| 1. |
- Cicone, C., et al.
(författare)
-
Massive molecular outflows and evidence for AGN feedback from CO observations
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 562, s. 25-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We study the properties of massive, galactic-scale outflows of molecular gas and investigate their impact on galaxy evolution. We present new IRAMPdBI CO(1-0) observations of local ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) and quasar-hosts: a clear signature of massive and energetic molecular outflows, extending on kpc scales, is found in the CO(1-0) kinematics of four out of seven sources, with measured outflow rates of several 100M(circle dot)yr(-1). We combine these new observations with data from the literature, and explore the nature and origin of massive molecular outflows within an extended sample of 19 local galaxies. We find that starburst-dominated galaxies have an outflow rate comparable to their star formation rate (SFR), or even higher by a factor of similar to 2-4, implying that starbursts can indeed be effective in removing cold gas from galaxies. Nevertheless, our results suggest that the presence of an active galactic nucleus (AGN) can boost the outflow rate by a large factor, which is found to increase with the L-AGN/L-bol ratio. The gas depletion time scales due to molecular outflows are anti-correlated with the presence and luminosity of an AGN in these galaxies, and range from a few hundred million years in starburst galaxies down to just a few million years in galaxies hosting powerful AGNs. In quasar hosts, the depletion time scales due to the outflow are much shorter than the depletion time scales due to star formation. We estimate the outflow kinetic power and find that, for galaxies hosting powerful AGNs, it corresponds to about 5% of the AGN luminosity, as expected by models of AGN feedback. Moreover, we find that momentum rates of about 20 L-AGN/c are common among the AGN-dominated sources in our sample. For "pure" starburst galaxies, our data tentatively support models in which outflows are mostly momentum-driven by the radiation pressure from young stars onto dusty clouds. Overall, our results indicate that, although starbursts are effective in powering massive molecular outflows, the presence of an AGN may strongly enhance such outflows, and therefore have a profound feedback effect on the evolution of galaxies by efficiently removing fuel for star formation, hence quenching star formation.
|
|
| 2. |
- Gonzalez-Alfonso, E., et al.
(författare)
-
The Mrk 231 molecular outflow as seen in OH
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 561, s. Article no. A27-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report on the Herschel/PACS observations of OH in Mrk 231, with detections in nine doublets observed within the PACS range, and present radiative-transfer models for the outflowing OH. Clear signatures of outflowing gas are found in up to six OH doublets with different excitation requirements. At least two outflowing components are identified, one with OH radiatively excited, and the other with low excitation, presumably spatially extended and roughly spherical. Particularly prominent, the blue wing of the absorption detected in the in-ladder (2)Pi(3/2) J = 9/2-7/2 OH doublet at 65 mu m, with E-lower = 290 K, indicates that the excited outflowing gas is generated in a compact and warm (circum) nuclear region. Because the excited, outflowing OH gas in Mrk 231 is associated with the warm, far-infrared continuum source, it is most likely more compact (diameter of similar to 200-300 pc) than that probed by CO and HCN. Nevertheless, its mass-outflow rate per unit of solid angle as inferred from OH is similar to that previously derived from CO, greater than or similar to 70 x (2.5 x 10(-6)/X-OH) M-circle dot yr(-1) sr(-1), where X-OH is the OH abundance relative to H nuclei. In spherical symmetry, this would correspond to greater than or similar to 850 x (2.5 x 10(-6)/X-OH) M-circle dot yr(-1), though significant collimation is inferred from the line profiles. The momentum flux of the excited component attains similar to 15 L-AGN/c, with an OH column density of (1.5-3) x 10(17) cm(-2) and a mechanical luminosity of similar to 10(11) L-circle dot. In addition, the detection of very excited, radiatively pumped OH peaking at central velocities indicates the presence of a nuclear reservoir of gas rich in OH, plausibly the 130 pc scale circumnuclear torus previously detected in OH megamaser emission, that may be feeding the outflow. An exceptional (OH)-O-18 enhancement, with OH/(OH)-O-18 less than or similar to 30 at both central and blueshifted velocities, is most likely the result of interstellar-medium processing by recent starburst and supernova activity within the circumnuclear torus or thick disk.
|
|
