We present JWST/NIRSpec integral field data of the quasar PJ308-21 atz = 6.2342. As shown by previous ALMA and HST imaging, the quasar has two companion sources, interacting with the quasar host galaxy. The high-resolution G395H/290LP NIRSpec spectrum covers the 2.87 − 5.27 μm wavelength range and shows the rest-frame optical emission of the quasar with exquisite quality (signal-to-noise ratio ∼100 − 400 per spectral element). Based on the Hβline from the broad line region, we obtain an estimate of the black hole massMBH, Hβ ∼ 2.7 × 109 M⊙. This value is within a factor ≲1.5 of the Hα-based black hole mass from the same spectrum (MBH, Hα ∼ 1.93 × 109 M⊙) and is consistent with a previous estimate relying on the Mg IIλ2799 line (MBH, MgII ∼ 2.65 × 109 M⊙). All theseMBHestimates are within the ∼0.5 dex intrinsic scatter of the adopted mass calibrations. The high Eddington ratio of PJ308-21λEdd, Hβ ∼ 0.67 (λEdd, Hα ∼ 0.96) is in line with the overall quasar population atz ≳ 6. The relative strengths of the [O III], Fe II, and Hβlines are consistent with the empirical “Eigenvector 1” correlations as observed for low redshift quasars. We find evidence for blueshifted [O III]λ5007 emission with a velocity offset Δv[O III] = −1922 ± 39 km s−1from the systemic velocity and a full width at half maximum (FWHM)FWHM([O III]) = 2776−74+75km s−1. This may be the signature of outflowing gas from the nuclear region, despite the true values of Δv[O III]andFWHM([O III]) likely being more uncertain due to the blending with Hβand Fe IIlines. Our study demonstrates the unique capabilities of NIRSpec in capturing quasar spectra at cosmic dawn and studying their properties in unprecedented detail.
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The interstellar medium distribution, gas kinematics, and system dynamics of the far-infrared luminous quasar SDSS J2310+1855 at z = 6.0
We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) sub-kiloparsec- to kiloparsec-scale resolution observations of the [C II], CO (9–8), and OH+(11–01) lines along with their dust continuum emission toward the far-infrared (FIR) luminous quasar SDSS J231038.88+185519.7 atz = 6.0031, to study the interstellar medium distribution, the gas kinematics, and the quasar-host system dynamics. We decompose the intensity maps of the [C II] and CO (9–8) lines and the dust continuum with two-dimensional elliptical Sérsic models. The [C II] brightness follows a flat distribution with a Sérsic index of 0.59. The CO (9–8) line and the dust continuum can be fit with an unresolved nuclear component and an extended Sérsic component with a Sérsic index of ∼1, which may correspond to the emission from an active galactic nucleus dusty molecular torus and a quasar host galaxy, respectively. The different [C II] spatial distribution may be due to the effect of the high dust opacity, which increases the FIR background radiation on the [C II] line, especially in the galaxy center, significantly suppressing the [C II] emission profile. The dust temperature drops with distance from the center. The effective radius of the dust continuum is smaller than that of the line emission and the dust mass surface density, but is consistent with that of the star formation rate surface density. This may indicate that the dust emission is a less robust tracer of the dust and gas distribution but is a decent tracer of the obscured star formation activity. The OH+(11–01) line shows a P-Cygni profile with an absorption at ∼–400 km s−1, which may indicate an outflow with a neutral gas mass of (6.2 ± 1.2)×108 M⊙along the line of sight. We employed a three-dimensional tilted ring model to fit the [C II] and CO (9–8) data cubes. The two lines are both rotation dominated and trace identical disk geometries and gas motions. This suggest that the [C II] and CO (9–8) gas are coplanar and corotating in this quasar host galaxy. The consistent circular velocities measured with [C II] and CO (9–8) lines indicate that these two lines trace a similar gravitational potential. We decompose the circular rotation curve measured from the kinematic model fit to the [C II] line into four matter components (black hole, stars, gas, and dark matter). The quasar-starburst system is dominated by baryonic matter inside the central few kiloparsecs. We constrain the black hole mass to be 2.97+0.51-0.77 × 109M⊙; this is the first time that the dynamical mass of a black hole has been measured atz ∼ 6. This mass is consistent with that determined using the scaling relations from quasar emission lines. A massive stellar component (on the order of 109 M⊙) may have already existed when the Universe was only ∼0.93 Gyr old. The relations between the black hole mass and the baryonic mass of this quasar indicate that the central supermassive black hole may have formed before its host galaxy.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1908284
- PAR ID:
- 10492472
- Publisher / Repository:
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Astronomy & Astrophysics
- Volume:
- 668
- ISSN:
- 0004-6361
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- A121
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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