An official website of the United States government
Abstract The nearby, luminous infrared galaxy NGC 7469 hosts a Seyfert nucleus with a circumnuclear star-forming ring and is thus the ideal local laboratory for investigating the starburst–AGN (active galactic nucleus) connection in detail. We present integral-field observations of the central 1.3 kpc region in NGC 7469 obtained with the JWST Mid-InfraRed Instrument. Molecular and ionized gas distributions and kinematics at a resolution of ∼100 pc over the 4.9–7.6μm region are examined to study the gas dynamics influenced by the central AGN. The low-ionization [Feii]λ5.34μm and [Arii]λ6.99μm lines are bright on the nucleus and in the starburst ring, as opposed to H2S(5)λ6.91μm, which is strongly peaked at the center and surrounding ISM. The high-ionization [Mgv] line is resolved and shows a broad, blueshifted component associated with the outflow. It has a nearly face-on geometry that is strongly peaked on the nucleus, where it reaches a maximum velocity of −650 km s−1, and extends about 400 pc to the east. Regions of enhanced velocity dispersion in H2and [Feii] ∼ 180 pc from the AGN that also show highL(H2)/L(PAH) andL([Feii])/L(Pfα) ratios to the W and N of the nucleus pinpoint regions where the ionized outflow is depositing energy, via shocks, into the dense interstellar medium between the nucleus and the starburst ring. These resolved mid-infrared observations of the nuclear gas dynamics demonstrate the power of JWST and its high-sensitivity integral-field spectroscopic capability to resolve feedback processes around supermassive black holes in the dusty cores of nearby luminous infrared galaxies.
more »
« less
This content will become publicly available on April 10, 2026
The JWST View of Cygnus A: Jet-driven Coronal Outflow with a Twist
Abstract We present first results from James Webb Space Telescope Near-Infrared Spectrograph, Mid-Infrared Instrument, and Keck Cosmic Webb Imager integral field spectroscopy of the powerful but highly obscured host galaxy of the jetted radio source Cygnus A. We detect 169 infrared emission lines at 1.7–27μm and explore the kinematics and physical properties of the extended narrow-line region (NLR) in unprecedented detail. The density-stratified NLR appears to be shaped by the initial blow-out and ongoing interaction of the radio jet with the interstellar medium, creating a multiphase bicone with a layered structure composed of molecular and ionized gas. The NLR spectrum, with strong coronal emission at kiloparsec scale, is well modeled by active galactic nucleus photoionization. We find evidence that the NLR is rotating around the radio axis, perhaps mediated by magnetic fields and driven by angular momentum transfer from the radio jet. The overall velocity field of the NLR is well described by 250 km s−1outflow along biconical spiral flow lines, combining both rotation and outflow signatures. There is particularly bright [Feii]λ1.644μm emission from a dense, high-velocity dispersion, photoionized clump of clouds found near the projected radio axis. Outflows of 600–2000 km s−1are found in bullets and streamers of ionized gas that may be ablated by the radio jet from these clouds, driving a local outflow rate of 40M⊙yr−1.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 2239807
- PAR ID:
- 10612029
- Author(s) / Creator(s):
- ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; more »
- Publisher / Repository:
- American Astronomical Society
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- The Astrophysical Journal
- Volume:
- 983
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 0004-637X
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 98
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
Abstract We present new JWST NIRSpec integral field spectroscopy (IFS) data for the luminous infrared galaxy NGC 7469, a nearby (70.6 Mpc) active galaxy with a Seyfert 1.5 nucleus that drives a highly ionized gas outflow and a prominent nuclear star-forming ring. Using the superb sensitivity and high spatial resolution of the JWST instrument NIRSpec IFS, we investigate the role of the Seyfert nucleus in the excitation and dynamics of the circumnuclear gas. Our analysis focuses on the [Feii], H2, and hydrogen recombination lines that trace the radiation/shocked-excited molecular and ionized interstellar medium around the active galactic nucleus (AGN). We investigate gas excitation through H2/Brγand [Feii]/Paβemission line ratios and find that photoionization by the AGN dominates within the central 300 pc of the galaxy except in a small region that shows signatures of shock-heated gas; these shock-heated regions are likely associated with a compact radio jet. In addition, the velocity field and velocity dispersion maps reveal complex gas kinematics. Rotation is the dominant feature, but we also identify noncircular motions consistent with gas inflows as traced by the velocity residuals and the spiral pattern in the Paαvelocity dispersion map. The inflow is 2 orders of magnitude higher than the AGN accretion rate. The compact nuclear radio jet has enough power to drive the highly ionized outflow. This scenario suggests that the inflow and outflow are in a self-regulating feeding–feedback process, with a contribution from the radio jet helping to drive the outflow.more » « less
-
Abstract We present an analysis of the Hα-emitting ionized gas in the warm phase of the NGC 253 outflow using integral field spectroscopy from the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer. In each spaxel, we decompose Hα, [Nii], and [Sii] emission lines into a system of up to three Gaussian components, accounting for the velocity contributions due to the disk and both intercepted walls of an outflow cone. In the approaching southern lobe of the outflow, we find maximum deprojected outflow velocities down to ∼−500 km s−1. Velocity gradients of this outflowing gas range from ∼−350 to −550 km s−1kpc−1with increasing distance from the nucleus. Additionally, [Nii]/Hαand [Sii]/Hαintegrated line ratios are suggestive of shocks as the dominant ionization source throughout the wind. Electron densities, inferred from the [Sii] doublet, peak at 2100 cm−3near the nucleus and reach ≲50 cm−3in the wind. Finally, at an uncertainty of 0.3 dex on the inferred mass of 4 × 105M⊙, the mass-outflow rate of the Hα-emitting gas in the southern outflow lobe is ∼0.4M⊙yr−1. This yields a mass-loading factor ofη ∼ 0.1 and a ∼2% starburst energy efficiency.more » « less
-
Abstract Outflows and winds launched from young stars play a crucial role in the evolution of protostars and the early stages of planet formation. However, the specific details of the mechanism behind these phenomena, including how they affect the protoplanetary disk structure, are still debated. We present JWST NIRSpec integral field unit observations of atomic and H2lines from 1 to 5.1μm toward the low-mass protostar TMC1A. For the first time, a collimated atomic jet is detected from TMC1A in the [Feii] line at 1.644μm along with corresponding extended H22.12μm emission. Toward the protostar, we detected spectrally broad Hiand Heiemissions with velocities up to 300 km s−1that can be explained by a combination of protostellar accretion and a wide-angle wind. The 2μm continuum dust emission, Hi, Hei, and Oiall show emission from the illuminated outflow cavity wall and scattered line emission. These observations demonstrate the potential of JWST to characterize and reveal new information about the hot inner regions of nearby protostars; in this case, a previously undetected atomic wind and ionized jet in a well-known outflow.more » « less
-
Context. Protostellar outflows exhibit large variations in their structure depending on the observed gas emission. To understand the origin of the observed variations, it is important to analyze the differences in the observed morphology and kinematics of the different tracers. TheJames WebbSpace Telescope (JWST) allows us to study the physical structure of the protostellar outflow through well-known near-infrared shock tracers in a manner unrivaled by other existing ground-based and space-based telescopes at these wavelengths. Aims. This study analyzes the atomic jet and molecular outflow in the Class I protostar, TMC1A, utilizing spatially resolved [Fe II] and H2lines to characterize the morphology and to identify previously undetected spatial features, and compare them to existing observations of TMC1A and its outflows observed at other wavelengths. Methods. We identified a large number of [Fe II] and H2lines within the G140H, G235H, and G395H gratings of the NIRSpec IFU observations. We analyzed their morphology and position-velocity (PV) diagrams. From the observed [Fe II] line ratios, the extinction toward the jet is estimated. Results. We detected the bipolar Fe jet by revealing, for the first time, the presence of a redshifted atomic jet. Similarly, the red-shifted component of the H2slower wide-angle outflow was observed. The [Fe II] and H2redhifted emission both exhibit significantly lower flux densities compared to their blueshifted counterparts. Additionally, we report the detection of a collimated high-velocity (~100 km s−1), blueshifted H2outflow, suggesting the presence of a molecular jet in addition to the well-known wider angle low-velocity structure. The [Fe II] and H2jets show multiple intensity peaks along the jet axis, which may be associated with ongoing or recent outburst events. In addition to the variation in their intensities, the H2wide-angle outflow exhibits a ring-like structure. The blueshifted H2outflow also shows a left-right brightness asymmetry likely due to interactions with the surrounding ambient medium and molecular outflows. Using the [Fe II] line ratios, the extinction along the atomic jet is estimated to be betweenAV= 10–30 on the blueshifted side, with a trend of decreasing extinction with distance from the protostar. A similarAVis found for the redshifted side, supporting the argument for an intrinsic red-blue outflow lobe asymmetry rather than environmental effects such as extinction. This intrinsic difference revealed by the unprecedented sensitivity of JWST, suggests that younger outflows already exhibit the red-blue side asymmetry more commonly observed toward jets associated with Class II disks.more » « less
