An official website of the United States government
ABSTRACT Galactic outflows strongly influence galactic evolution and have been detected in a range of observations. Hydrodynamic simulations can help interpret these by connecting direct observables to the physical conditions of the outflowing gas. Here we use simulations of isolated disc galaxies ranging from dwarf mass ($$M_{200} = 10^{10}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$$) to Milky Way mass ($$M_{200} = 10^{12}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$$), based on the FIRE-2 subgrid models to investigate multiphase galactic outflows. We use the chimes non-equilibrium chemistry module to create synthetic spectra of common outflow tracers ([C ii]$$_{158\, \mu\rm m}$$, $$\mathrm{CO}_{J(1-0)}$$, H$$\alpha$$ and $$[\mathrm{O}{\small III}]_{5007\, \rm{\mathring{\rm A}}}$$). Using our synthetic spectra we measure the mass outflow rate, kinetic power and momentum flux using observational techniques. In [C ii]$$_{158\, \mu\rm m}$$ we measure outflow rates of $$10^{-4}$$ to 1 $$\mathrm{\, {\rm M}_{\odot }\, \rm yr^{-1}}$$ across an SFR range of $$10^{-3}$$ to 1 $$\text{M}_{\odot }\text{yr}^{-1}$$, which is in reasonable agreement with observations. The significant discrepancy is in $$\mathrm{CO}_{J(1-0)}$$, with the simulations lying $$\approx 1$$ dex below the observational sample. We test observational assumptions used to derive outflow properties from synthetic spectra. We find the greatest uncertainty lies in measurements of electron density, as estimates using the SII doublet can overestimate the actual electron density by up to 2 dex, which changes mass outflow rates by up to 4 dex. We also find that molecular outflows are especially sensitive to the conversion factor between CO luminosity and H2 mass, with outflow rates changing by up to 4 dex in our least massive galaxy. Comparing the outflow properties derived from the synthetic spectra to those derived directly from the simulation, we find that [C ii]$$_{158\, \mu\rm m}$$ probes outflows at greater distances from the disc, whilst we find that molecular gas does not survive at large distances within outflows within our modestly star-forming disc galaxies simulated in this work.
more »
« less
Dissecting a 30 kpc galactic outflow at z ~ 1.7
ABSTRACT We present the spatially resolved measurements of a cool galactic outflow in the gravitationally lensed galaxy RCS0327 at z ≈ 1.703 using VLT/MUSE IFU observations. We probe the cool outflowing gas, traced by blueshifted Mg ii and Fe ii absorption lines, in 15 distinct regions of the same galaxy in its image-plane. Different physical regions, 5 – 7 kpc apart within the galaxy, drive the outflows at different velocities (Vout ∼ −161 to −240 km s−1), and mass outflow rates ($$\dot{M}_{out} \sim 183$$ – 527 $${\rm M}_{\odot }\, \mathrm{yr}^{-1}$$). The outflow velocities from different regions of the same galaxy vary by 80 km s−1, which is comparable to the variation seen in a large sample of star-burst galaxies in the local universe. Using multiply lensed images of RCS0327, we probe the same star-forming region at different spatial scales (0.5–25 kpc2), we find that outflow velocities vary between ∼ −120 and −242 km s−1, and the mass outflow rates vary between ∼37 and 254 $${\rm M}_{\odot }\, \mathrm{yr}^{-1}$$. The outflow momentum flux in this galaxy is ≥ 100% of the momentum flux provided by star formation in individual regions, and outflow energy flux is ≈ 10% of the total energy flux provided by star formation. These estimates suggest that the outflow in RCS0327 is energy driven. This work shows the importance of small scale variations of outflow properties due to the variations of local stellar properties of the host galaxy in the context of galaxy evolution.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 2206853
- PAR ID:
- 10545641
- Publisher / Repository:
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Volume:
- 526
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 0035-8711
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 6297 to 6320
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
ABSTRACT We present and study a large suite of high-resolution cosmological zoom-in simulations, using the FIRE-2 treatment of mechanical and radiative feedback from massive stars, together with explicit treatment of magnetic fields, anisotropic conduction and viscosity (accounting for saturation and limitation by plasma instabilities at high β), and cosmic rays (CRs) injected in supernovae shocks (including anisotropic diffusion, streaming, adiabatic, hadronic and Coulomb losses). We survey systems from ultrafaint dwarf ($$M_{\ast }\sim 10^{4}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$$, $$M_{\rm halo}\sim 10^{9}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$$) through Milky Way/Local Group (MW/LG) masses, systematically vary uncertain CR parameters (e.g. the diffusion coefficient κ and streaming velocity), and study a broad ensemble of galaxy properties [masses, star formation (SF) histories, mass profiles, phase structure, morphologies, etc.]. We confirm previous conclusions that magnetic fields, conduction, and viscosity on resolved ($$\gtrsim 1\,$$ pc) scales have only small effects on bulk galaxy properties. CRs have relatively weak effects on all galaxy properties studied in dwarfs ($$M_{\ast } \ll 10^{10}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$$, $$M_{\rm halo} \lesssim 10^{11}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$$), or at high redshifts (z ≳ 1–2), for any physically reasonable parameters. However, at higher masses ($$M_{\rm halo} \gtrsim 10^{11}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$$) and z ≲ 1–2, CRs can suppress SF and stellar masses by factors ∼2–4, given reasonable injection efficiencies and relatively high effective diffusion coefficients $$\kappa \gtrsim 3\times 10^{29}\, {\rm cm^{2}\, s^{-1}}$$. At lower κ, CRs take too long to escape dense star-forming gas and lose their energy to collisional hadronic losses, producing negligible effects on galaxies and violating empirical constraints from spallation and γ-ray emission. At much higher κ CRs escape too efficiently to have appreciable effects even in the CGM. But around $$\kappa \sim 3\times 10^{29}\, {\rm cm^{2}\, s^{-1}}$$, CRs escape the galaxy and build up a CR-pressure-dominated halo which maintains approximate virial equilibrium and supports relatively dense, cool (T ≪ 106 K) gas that would otherwise rain on to the galaxy. CR ‘heating’ (from collisional and streaming losses) is never dominant.more » « less
-
ABSTRACT Feedback from accreting supermassive black holes (BHs), active galactic nuclei (AGNs), is now a cornerstone of galaxy formation models. In this work, we present radiation-hydrodynamic simulations of radiative AGN feedback using the novel arepo-rt code. A central BH emits radiation at a constant luminosity and drives an outflow via radiation pressure on dust grains. Utilizing an isolated Navarro–Frenk–White (NFW) halo we validate our set-up in the single- and multiscattering regimes, with the simulated shock front propagation in excellent agreement with the expected analytic result. For a spherically symmetric NFW halo, an examination of the simulated outflow properties with radiation collimation demonstrates a decreasing mass outflow rate and momentum flux, but increasing kinetic power and outflow velocity with decreasing opening angle. We then explore the impact of a central disc galaxy and the assumed dust model on the outflow properties. The contraction of the halo during the galaxy’s formation and modelling the production of dust grains result in a factor 100 increase in the halo’s optical depth. Radiation then couples momentum more efficiently to the gas, driving a stronger shock and producing a mass-loaded $$\sim \!10^{3}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }\, \mathrm{yr}^{-1}$$ outflow with a velocity of $$\sim \!2000\, \mathrm{km}\, \mathrm{s}^{-1}$$. However, the inclusion of dust destruction mechanisms, like thermal sputtering, leads to the rapid destruction of dust grains within the outflow, reducing its properties below the initial NFW halo. We conclude that radiative AGN feedback can drive outflows, but a thorough numerical and physical treatment is required to assess its true impact.more » « less
-
ABSTRACT In the Hubble Space Telescope/Cosmic Origins Spectrograph spectrum of the Seyfert 1 galaxy 2MASX J14292507+4518318, we have identified a narrow absorption line outflow system with a velocity of −151 km s−1. This outflow exhibits absorption troughs from the resonance states of ions like C iv, N v, S iv, and Si ii, as well as excited states from C ii* and Si ii*. Our investigation of the outflow involved measuring ionic column densities and conducting photoionization analysis. These allow the total column density of the outflow to be estimated as log NH = 19.84 cm−2, its ionization parameter to be log UH = −2.0, and its electron number density to be log ne = 2.75 cm−3. These measurements enabled us to determine the mass-loss rate and the kinetic luminosity of the outflow system to be $$\dot{M}$$ = 0.22 $$\mathrm{ M}_{\odot } \, \mathrm{ yr}^{-1}$$ and $$\log \dot{E_{\mathrm{ K}}}$$ = 39.3 erg s−1, respectively. We have also measured the location of the outflow system to be at ∼275 pc from the central source. This outflow does not contribute to the active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback processes due to the low ratio of the outflow’s kinetic luminosity to the AGN’s Eddington luminosity ($$\dot{E_{\mathrm{ K}}}/{L_{\mathrm{ Edd}}}\approx 0.00025 {{\, \rm per\, cent}}$$). This outflow is remarkably similar to the two bipolar lobe outflows observed in the Milky Way by XMM–Newton and Chandra.more » « less
-
ABSTRACT We revisit the question of ‘hot mode’ versus ‘cold mode’ accretion on to galaxies using steady-state cooling flow solutions and idealized 3D hydrodynamic simulations. We demonstrate that for the hot accretion mode to exist, the cooling time is required to be longer than the free-fall time near the radius where the gas is rotationally supported, Rcirc, i.e. the existence of the hot mode depends on physical conditions at the galaxy scale rather than on physical conditions at the halo scale. When allowing for the depletion of the halo baryon fraction relative to the cosmic mean, the longer cooling times imply that a virialized gaseous halo may form in halo masses below the threshold of $$\sim 10^{12}\, {\rm M_{\odot }}$$ derived for baryon-complete haloes. We show that for any halo mass there is a maximum accretion rate for which the gas is virialized throughout the halo and can accrete via the hot mode of $${\dot{M}}_{\rm crit}\approx 0.7(v_{\rm c}/100\, \rm km\ s^{-1})^{5.4}(R_{\rm circ}/10\, {\rm kpc})(Z/\, {\rm Z_{\odot }})^{-0.9}\, {\rm M_{\odot }}\, {\rm yr}^{-1}$$, where Z and vc are the metallicity and circular velocity measured at Rcirc. For accretion rates $$\gtrsim {\dot{M}}_{\rm crit}$$ the volume-filling gas phase can in principle be ‘transonic’ – virialized in the outer halo but cool and free-falling near the galaxy. We compare $${\dot{M}}_{\rm crit}$$ to the average star formation rate (SFR) in haloes at 0 < z < 10 implied by the stellar-mass–halo-mass relation. For a plausible metallicity evolution with redshift, we find that $${\rm SFR}\lesssim {\dot{M}}_{\rm crit}$$ at most masses and redshifts, suggesting that the SFR of galaxies could be primarily sustained by the hot mode in halo masses well below the classic threshold of $$\sim 10^{12}\, {\rm M_{\odot }}$$.more » « less
- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
-
Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad3004
