We present a kinematic analysis based on the large integral field spectroscopy (IFS) dataset of SDSS-IV MaNGA (Sloan Digital Sky Survey/Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory; ∼10 000 galaxies). We have compiled a diverse sample of 594 unique active galactic nuclei (AGNs), identified through a variety of independent selection techniques, encompassing radio (1.4 GHz) observations, optical emission-line diagnostics (BPT), broad Balmer emission lines, mid-infrared colors, and hard X-ray emission. We investigated how ionized gas kinematics behave in these different AGN populations through stacked radial profiles of the [O III] 5007 emission-line width across each AGN population. We contrasted AGN populations against each other (and non-AGN galaxies) by matching samples by stellar mass, [O III] 5007 luminosity, morphology, and redshift. We find similar kinematics between AGNs selected by BPT diagnostics compared to broad-line-selected AGNs. We also identify a population of non-AGNs with similar radial profiles as AGNs, indicative of the presence of remnant outflows (or fossil outflows) of past AGN activity. We find that purely radio-selected AGNs display enhanced ionized gas line widths across all radii. This suggests that our radio-selection technique is sensitive to a population in which AGN-driven kinematic perturbations have been active for longer durations (potentially due to recurrent activity) than in purely optically selected AGNs. This connection between radio activity and extended ionized gas outflow signatures is consistent with recent evidence that suggests radio emission (expected to be diffuse) originated due to shocks from outflows. We conclude that different selection techniques can trace different AGN populations not only in terms of energetics but also in terms of AGN evolutionary stages. Our results are important in the context of the AGN duty cycle and highlight integral field unit data’s potential to deepen our knowledge of AGNs and galaxy evolution.
more »
« less
Bayesian AGN Decomposition Analysis for SDSS spectra: a correlation analysis of [O iii ] λ5007 outflow kinematics with AGN and host galaxy properties
ABSTRACT We present Bayesian active galactic nucleus (AGN) Decomposition Analysis for Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Spectra, an open source spectral analysis code designed for automatic detailed deconvolution of AGN and host galaxy spectra, implemented in python, and designed for the next generation of large-scale surveys. The code simultaneously fits all spectral components, including power-law continuum, stellar line-of-sight velocity distribution, Fe ii emission, as well as forbidden (narrow), permitted (broad), and outflow emission line features, all performed using Markov chain Monte Carlo to obtain robust uncertainties and autocorrelation analysis to assess parameter convergence. Our code also utilizes multiprocessing for batch fitting large samples of spectra while efficiently managing memory and computation resources and is currently being used in a cluster environment to fit thousands of SDSS spectra. We use our code to perform a correlation analysis of 63 SDSS type 1 AGNs with evidence of strong non-gravitational outflow kinematics in the [O iii] λ5007 emission feature. We confirm findings from previous studies that show the core of the [O iii] profile is a suitable surrogate for stellar velocity dispersion σ*, however there is evidence that the core experiences broadening that scales with outflow velocity. We find sufficient evidence that σ*, [O iii] core dispersion, and the non-gravitational outflow dispersion of the [O iii] profile form a plane whose fit results in a scatter of ∼0.1 dex. Finally, we discuss the implications, caveats, and recommendations when using the [O iii] dispersion as a surrogate for σ* for the MBH−σ* relation.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 1817233
- PAR ID:
- 10345574
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Volume:
- 500
- Issue:
- 3
- ISSN:
- 0035-8711
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 2871 to 2895
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
SDSS-IV MaNGA: Refining Strong Line Diagnostic Classifications Using Spatially Resolved Gas DynamicsWe use the statistical power of the MaNGA integral-field spectroscopic galaxy survey to improve the definition of strong line diagnostic boundaries used to classify gas ionization properties in galaxies. We detect line emission from 3.6 million spaxels distributed across 7400 individual galaxies spanning a wide range of stellar masses, star formation rates, and morphological types, and find that the gas-phase velocity dispersion σHα correlates strongly with traditional optical emission-line ratios such as [S II]/Hα, [N II]/Hα, [O I]/Hα, and [O III]/Hβ. Spaxels whose line ratios are most consistent with ionization by galactic H II regions exhibit a narrow range of dynamically cold line-of-sight velocity distributions (LOSVDs) peaked around 25 km s-1 corresponding to a galactic thin disk, while those consistent with ionization by active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and low-ionization emission-line regions (LI(N)ERs) have significantly broader LOSVDs extending to 200 km s-1. Star-forming, AGN, and LI(N)ER regions are additionally well separated from each other in terms of their stellar velocity dispersion, stellar population age, Hα equivalent width, and typical radius within a given galaxy. We use our observations to revise the traditional emission-line diagnostic classifications so that they reliably identify distinct dynamical samples both in two-dimensional representations of the diagnostic line ratio space and in a multidimensional space that accounts for the complex folding of the star-forming model surface. By comparing the MaNGA observations to the SDSS single-fiber galaxy sample, we note that the latter is systematically biased against young, low-metallicity star-forming regions that lie outside of the 3″ fiber footprint.more » « less
-
The kinematics of star-forming galaxy populations at high redshifts are integral to our understanding of disk properties, merger rates, and other defining characteristics. Nebular gas emission is a common tracer of galaxies’ gravitational potential and angular momenta, but is sensitive to nongravitational forces as well as galactic outflows, and thus might not accurately trace the host galaxy dynamics. We present kinematic maps of young stars from rest-ultraviolet photospheric absorption in the star-forming galaxy CASSOWARY 13 (a.k.a. SDSS J1237+5533) atz= 1.87 using the Keck Cosmic Web Imager, alongside nebular emission measurements from the same observations. Gravitational lensing magnification of the galaxy enables good spatial sampling of multiple independent lensed images. We find close agreement between the stellar and nebular velocity fields. We measure a mean local velocity dispersion ofσ = 64 ± 12 km s−1for the young stars, consistent with that of the Hiiregions traced by nebular Ciii] emission (52 ± 9 km s−1). The ∼20 km s−1average difference in line-of-sight velocity is much smaller than the local velocity width and the velocity gradient (≳100 km s−1). We find no evidence of asymmetric drift nor evidence that outflows bias the nebular kinematics, and thus we conclude that nebular emission appears to be a reasonable dynamical tracer of young stars in the galaxy. These results support the picture of star formation in thick disks with high velocity dispersion atz ∼ 2, and they represent an important step toward establishing robust kinematics of early galaxies using collisionless tracers.more » « less
-
Understanding the Nature of an Unusual Post-starburst Quasar with Exceptionally Strong Ne v EmissionAbstract We present a z = 0.94 quasar, SDSS J004846.45-004611.9, discovered in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III (SDSS-III) BOSS survey. A visual analysis of this spectrum reveals highly broadened and blueshifted narrow emission lines, in particular, [Ne v ] λ 3426 and [O iii ] λ 5007, with outflow velocities of 4000 km s −1 , along with unusually large [Ne v ] λ 3426/[Ne iii ] λ 3869 ratios. The gas shows higher ionization at higher outflow velocities, indicating a connection between the powerful outflow and the unusual strength of the high ionization lines. The spectral energy distribution and the i − W3 color of the source reveal that it is likely a core extremely red quasar (ERQ); a candidate population of young active galactic nuclei (AGN) that are violently blowing out gas and dust from their centers. The dominance of host galaxy light in its spectrum and its fortuitous position in the SDSS S82 region allows us to measure its star formation history and investigate variability for the first time in an ERQ. Our analysis indicates that SDSS J004846.45-004611.9 underwent a short-lived starburst phase 400 Myr ago and was subsequently quenched, possibly indicating a time lag between star formation quenching and the onset of AGN activity. We also find that the strong extinction can be uniquely attributed to the AGN and does not persist in the host galaxy, contradicting a scenario where the source has recently transitioned from being a dusty submillimeter galaxy. In our relatively shallow photometric data, the source does not appear to be variable at 0.24–2.4 μ m in the rest frame, most likely due to the dominant contribution of host galaxy starlight at these wavelengths.more » « less
-
ABSTRACT Powerful outflows are thought to play a critical role in galaxy evolution and black hole growth. We present the first large-scale systematic study of ionized outflows in paired galaxies and post-mergers compared to a robust control sample of isolated galaxies. We isolate the impact of the merger environment to determine if outflow properties depend on merger stage. Our sample contains ∼4000 paired galaxies and ∼250 post-mergers in the local universe (0.02 ≤ z ≤ 0.2) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 (SDSS DR 7) matched in stellar mass, redshift, local density of galaxies, and [O iii] λ5007 luminosity to a control sample of isolated galaxies. By fitting the [O iii] λ5007 line, we find ionized outflows in ∼15 per cent of our entire sample. Outflows are much rarer in star-forming galaxies compared to active galactic nuclei (AGNs), and outflow incidence and velocity increase with [O iii] λ5007 luminosity. Outflow incidence is significantly elevated in the optical + mid-infrared selected AGN compared to purely optical AGN; over 60 per cent show outflows at the highest luminosities ($$L_{\mathrm{[OIII]~\lambda 5007}}\, \gtrsim$$ 1042 erg s−1), suggesting mid-infrared AGN selection favours galaxies with powerful outflows, at least for higher [O iii] λ5007 luminosities. However, we find no statistically significant difference in outflow incidence, velocity, and luminosity in mergers compared to isolated galaxies, and there is no dependence on merger stage. Therefore, while interactions are predicted to drive gas inflows and subsequently trigger nuclear star formation and accretion activity, when the power source of the outflow is controlled for, the merging environment has no further impact on the large-scale ionized outflows as traced by [O iii] λ5007.more » « less
An official website of the United States government

