Journal article
Kiloparsec-scale AGN outflows and feedback in merger-free galaxies
- Abstract:
- Recent observations and simulations have challenged the long-held paradigm that mergers are the dominant mechanism driving the growth of both galaxies and supermassive black holes (SMBH), in favour of non-merger (secular) processes. In this pilot study of merger-free SMBH and galaxy growth, we use Keck Cosmic Web Imager spectral observations to examine four low-redshift (0.043 < z < 0.073) disc-dominated ‘bulgeless’ galaxies hosting luminous active galactic nucleus (AGN), assumed to be merger-free. We detect blueshifted broadened [O III] emission from outflows in all four sources, which the [OIII]/Hβ ratios reveal are ionized by the AGN. We calculate outflow rates in the range 0.12−0.7 M⊙ yr−1, with velocities of 675−1710 km s−1, large radial extents of 0.6−2.4 kpc, and SMBH accretion rates of 0.02−0.07 M⊙ yr−1. We find that the outflow rates, kinematics, and energy injection rates are typical of the wider population of low-redshift AGN, and have velocities exceeding the galaxy escape velocity by a factor of ∼30, suggesting that these outflows will have a substantial impact through AGN feedback. Therefore, if both merger-driven and non-merger-driven SMBH growth lead to co-evolution, this suggests that co-evolution is regulated by feedback in both scenarios. Simulations find that bars and spiral arms can drive inflows to galactic centers at rates an order of magnitude larger than the combined SMBH accretion and outflow rates of our four targets. This work therefore provides further evidence that non-merger processes are sufficient to fuel SMBH growth and AGN outflows in disc galaxies.
- Publication status:
- Published
- Peer review status:
- Peer reviewed
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- Files:
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(Preview, Accepted manuscript, 2.1MB, Terms of use)
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- Publisher copy:
- 10.1093/mnras/stab2340
Authors
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- Journal:
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society More from this journal
- Volume:
- 507
- Issue:
- 3
- Pages:
- 3985-3997
- Publication date:
- 2021-08-16
- Acceptance date:
- 2021-08-10
- DOI:
- EISSN:
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1365-2966
- ISSN:
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0035-8711
- Language:
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English
- Keywords:
- Pubs id:
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1210343
- Local pid:
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pubs:1210343
- Deposit date:
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2021-11-23
Terms of use
- Copyright holder:
- Smethurst et al.
- Copyright date:
- 2021
- Rights statement:
- © 2021 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society.
- Notes:
-
This is the accepted manuscript version of the article. The final version is available from Oxford University Press at https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab2340
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