Spectrometer observations of 3C 293 (UGC 8782), CGCG 012-070 and NGC 3884 to investigate the origin of the H _2 emission. These three nearby active galactic nucleus (AGN) hosts are known to present H _2 emission excess relative to star-forming galaxies, as traced by the H _2 S(3)/PAH _11.3 _μ _m line ratio. We define the kinematically disturbed region (KDR) by the AGN and the virially dominated region based on the H _2 line widths, using the W _80 parameter. From the correlations between W _80 and H _2 S(3)/PAH11.3 μ m, as well as the higher H2 S(5)/H2 S(3) and [Fe ii ]5.34 μ m/PAH11.3 μ m ratios and flatter power-law temperature distributions observed in the KDR, we conclude that the H _2 emission in the KDR is primarily driven by shock-heated gas. For 3C 293, the KDR is cospatial with the radio core, indicating that the origin of the shocks is the interaction of the radio jet with the interstellar medium, which is also responsible for the observed molecular and ionized gas outflows in this source. The other galaxies are weak radio sources; however, due to the lack of high-resolution radio images, we cannot rule out low-power jets as the origin of the shock-heated H _2 . Our results indicate that the excess H _2 emission excess is associated with shock heating of the gas, generated by outflows or by the interaction of the radio jet with the ambient gas.
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spelling doaj-art-d779effe0cee44d6b7a9e336ef1d998f2025-08-20T02:50:36ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-0198226910.3847/1538-4357/adb8ddBlowing Star Formation Away in AGN Hosts (BAH). II. Investigating the Origin of the H2 Emission Excess in Nearby Galaxies with JWST MIRIRogemar A. Riffel0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0483-3723Gabriel L. Souza-Oliveira1https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0583-5773José Henrique Costa-Souza2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3667-9716Nadia L. Zakamska3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6100-6869Thaisa Storchi-Bergmann4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1772-0023Rogério Riffel5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1321-1320Marina Bianchin6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6570-9446Departamento de Física, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria , Av. Roraima 1000, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, BrazilDepartamento de Física, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria , Av. Roraima 1000, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, BrazilDepartamento de Física, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria , Av. Roraima 1000, 97105-900, Santa Maria, RS, BrazilDepartment of Physics & Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University , Bloomberg Center, 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218, USADepartamento de Astronomia, IF, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul , CP 15051, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilDepartamento de Astronomia, IF, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul , CP 15051, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, 4129 Frederick Reines Hall, University of California , Irvine, CA 92697, USAWe use James Webb Space Telescope Mid-Infrared Instrument Medium-resolution Spectrometer observations of 3C 293 (UGC 8782), CGCG 012-070 and NGC 3884 to investigate the origin of the H _2 emission. These three nearby active galactic nucleus (AGN) hosts are known to present H _2 emission excess relative to star-forming galaxies, as traced by the H _2 S(3)/PAH _11.3 _μ _m line ratio. We define the kinematically disturbed region (KDR) by the AGN and the virially dominated region based on the H _2 line widths, using the W _80 parameter. From the correlations between W _80 and H _2 S(3)/PAH11.3 μ m, as well as the higher H2 S(5)/H2 S(3) and [Fe ii ]5.34 μ m/PAH11.3 μ m ratios and flatter power-law temperature distributions observed in the KDR, we conclude that the H _2 emission in the KDR is primarily driven by shock-heated gas. For 3C 293, the KDR is cospatial with the radio core, indicating that the origin of the shocks is the interaction of the radio jet with the interstellar medium, which is also responsible for the observed molecular and ionized gas outflows in this source. The other galaxies are weak radio sources; however, due to the lack of high-resolution radio images, we cannot rule out low-power jets as the origin of the shock-heated H _2 . Our results indicate that the excess H _2 emission excess is associated with shock heating of the gas, generated by outflows or by the interaction of the radio jet with the ambient gas.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb8ddActive galaxies
spellingShingle Rogemar A. Riffel
Gabriel L. Souza-Oliveira
José Henrique Costa-Souza
Nadia L. Zakamska
Thaisa Storchi-Bergmann
Rogério Riffel
Marina Bianchin
Blowing Star Formation Away in AGN Hosts (BAH). II. Investigating the Origin of the H2 Emission Excess in Nearby Galaxies with JWST MIRI
The Astrophysical Journal
Active galaxies
title Blowing Star Formation Away in AGN Hosts (BAH). II. Investigating the Origin of the H2 Emission Excess in Nearby Galaxies with JWST MIRI
title_full Blowing Star Formation Away in AGN Hosts (BAH). II. Investigating the Origin of the H2 Emission Excess in Nearby Galaxies with JWST MIRI
title_fullStr Blowing Star Formation Away in AGN Hosts (BAH). II. Investigating the Origin of the H2 Emission Excess in Nearby Galaxies with JWST MIRI
title_full_unstemmed Blowing Star Formation Away in AGN Hosts (BAH). II. Investigating the Origin of the H2 Emission Excess in Nearby Galaxies with JWST MIRI
title_short Blowing Star Formation Away in AGN Hosts (BAH). II. Investigating the Origin of the H2 Emission Excess in Nearby Galaxies with JWST MIRI
title_sort blowing star formation away in agn hosts bah ii investigating the origin of the h2 emission excess in nearby galaxies with jwst miri
topic Active galaxies
url https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb8dd
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