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Acceso Abierto
GATOS – XI. Excess dust heating in the narrow-line regions of nearby AGN revealed with JWST/MIRI
(Blackwell Publishing, 2026-01-26) Haidar, Houda; Rosario, David J.; García-Bernete, Ismael; Alonso-Herrero, Almudena; Audibert, Anelise; Campbell, Steph; Harrison, Chris; Costa, Tiago; Hermosa Muñoz, Laura; Combes, Françoise; Rigopoulou, Dimitra; Ricci, Claudio; Ramos Almeida, Cristina; Bellocchi, Enrica; Boorman, Peter; Bunker, Andrew; Davies, Richard; Delaney, Daniel; Díaz Santos, Tanio; Esposito, Federico; Fawcett, Victoria; Gandhi, Poshak; García-Burillo, Santiago; González-Martín, Omaira; Hicks, E.K.S.; Hönig, Sebastian F.; Labiano, Alvaro; Levenson, Nancy A.; Lopez-Rodriguez, Enrique; Packham, Chris; Pereira-Santaella, Miguel; Riffel, Rogemar A.; Rodríguez Ardila, Alberto; Schneider, John; Thomas Shimizu, Taro; Stalevski, Marko; Villar Martín, Montserrat; Ward, Martin; Zhang, Lulu; Leeds, Gillian; Donnan, Fergus; European Commission (EC); Comunidad de Madrid; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN); Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF); Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (FONDECYT); Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia; Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); European Research Council (ERC); UK Research and Innovation (UKRI); Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq); Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES); Foundation of Rio Grande do Sul State for Research Support (FAPERGS)
We present James Webb Space Telescope/Mid-Infrared Instrument imaging of eight nearby active galactic nuclei (AGN) from the GATOS (Galactic Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey) survey to investigate the physical conditions of extended dust in their narrow-line regions (NLRs). In four galaxies (ESO 428–G14, NGC 4388, NGC 3081, and NGC 5728), we detect spatially resolved dust structures extending ∼100–200 pc along the NLR. In these systems, we find a strong link between the morphology of the dust, the radio ejecta, and the coronal [Sivi] emission, implying that dust carries imprints of the processes shaping the NLR. Using spatially resolved spectral energy distributions, we show that dust in the NLR has systematically steeper slopes than star-forming clumps. This dust emits at temperatures in the range $150 \text{-} 220\, \rm K$, at a distance of ∼150 pc from the nucleus. Using simple models, we show that, even under optimistic assumptions of grain size and AGN luminosity, the excess mid-infrared emission cannot be explained by AGN illumination alone. We interpret this excess heating as in situ. We show that shocks with velocities v ∼ 200 - 400 km s in dense gas can close this gap, and in some cases even account for the total observed emission. This, combined with multiple lines of evidence for shocks in these regions, supports a scenario in which shocks not only coexist with dust but may be playing a key role in heating it. Our findings reveal shocks may be an important and previously overlooked driver of extended dust emission in the central hundreds of parsecs in AGN.
Acceso Abierto
Sibling sub-Neptunes around sibling M dwarfs: TOI-521 and TOI-912
(EDP Sciences, 2026-01-27) Lacedelli, G.; Pallé, E.; Luque, R.; Ikuta, Kai; Tabernero, H. M.; Zapatero Osorio, María Rosa; Almenara, J. M.; Pozuelos, F. J.; Jankowski, Dawid; Narita, N.; Fukui, A.; Nowak, G.; Hirano, T.; Ishikawa, Hiroyuki Tako; Kimura, Tadahiro; Hori, Y.; Collins, K. A.; Howell, Steve B.; Jiang, Chengzi; Murgas Alcaino, F.; Osborn, Hugh P., Hugh; Astudillo Defru, N.; Bonfils, Xavier; Charbonneau, D.; Fausnaugh, M. M.; Geraldía González, Samuel; Goździewski, Krzysztof; Guerra, P.; Hayashi, Yuya; Hodapp, K.; Horne, K.; Isogai, K.; Jafariyazani, M.; Kagetani, T.; Kawai, Y.; Kawauchi, K.; Krishnamurthy, V.; Kotani, T.; Kudo, T.; Kurokawa, Takashi; Kuzuhara, M.; Mori, M.; Nishikawa, Jun; Nugroho, Stevanus Kristianto; Omiya, M.; Schwarz, R. P.; Sefako, Ramotholo; Shporer, A.; Srdoc, G.; Teng, Huan-Yu; Watanabe, N.; Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España); National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); European Research Council (ERC); Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF); Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (FONDECYT)
Context. Sub-Neptunes are absent in the Solar System, yet they are the most common category of planets found in our Galaxy. This kind of planet challenges the internal structure models, prompts investigations into its formation and evolution, and pushes atmospheric characterisation studies to break the degeneracy in their inner composition. Aims. We report here the discovery and characterisation of new sub-Neptunes orbiting two similar M dwarfs, TOI-521 (Teff = 3544 ± 100 K, V = 14.7 mag) and TOI-912 (Teff = 3572 ± 100 K, V = 12.7 mag). Each star hosts a transiting planetary candidate identified by TESS and is part of the THIRSTEE follow-up programme, which aims to understand the sub-Neptune population through in-depth and precise characterisation studies on a population level. Methods. We analysed TESS light curves, ground-based photometry, and high-precision ESPRESSO, HARPS, and IRD radial velocities to confirm the planetary nature of both candidates, infer the precise orbital and physical parameters of the planets, and investigate the presence of additional planets in the systems. Results. The two stars host nearly identical planets in terms of mass and radius. TOI-521 hosts a transiting sub-Neptune in a 1.5-day orbit with radius and mass of Rb = 1.98 ± 0.14 R⊕ and Mb = 5.3 ± 1.0 M⊕, respectively. Moreover, we identified an additional candidate at 20.3 days, with a minimum mass of Mp sin i = 10.7−2.4+2.5 M⊕, currently not detected as transiting in our photometric dataset. Similarly, the planet orbiting TOI-912 is a 4.7-d sub-Neptune with Rb = 1.93 ± 0.13 R⊕ and Mb = 5.1 ± 0.5 M⊕. Interestingly, TOI-912 b likely possesses an unusually high eccentricity (e = 0.58 ± 0.02) and is probably undergoing strong tidal dissipation. If such eccentricity were confirmed, it would make TOI-912 b one of the most eccentric sub-Neptunes known to date. TOI-521 b and TOI-912 b have very similar densities (~4 g cm−3), and they lie in the degenerate region of the mass-radius diagram where different compositions are plausible, including a volatile-rich composition, or a rocky core surrounded by a H-He envelope. When compared to the other THIRSTEE M-dwarf targets, our sample supports the division of sub-Neptunes into two distinct populations divided by a density gap. Both planets are interesting targets for atmospheric follow-up in the context of understanding the temperature-atmospheric feature trend that starts to emerge thanks to JWST observations.
Acceso Abierto
Lithium and the evolution of intermediate-mass T Tauri and Herbig stars: Rotation, accretion, and planets
(EDP Sciences, 2026-05-19) Mendigutía, I.; Campbell-White, Justyn; Montesinos Comino, B.; Maldonado, J.; Fullana-García, Lucía; Mirouh, G. M.; Meeus, G.; Vioque, M.; Sicilia-Aguilar, Aurora; Zapatero Osorio, María Rosa; Villaver, E.; Kahar, Ruhee Siddiqa; European Research Council (ERC); Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); Junta de Andalucía
Context. Interior models predict that stellar envelopes change from convective to radiative during the pre-main-sequence (pre-MS) evolution of intermediate-mass stars. Although the amount of surface lithium (Li) is a direct probe of mixing in stellar interiors, analyses focused on this type of source are practically absent. Aims. We contribute to our understanding of the evolution of young intermediate-mass stars by providing a comprehensive analysis of their Li content. Methods. A sample of 71 intermediate-mass T Tauri (IMTT) and Herbig stars within the mass range 1.5–3.5 M⊙ was carefully selected for the analysis. Metallicities, rotational velocities, and accretion rates were obtained from spectra. The curves of growth for stars hotter than 8000 K were built to infer the Li abundances, which were interpreted considering standard models of stellar interiors and non-standard processes affecting Li depletion. Results. Li is generally less strongly depleted in intermediate-mass stars than in their lower-mass counterparts, as expected from standard evolution models. However, Li abundances significantly below the cosmic value are observed in 25–30% of intermediate-mass stars. It is also unexpected that the results show no significant difference between the 1.5–2.5 M⊙ and 2.5–3.5 M⊙ subsamples. Evidence is provided showing that disk-locking works in young intermediate-mass stars. This constitutes independent support for the hypothesis that magnetospheric accretion scenario operates in these sources. We found that disk-locking is effective for a timescale that is about twice shorter than for lower-mass stars, before magnetospheres reduce their sizes during the transition from the IMTT to the Herbig regime. This contraction of the magnetosphere can explain the increase in rotation by a factor of about 3 and in accretion by a factor of about 4 that is observed during this transition. We propose a complex scenario linking rotation, accretion, and the surface Li abundance. Finally, we tentatively suggest that the known relation between the presence of planets and Li depletion might also be present in intermediate-mass MS stars and might originate in the pre-MS. Conclusions. We provide the most complete Li analysis and database focused on IMTT and Herbig stars to date. However, we emphasize the need of additional observations and non-standard models such as those available for their lower-mass analogs.
Acceso Abierto
A transiting rocky super-Earth and a non-transiting sub-Neptune orbiting the M dwarf TOI-771
(EDP Sciences, 2025-06-20) Lacedelli, G.; Pallé, E.; Davis, Yasmin T.; Luque, R. ; Morello, G.; Tabernero, H. M.; Zapatero Osorio, María Rosa; Pozuelos, F. J.; Jankowski, Dawid; Nowak, G.; Murgas Alcaino, F.; Orell-Miquel, Jaume; Akana Murphy, Joseph M.; Barkaoui, K.; Charbonneau, D.; Dransfield, G.; Ducrot, E.; Geraldía González, Samuel; Irwin, J.; Jehin, E.; Osborne, H. L. M.; Pedersen, P. P.; Rackham, B. V. , P. P.; Scott, Madison Grace; Timmermans, M.; Triaud, A.; Van Eylen, V.; Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); European Research Council (ERC); European Commission (EC); Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC); Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (FNRS); National Science Foundation (NSF)
[Context] The origin and evolution of the sub-Neptune population is a highly debated topic in the exoplanet community. With the advent of JWST, atmospheric studies can now put unprecedented constraints on the internal composition of this population. In this context, the THIRSTEE project aims to investigate the population properties of sub-Neptunes with a comprehensive and demographic approach, providing a homogeneous sample of precisely characterised sub-Neptunes across stellar spectral types. [Aims] We present here the precise characterisation of the planetary system orbiting one of the THIRSTEE M-dwarf targets, TOI-771 (d = 25 pc, V = 14.9 mag), known to host one planet, TOI-771 b, which has been statistically validated using TESS observations. [Methods] We use TESS, SPECULOOS, TRAPPIST, and M-Earth photometry together with 31 high-precision ESPRESSO radial velocities to derive the orbital parameters and investigate the internal composition of TOI-771 b, as well as exploring the presence of additional companions in the system. [Results] We derived the precise mass and radius for TOI-771 b, a super-Earth with Rb = 1.36 ± 0.10 R⊕ and Mb = 2.47−0.31+0.32M⊕ orbiting every 2.3 days around its host star. Its composition is consistent with an Earth-like planet, and it adds up to the rocky population of subNeptunes lying below the density gap identified around M dwarfs. With a ∼ 13% precision in mass, a∼ 7% radius precision, and a warm equilibrium temperature of Teq =543K, TOI-771 b is a particularly interesting target for atmospheric characterisation with JWST, and it is indeed one of the targets under consideration for the Rocky World DDT programme. Additionally, we discover the presence of a second, non-transiting planet in the system, TOI-771 c, with a period of 7.61 days and a minimum mass of Mp sin i = 2.87−0.38+0.41M⊕. Even though the inclination is not directly constrained, the planet likely belongs to the temperate sub-Neptune population, with an equilibrium temperature of ∼ 365K.
Acceso Abierto
JADES Data Release 3: NIRSpec/Microshutter Assembly Spectroscopy for 4000 Galaxies in the GOODS Fields
(American Astronomical Society, 2025-02-14) D'Eugenio, Francesco; Cameron, Alex J.; Scholtz, Jan; Carniani, Stefano; Willott, Chris J.; Curtis-Lake, Emma; Bunker, Andrew J.; Parlanti, Eleonora; Maiolino, Roberto; Willmer, Christopher N. A.; Jakobsen, Peter; Robertson, Brant; Johnson, Benjamin D.; Tacchella, Sandro; Cargile, Phillip; Rawle, T. D.; Arribas, Santiago; Chevallard, Jacopo; Curti, Mirko; Egami, E.; Eisenstein, Daniel; Kumari, Nimisha; Looser, Tobias J.; Rieke, Marcia; Rodriguez Del Pino, Bruno; Saxena, Aayush; Übler, Hannah; Venturi, Giacomo; Witstok, Joris; Baker, William M.; Bhatawdekar, Rachana; Bonaventura, Nina; Boyett, Kristan; Charlot, Stephane; Danhaive, Angelica Lola; Hainline, Kevin N.; Hausen, Ryan; Helton, Jakob M.; Ji, Xihan; Ji, Zhiyuan; Jones, Gareth C.; Juodžbalis, Ignas; Maseda, Michael; Pérez-González, Pablo G.; Perna, Michele; Puskás, Dávid; Shivaei, Irene; Silcock, Maddie; Simmonds, Charlotte; Smit, Renske; Sun, Fengwu; Villanueva, Natalia C.; Williams, Christina C.; Zhu, Yongda; Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC); European Research Council (ERC); Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); Comunidad de Madrid; University of Arizona (UA); Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF); Australian Research Council (ARC)
We present the third data release of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES), providing both imaging and spectroscopy in the two GOODS fields. Spectroscopy consists of medium-depth and deep NIRSpec/microshutter assembly spectra of 4000 targets, covering the spectral range 0.6-5.3 μm and observed with both the low-dispersion prism (R = 30-300) and all three medium-resolution gratings (R = 500-1500). We describe the observations, data reduction, sample selection, and target allocation. We measured 2375 redshifts (2053 from multiple emission lines); our targets span the range from z = 0.5 up to z = 13, including 404 at z > 5. The data release includes 2D and 1D fully reduced spectra, with slit-loss corrections and background subtraction optimized for point sources. We also provide redshifts and signal-to-noise ratio > 5 emission-line flux catalogs for the prism and grating spectra, and concise guidelines on how to use these data products. Alongside spectroscopy, we are also publishing fully calibrated NIRCam imaging, which enables studying the JADES sample with the combined power of imaging and spectroscopy. Together, these data provide the largest statistical sample to date to characterize the properties of galaxy populations in the first billion years after the Big Bang.
Acceso Abierto
Upper limits on atmospheric abundances of KELT-11b and WASP-69b from a retrieval approach
(EDP Sciences, 2025-12-12) Lesjak, F.; Nortmann, L.; Cont, D. 1 Conti, D; Amado, P. J.; Azzaro, M.; Caballero, J. A.; Czesla, S.; Hatzes, Artie; Henning, T.; López Puertas, M.; Molaverdikhani, K.; Montes, D.; Orell-Miquel, Jaume; Pallé, E.; Peláez-Torres, A.; Quirrenbach, A.; Reiners, A.; Ribas, I.; Sánchez López, A.; Schweitzer, A.; Yan, F.; Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO); Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG); Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); European Research Council (ERC)
Context. WASP-69 b and KELT-11 b are two low-density hot Jupiters, which are expected to show strong atmospheric features in their transmission spectra. Such features offer valuable insights into the chemical composition, thermal structure, and cloud properties of exoplanet atmospheres. High-resolution spectroscopic observations can be used to study the line-forming regions in exoplanet atmospheres and potentially detect signals despite the presence of clouds. Aims. We aimed to detect various molecular species and constrain the chemical abundances and cloud deck pressures using high-resolution spectroscopy. Methods. We observed multiple transits of these planets with CARMENES and applied the cross-correlation method to detect atmospheric signatures. Further, we used an injection-recovery approach and retrievals to place constraints on the atmospheric properties. Results. We detected a tentative H2O signal for KELT-11 b but not for WASP-69 b, and searches for other molecules such as H2S and CH4 resulted in non-detections for both planets. By investigating the signal strength of injected synthetic models, we constrained which atmospheric abundances and cloud deck pressures are consistent with our cross-correlation results. In addition, we show that a retrieval-based approach leads to similar constraints of these parameters.
Acceso Abierto
Molecular gas stratification and disturbed kinematics in the Seyfert galaxy MCG-05-23-16 revealed by JWST and ALMA
(EDP Sciences, 2025-01-15) Esparza Arredondo, D. S.; Ramos Almeida, Cristina; Audibert, A.; Pereira Santaella, Miguel; García-Bernete, Ismael; García-Burillo, Santiago; Shimizu, T.; Davies, R.; Hermosa Muñoz, Laura; Alonso-Herrero, Almudena; Combes, Francoise; Speranza, G.; Zhang, Lulu; Campbell, Stephanie; Bellocchi, Enrica; Bunker, Andrew J.; Díaz Santos, T.; García Lorenzo, B.; González Martín, O.; Hicks, Erin K. S.; Labiano, Alvaro; Levenson, Nancy A.; Ricci, C.; Rosario, D.; Hönig, Sebastian; Packham, Christopher, C.; Stalevski, Marko; Fuller, L.; Izumi, T.; López Rodríguez, Enrique, E.; Rigopoulou, Dimitra; Rouan, D.; Ward, Martin; European Research Council (ERC); Comunidad de Madrid; Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España); Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (FONDECYT); Space Telescope Science Institute (US); Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation; Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo (Chile)
Understanding the processes that drive the morphology and kinematics of molecular gas in galaxies is crucial for comprehending star formation and, ultimately, galaxy evolution. Using data from the Galactic Activity, Torus and Outflow Survey (GATOS) obtained with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the archival data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), we study the behavior of the warm molecular gas at temperatures of hundreds of Kelvin and the cold molecular gas at tens of Kelvin in the galaxy MCG−05−23−16, which hosts an active galactic nucleus (AGN). Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images of this spheroidal galaxy, classified in the optical as S0, show a dust lane resembling a nuclear spiral and a surrounding ring. These features are also detected in CO(2−1) and H2, and their morphologies and kinematics are consistent with rotation plus local inward gas motions along the kinematic minor axis in the presence of a nuclear bar. The H2 transitions 0-0 S(3), 0-0 S(4), and 0-0 S(5), which trace warmer and more excited gas, show more disrupted kinematics than 0-0 S(1) and 0-0 S(2), including clumps of high velocity dispersion (of up to ∼160 km s−1), in regions devoid of CO(2−1). The kinematics of one of these clumps, located ∼350 pc westward of the nucleus, are consistent with outflowing gas, possibly driven by localized star formation traced by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission at 11.3 μm. Overall, we observe a stratification of the molecular gas, with the colder gas located in the nuclear spiral, ring, and connecting arms, and most of the warmer gas with a higher velocity dispersion filling the inter-arm space. The compact jet, approximately 200 pc in size, detected with Very Large Array (VLA) observations, does not appear to significantly affect the distribution and kinematics of the molecular gas, possibly due to its limited intersection with the molecular gas disk.
Acceso Abierto
A panchromatic view of N2CLS GOODS-N: The evolution of the dust cosmic density since z ∼ 7
(EDP Sciences, 2025-04-18) Berta, Stefano; Lagache, Guilaine; Beelen, Alexandre; Adam, Rémi; Ade, Peter; Ajeddig, H.; Amarantidis, Stergios; André, P.; Aussel, Hervé; Benoît, A.; Bethermin, M.; Bing, Longji; Bongiovanni, Angel; Bounmy, J.; Bourrion, Olivier; Calvo, M.; Catalano, A.; Cherouvrier, Damien; Ciesla, L.; De Petris, Marco; Désert, François-Xavier; Doyle, S.; Driessen, Eduard; Ejlali, Golshan; Elbaz, D.; Ferragamo, Antonio; Gómez, Alicia; Goupy, J.; Hanser, C.; Katsioli, Stavroula; Kéruzoré, F.; Kramer, Carsten; Ladjelate, B.; Leclercq, S.; Lestrade, Jean-Francois; Macias-Perez, Juan Francisco; Madden, Suzanne; Maury, A.; Mayet, Frederic; Messias, Hugo; Monfardini, Alessandro; Moyer-Anin, Alice; Muñoz Echeverría, Miren; Myserlis, Ioannis; Neri, Roberto; Paliwal, A.; Perotto, Laurence; Pisano, G.; Ponthieu, Nicolas; Revéret, V.; Rigby, Andrew J.; Ritacco, Alessia; Roussel, H.; Ruppin, F.; Sánchez-Portal, Miguel; Savorgnano, Sofia; Schuster, K.; Sievers, A.; Tucker, Carole; Xiao, Mengyuan; Zylka, R.; European Research Council (ERC); European Commission (EC)
To understand early star formation, it is essential to determine the dust mass budget of high-redshift galaxies. Sub-millimeter rest-frame emission, dominated by cold dust, is an unbiased tracer of dust mass. The New IRAM KID Arrays 2 (NIKA2) conducted a deep blank field survey at 1.2 and 2.0 mm in the GOODS-N field as part of the NIKA2 Cosmological Legacy Survey (N2CLS), detecting 65 sources with S/N ≥ 4.2. Thanks to a dedicated interferometric program with NOEMA and other high-angular resolution data, we identified the multi-wavelength counterparts of these sources and resolved them into 71 individual galaxies. We built detailed spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and assigned a redshift to 68 of them over the range 0.6 < z < 7.2. We fit these SEDs using modified blackbody and Draine & Li (2007, ApJ, 657, 810) models and the panchromatic approaches MAGPHYS, CIGALE, and SED3FIT, thus deriving their dust mass (Mdust), infrared luminosity (LIR), and stellar mass (M?). Eight galaxies require an active galactic nucleus torus component, and another six require an unextinguished young stellar population. A significant fraction of our galaxies are classified as starbursts based on their position on the M? versus star formation rate plane or their depletion timescales. We computed the dust mass function in three redshift bins (1.6 < z ≤ 2.4, 2.4 < z ≤ 4.2 and 4.2 < z ≤ 7.2) and determined the Schechter function that best describes it. The dust cosmic density, ρdust, increases by at least an order of magnitude from z ∼ 7 to z ∼ 1.5, as predicted by theoretical works. At lower redshifts, the evolution flattens. Nonetheless, significant differences exist between results obtained with different selections and methods. The superb GOODS-N data set enabled a systematic investigation into the dust properties of distant galaxies. N2CLS holds promise for combining these deep field findings with the wide COSMOS field into a self-consistent analysis of dust in galaxies both near and far.
Acceso Abierto
The PAH 3.4 micron feature as a tracer of shielding in the Orion Bar and NGC 6240
(Royal Astronomical Society, 2025-11-18) Thatte, Niranjan; Rigopoulou, Dimitra; Donnan, Fergus; García-Bernete, Ismael; Pereira Santaella, Miguel; Draine, B.; Veenema, Oscar; Kerkeni, Boutheïna; Alonso-Herrero, Almudena; Hermosa Muñoz, Laura; Speranza, G.; Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC); Comunidad de Madrid; University of Oxford; Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España)
We have carried out a detailed analysis of the 3.4 μm spectral feature arising from Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), using James Webb Space Telescope archival data. For the first time in an external galaxy (NGC 6240), we have identified two distinct spectral components of the PAH 3.4 μm feature: a shorter wavelength component at 3.395 μm, which we attribute to short aliphatic chains tightly attached to the aromatic rings of the PAH molecules; and a longer wavelength feature at 3.405 μm that arises from longer, more fragile, aliphatic chains that are weakly attached to the parent PAH molecule. These longer chains are more easily destroyed by far-ultraviolet photons (>5 eV) and PAH thermal emission only occurs where PAH molecules are shielded from more energetic photons by dense molecular gas. We see a very strong correlation in the morphology of the PAH 3.395 μm feature with the PAH 3.3 μm emission, the latter arising from robust aromatic PAH molecules. We also see an equally strong correlation between the PAH 3.405 μm morphology and the warm molecular gas, as traced by H2 vibrational lines. We show that the flux ratio PAH 3.395/PAH 3.405 < 0.3 corresponds strongly to regions where the PAH molecules are shielded by dense molecular gas, so that only modestly energetic UV photons penetrate to excite the PAHs. Our work shows that PAH 3.405 μm and PAH 3.395 μm emission features can provide robust diagnostics of the physical conditions of the interstellar medium in external galaxies, and can be used to quantify the energies of the photon field penetrating molecular clouds.
Acceso Abierto
Laboratory rotational spectroscopy and interstellar search for the protein precursor 4-oxobutanenitrile (HCOCH2CH2CN)
(Oxford University Press, 2026-02-01) Rivilla, Victor M.; Alonso, Elena Rita; Song, W.; Insausti Beiro, Aran; Maris, Assimo; Basterretxea, Francisco J.; Melandri, Sonia; Jimenez-Serra, Izaskun; Cocinero, Emilio J.; Università di Bologna; Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI); Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC); European Commission (EC); Gobierno Vasco
Understanding the presence and distribution of pre-biotic precursorsin the interstellar medium (ISM)is key to tracing the chemical origins of life. Among them, 4-oxobutanenitrile (HCOCH2CH2CN) has been identified in laboratory simulations as a plausible intermediate in the formation of glutamic acid, a proteinogenic amino acid. Here, we report its gas-phase rotational spectrum, measured using two complementary techniques: chirped-pulse Fourier transform microwave (CP-FTMW) spectroscopy (2– 18 GHz) and free-jet millimetre-wave (FJ−AMMW) absorption spectroscopy (59.6–80 GHz). Quantum chemical calculations revealed nine low-energy conformers, of which the TC conformer was assigned based on the measured spectra. The resulting spectroscopic parameters were used to search for the molecule in the ultradeep spectral survey of the G+0.693-0.027 molecular cloud, located in the Galactic Center. No signal attributable to 4−oxobutanenitrile was detected. A stringent upper limit to its column density was derived (N < 4 ×1012 cm−2), corresponding to a molecular abundance of <2.9 ×10−11 relative to H2. This upper limit lies well below the observed abundances of simpler structurally related species containing −HCO and −CN groups, underscoring the challenge of detecting increasingly complex pre-biotic molecules in the ISM and the need for future, more sensitive astronomical facilities.
Acceso Abierto
Physics of ULIRGs with MUSE and ALMA: The PUMA project III. Incidence and properties of ionised gas disks in ULIRGs, associated velocity dispersion, and its dependence on starburstiness
(EDP Sciences, 2022-06-23) Perna, Michele; Arribas, Santiago; Colina, L. ; Pereira Santaella, Miguel; Lamperti, Isabella; Di Teodoro, Enrico M.; Übler, Hannah; Costantin, Luca; Maiolino, Roberto; Cresci, Giovanni; Bellocchi, Enrica ; Catalán Torrecilla, Cristina; Cazzoli, Sara; Piqueras López, Javier; European Research Council (ERC); European Commission; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN); Comunidad de Madrid; Centros de Excelencia Severo Ochoa, INSTITUTO DE ASTROFISICA DE ANDALUCIA (IAA), SEV-2017-0709
Context. A classical scenario suggests that ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) transform colliding spiral galaxies into a spheroid-dominated early-type galaxy. Recent high-resolution simulations have instead shown that, under some circumstances, rotation disks can be preserved during the merging process or rapidly regrown after coalescence. Our goal is to analyse in detail the ionised gas kinematics in a sample of ULIRGs to infer the incidence of gas rotational dynamics in late-stage interacting galaxies and merger remnants. Aims. We analysed integral field spectrograph MUSE data of a sample of 20 nearby (z < 0.165) ULIRGs (with 29 individual nuclei) as part of the Physics of ULIRGs with MUSE and ALMA (PUMA) project. We used multi-Gaussian fitting techniques to identify gaseous disk motions and the 3D-Barolo tool to model them. Methods. We found that 27% (8 out of 29) individual nuclei are associated with kiloparsec-scale disk-like gas motions. The rest of the sample displays a plethora of gas kinematics, dominated by winds and merger-induced flows, which makes the detection of rotation signatures difficult. On the other hand, the incidence of stellar disk-like motions is ∼2 times larger than gaseous disks, as the former are probably less affected by winds and streams. The eight galaxies with a gaseous disk present relatively high intrinsic gas velocity dispersion (σ0 ∈ [30 − 85] km s−1), rotationally supported motions (with gas rotation velocity over velocity dispersion vrot/σ0 ∼ 1 − 8), and dynamical masses in the range (2 − 7)×1010 M⊙. By combining our results with those of local and high-z disk galaxies (up to z ∼ 2) from the literature, we found a significant correlation between σ0 and the offset from the main sequence (δMS), after correcting for their evolutionary trends. Results. Our results confirm the presence of kiloparsec-scale rotating disks in interacting galaxies and merger remnants in the PUMA sample, with an incidence going from 27% (gas) to ≲50% (stars). Their gas σ0 is up to a factor of ∼4 higher than in local normal main sequence galaxies, similar to high-z starbursts as presented in the literature; this suggests that interactions and mergers enhance the star formation rate while simultaneously increasing the velocity dispersion in the interstellar medium. © ESO 2022.
Acceso Abierto
Expanding the C3H6O2 isomeric interstellar inventory: Discovery of lactaldehyde and methoxyacetaldehyde in G+0.693-0.027
(EDP Sciences, 2026-02-23) Sanz-Novo, Miguel; Rivilla, Victor M.; Jimenez-Serra, Izaskun; Colzi, Laura; Zeng, Shaoshan; Megías, Andrés; San Andrés, David; López-Gallifa, Álvaro; Martínez-Henares, Antonio; Fried, Zachary; McGuire, Brett; Martin Ruiz, Sergio; Requena Torres, Miguel Angel; Tercero, Belén; de Vicente, Pablo; Kolesniková, Lucie; Alonso, Elena Rita; Cocinero, E. J.; Guillemin, Jean-Claude; Kleiner, I.; Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España); Comunidad de Madrid; Centre National D'Etudes Spatiales (CNES); Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC); Gobierno Vasco; Instituto Geográfico Español (IGN); European Commission (EC); Centro de Astrobiología del Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial y CSIC, MDM-2017-0737
Aims. The tentative detection of 3-hydroxypropanal (HO(CH2)2C(O)H) toward the Galactic center molecular cloud G+0.693-0.027 prompts a systematic survey in this source aimed at detecting all C3H6O2 isomers with available spectroscopy. Methods. We used an ultra-deep broadband spectral survey of G+0.693-0.027, carried out with the Yebes 40 m and IRAM 30 m telescopes, to conduct the astronomical search. Results. We report the first interstellar detection of lactaldehyde (CH3CH(OH)C(O)H) and methoxyacetaldehyde (CH3OCH2C(O)H), together with the second detections (i.e., confirmation) of methyl acetate (CH3C(O)OCH3) and hydroxyacetone (CH3C(O)CH2OH), and new detections in this source of both anti - and g auche - conformers of ethyl formate (CH3CH2OC(O)H; the latter being tentative). For these species, we derived a fractional abundance relative to H2 of ~(0.81, 0.24, 16, 1.6, 1.3, 1.4) × 10−10, respectively. In contrast, neither propionic acid, CH3CH2C(O)OH, nor glycidol, c-CH2OCHCH2OH (i.e., the most and the least stable species within the C3H6O2 family, respectively) were detected, and we provide upper limits on their fractional abundances of ≤1.5 × 10−10 and ≤3.7 × 10−11. Interestingly, all C3H6O2 isomers can be synthesized through radical-radical reactions on the surface of dust grains, ultimately tracing back to CO as the parent molecule. We suggest that formation of the detected isomers is mainly driven by successive hydrogenation of CO, producing CH3OH and CH3CH2OH as the primary parent species. Conversely, propionic acid is thought to originate from the oxygenation of CO via the HOCO intermediate, which help us rationalize its non-detection. Overall, our findings notably expand the known chemical inventory of the interstellar medium and provide direct observational evidence that increasingly complex chemistry involving O-bearing species occurs in space.
Acceso Abierto
Magnetic field morphology and evolution in the Central Molecular Zone and its effect on gas dynamics
(EDP Sciences, 2024-11-22) Tress, Robin; Sormani, Mattia Carlo; Girichidis, P.; Glover, Simon; Klessen, Ralf Stephan; Smith, Rowan; Sobacchi, E.; Armillotta, Lucia; Barnes, A. T.; Battersby, C.; Bogue, Kamran R. J.; Brucy, Noé; Colzi, Laura; Federrath, C.; García, Pablo; Ginsburg, A.; Göller, Junia Aletta Beatrix; Hatchfield, H. P.; Henkel, C.; Hennebelle, P.; Henshaw, J. D.; Hirschmann, M.; Hu, Y.; Kauffmann, J.; Kruijssen, J. M. D.; Lazarian, A.; Lipman, Dani R.; Longmore, S. N.; Morris, Mark; Nogueras Lara, Francisco; Petkova, Maya A.; Pillai, Thushara; Rivilla, Victor M.; Sánchez Monge, Álvaro; Soler, Juan Diego; Whitworth, David; Zhang, Qizhou; European Research Council (ERC); Royal Society; National Science Foundation (NSF); Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC); European Commission (EC); Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN); Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); Chinese Academy of Science (CAS); Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT); Unidad de Excelencia Científica María de Maeztu INSTITUTO DE CIENCIAS DEL ESPACIO, CEX2020-001058-M
The interstellar medium in the Milky Way’s Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) is known to be strongly magnetised, but its large-scale morphology and impact on the gas dynamics are not well understood. We explore the impact and properties of magnetic fields in the CMZ using three-dimensional non-self gravitating magnetohydrodynamical simulations of gas flow in an external Milky Way barred potential. We find that: (1) The magnetic field is conveniently decomposed into a regular time-averaged component and an irregular turbulent component. The regular component aligns well with the velocity vectors of the gas everywhere, including within the bar lanes. (2) The field geometry transitions from parallel to the Galactic plane near ɀ = 0 to poloidal away from the plane. (3) The magneto-rotational instability (MRI) causes an in-plane inflow of matter from the CMZ gas ring towards the central few parsecs of 0.01−0.1 M⊙ yr−1 that is absent in the unmagnetised simulations. However, the magnetic fields have no significant effect on the larger-scale bar-driven inflow that brings the gas from the Galactic disc into the CMZ. (4) A combination of bar inflow and MRI-driven turbulence can sustain a turbulent vertical velocity dispersion of σɀ = 5 km s−1 on scales of 20 pc in the CMZ ring. The MRI alone sustains a velocity dispersion of σɀ ≃ 3 km s−1. Both these numbers are lower than the observed velocity dispersion of gas in the CMZ, suggesting that other processes such as stellar feedback are necessary to explain the observations. (5) Dynamo action driven by differential rotation and the MRI amplifies the magnetic fields in the CMZ ring until they saturate at a value that scales with the average local density as B ≃ 102 (n/103 cm−3)0.33 µG. Finally, we discuss the implications of our results within the observational context in the CMZ.
Acceso Abierto
The Galaxy Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS) V. Unveiling PAH survival and resilience in the circumnuclear regions of AGNs with JWST
(EDP Sciences, 2024-09-09) García-Bernete, Ismael; Rigopoulou, Dimitra; Donnan, Fergus; Alonso-Herrero, Almudena; Pereira Santaella, Miguel; Shimizu, T. Taro; Davies, Richard; Roche, P. F.; García-Burillo, Santiago; Labiano, Alvaro; Hermosa Muñoz, Laura; Zhang, Lulu; Audibert, A.; Bellocchi, Enrica; Bunker, Andrew J.; Combes, Francoise; Delaney, D.; Esparza-Arredondo, D.; Gandhi, P.; González-Martín, O.; Hönig, Sebastian; Imanishi, Masatoshi; Hicks, Erin K. S.; Fuller, L.; Leist, Mason Tanner; Levenson, Nancy A.; López Rodríguez, Enrique; Packham, Christopher; Ramos Almeida, Cristina; Ricci, C.; Stalevski, Marko; Villar Martín, M.; Ward, M. J.; Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC); Comunidad de Madrid; European Commission (EC); European Space Agency (ESA); Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (FONDECYT); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN); National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI); Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
This study analyses JWST MIRI/MRS observations of the infrared (IR) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) bands in the nuclear (∼0.4″ at 11 μm; ∼75 pc) and circumnuclear regions (inner ∼kpc) of local active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from the Galactic Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS). We examine the PAH properties in the circumnuclear regions of AGNs and the projected direction of AGN-outflows and compare them to those in star-forming regions and the innermost regions of AGNs. This study employs 4.9–28.1 μm sub-arcsecond angular resolution data to investigate the properties of PAHs in three nearby sources (DL ∼ 30 − 40 Mpc). Our findings are aligned with previous JWST studies, demonstrating that the central regions of AGNs display a larger fraction of neutral PAH molecules (i.e. elevated 11.3/6.2 and 11.3/7.7 μm PAH ratios) in comparison to star-forming galaxies. We find that AGNs might affect not only the PAH population in the innermost region, but also in the extended regions up to ∼kpc scales. By comparing our observations to PAH diagnostic diagrams, we find that, in general, regions located in the projected direction of the AGN-outflow occupy similar positions on the PAH diagnostic diagrams as those of the innermost regions of AGNs. Star-forming regions that are not affected by the AGNs in these galaxies share the same part of the diagram as star-forming galaxies. We also examined the potential of the PAH-H2 diagram to disentangle AGN-versus-star-forming activity. Our results suggest that in Seyfert-like AGNs, the illumination and feedback from the AGN might affect the PAH population at nuclear and kpc scales, particularly with respect to the ionisation state of the PAH grains. However, PAH molecular sizes are rather similar. The carriers of the ionised PAH bands (6.2 and 7.7 μm) are less resilient than those of neutral PAH bands (11.3 μm), which might be particularly important for strongly AGN-host coupled systems. Therefore, caution must be applied when using PAH bands as star-formation rate indicators in these systems even at kpc scales, with the effects of the AGN being more important for ionised ones.
Acceso Abierto
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission in galaxies as seen with JWST
(Royal Astronomical Society, 2024-08-01) Rigopoulou, Dimitra; Donnan, Fergus; García-Bernete, Ismael; Pereira Santaella, Miguel; Alonso-Herrero, Almudena; Davies, R.; Hunt, L. K.; Roche, P. F.; Shimizu, T.; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN); Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
We present a systematic study of mid-infrared spectra of galaxies including star-forming galaxies and active galactic nuclei observed with JWST MIRI-MRS and NIRSpec-IFU. We focus on the relative variations of the 3.3, 6.2, 7.7, 11.3, 12.7, and 17 m polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) features within spatially resolved regions of galaxies including NGC 3256, NGC 7469, VV 114, II Zw96, and NGC 5728. Using theoretical PAH models and extending our earlier work, we introduce a new PAH diagnostic involving the 17 m PAH feature. To determine the drivers of PAH band variations in galaxies, we compare observed PAH spectral bands to predictions from theoretical PAH models. We consider extinction, dehydrogenation, and PAH size and charge as possible drivers of PAH band variations. We find a surprising uniformity in PAH size distribution among the spatially resolved regions of the galaxies studied here, with no evidence for preferential destruction of the smallest grains, contrary to earlier findings. Neither extinction nor dehydrogenation play a crucial role in setting the observed PAH bands. Instead, we find that PAH charge plays a significant role in PAH inter-band variations. We find a tight relation between PAH charge and the intensity of the radiation field as traced by the [Ne iii][Ne ii] maps. In agreement with recent JWST results, we find a predominance of neutral PAH molecules in the nuclei of active galaxies and their outflows. Ionized PAHs are the dominant population in star-forming galaxies. We discuss the implications of our findings for the use of PAHs as ISM tracers in high redshift galaxies.
Acceso Abierto
Synthesis and Spectroscopic Characterization of Interstellar Candidate Ethynyl Thiocyanate: HCCSCN
(IOP Publishing, 2024-11-14) Alonso, Elena Rita; Insausti, Aran; Kolesniková, Lucie; León, Iker; McGuire, Brett A.; Shingledecker, Christopher N.; Agúndez, Marcelino ; Cernicharo, José; Rivilla, Victor M.; Cabezas, Carlos ; Jimenez-Serra, Izaskun; Martín-Pintado, Jesús; Guillemin, Jean Claude; National Science Foundation (NSF); Junta de Castilla y León; European Commission (EC); El Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC); Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN)
This work aims to spectroscopically characterize and provide for the first time direct experimental frequencies of the ground vibrational state and two excited states of the simplest alkynyl thiocyanate (HCCSCN) for astrophysical use. Both microwave (8-16 GHz) and millimeter-wave regions (50-120 GHz) of the spectrum have been measured and analyzed in terms of Watson’s semirigid rotor Hamiltonian. A total of 314 transitions were assigned to the ground state of HCCSCN, and a first set of spectroscopic constants have been accurately determined. Spectral features of the molecule were then searched for in Sgr B2(N), NGC 6334I, G+0.693−0.027, and TMC-1 molecular clouds. Upper limits to the column density are provided.
Acceso Abierto
AGN feedback in the Local Universe: Multiphase outflow of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 5506
(EDP Sciences, 2024-06-01) Esposito, Federico; Alonso-Herrero, Almudena; García-Burillo, Santiago; Casasola, Viviana; Combes, Francoise; Dallacasa, Daniele; Davies, Richard; García-Bernete, Ismael; García-Lorenzo, Begoña; Hermosa Muñoz, Laura; Peralta de Arriba, L.; Pereira Santaella, Miguel; Pozzi, Francesca; Ramos Almeida, Cristina; Shimizu, Thomas Taro; Vallini, Livia; Bellocchi, Enrica ; González-Martín, Omaira; Hicks, Erin K. S.; Hönig, Sebastian; Labiano, Alvaro; Levenson, Nancy A.; Ricci, C.; Rosario, David J.; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN); Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM); Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC); Ministero dell\u2019Istruzione, dell\u2019Università e della Ricerca (MIUR); European Commission (EC); Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (FONDECYT); Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF); National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
We present new optical GTC/MEGARA seeing-limited (0.9″) integral-field observations of NGC 5506, together with ALMA observations of the CO(3 - 2) transition at a 0.2″ ( ~25 pc) resolution. NGC 5506 is a luminous (bolometric luminosity of ~1044 erg s-1) nearby (26 Mpc) Seyfert galaxy, part of the Galaxy Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey (GATOS). We modelled the CO(3 - 2) kinematics with 3DBAROLO, revealing a rotating and outflowing cold gas ring within the central 1.2 kpc. We derived an integrated cold molecular gas mass outflow rate for the ring of ~8 M⊙ yr-1. We fitted the optical emission lines with a maximum of two Gaussian components to separate rotation from non-circular motions. We detected high [OIII]λ5007 projected velocities (up to ~1000 km s-1) at the active galactic nucleus (AGN) position, decreasing with radius to an average ~330 km s-1 around ~350 pc. We also modelled the [OIII] gas kinematics with a non-parametric method, estimating the ionisation parameter and electron density in every spaxel, from which we derived an ionised mass outflow rate of 0.076 M⊙ yr-1 within the central 1.2 kpc. Regions of high CO(3 - 2) velocity dispersion, extending to projected distances of ~350 pc from the AGN, appear to be the result from the interaction of the AGN wind with molecular gas in the galaxy's disc. Additionally, we find the ionised outflow to spatially correlate with radio and soft X-ray emission in the central kiloparsec. We conclude that the effects of AGN feedback in NGC 5506 manifest as a large-scale ionised wind interacting with the molecular disc, resulting in outflows extending to radial distances of 610 pc.
Acceso Abierto
Reionization and the ISM/Stellar Origins with JWST and ALMA (RIOJA): The Core of the Highest-redshift Galaxy Overdensity at z = 7.88 Confirmed by NIRSpec/JWST
(American Astronomical Society, 2023-09-01) Hashimoto, T., T.; Álvarez-Márquez, J., J.; Fudamoto, Y.; Colina, L.; Inoue, A. K.; Nakazato, Y.; Ceverino, D.; Yoshida, N.; Costantin, Luca; Sugahara, Y.; Gómez Crespo, A.; Blanco-Prieto, C.; Mawatari, K.; Arribas, Santiago; Marques-Chaves, R.; González, E. M.; Bakx, T. J.L.C.; Hagimoto, M.; Hashigaya, T.; Matsuo, H.; Tamura, Y.; Usui, M.; Ren, Y. W.; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (KAKENHI); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN); Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture (MEXT); National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ); Comunidad de Madrid; The European Space Agency (ESA)
The protoclusters in the epoch of reionization, traced by galaxy overdensity regions, are ideal laboratories for studying the process of stellar assembly and cosmic reionization. We present the spectroscopic confirmation of the core of the most distant protocluster at z = 7.88, A2744-z7p9OD, with the James Webb Space Telescope NIRSpec integral field unit spectroscopy. The core region includes as many as four galaxies detected in [O iii] 4960 and 5008 Å in a small area of ∼3″ × 3″, corresponding to ∼11 × 11 kpc, after the lensing magnification correction. Three member galaxies are also tentatively detected in dust continuum in Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array Band 6, which is consistent with their red ultraviolet continuum slopes, β ∼ −1.3. The member galaxies have stellar masses in the range of log(M */M ⊙) ∼7.6-9.2 and star formation rates of ∼3-50 M ⊙ yr−1, showing a diversity in their properties. FirstLight cosmological simulations reproduce the physical properties of the member galaxies including the stellar mass, [O iii] luminosity, and dust-to-stellar mass ratio, and predict that the member galaxies are on the verge of merging in a few to several tens of Myr to become a large galaxy with M * ∼ 6 × 109 M ⊙. The presence of a multiple merger and evolved galaxies in the core region of A2744-z7p9OD indicates that environmental effects are already at work 650 Myr after the Big Bang.
Restringido
Accelerated quenching and chemical enhancement of massive galaxies in a z ≈ 4 gas-rich halo
(Nature Astronomy, 2025-07-21) Pérez-González, Pablo G.; D'Eugenio, Francesco; Rodriguez Del Pino, Bruno; Perna, Michele; Übler, Hannah; Maiolino, Roberto; Arribas, Santiago; Cresci, Giovanni; Lamperti, Isabella; Bunker, Andrew J.; Carniani, Stefano; Willott, Chris J.; Böker, Torsten; Parlanti, Eleonora; Scholtz, Jan; Venturi, Giacomo; Barro, Guillermo; Costantin, Luca; Martin-Navarro, Ignacio; Dunlop, James S.; Magee, Daniel; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN); Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España); European Commission; Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC); European Research Council (ERC); Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF); Fundación La Caixa
Stars in galaxies form when baryons radiatively cool down and fall into gravitational wells whose mass is dominated by dark matter. Eventually, star formation quenches as gas is depleted and/or perturbed by feedback processes, no longer being able to collapse and condense. We report the first spatially resolved spectroscopic observations, using the JWST/NIRSpec IFU, of a massive, completely quiescent galaxy (Jekyll) and its neighborhood at $z=3.714$, when the Universe age was 10% of today's. Jekyll resides in a massive dark matter halo (with mass M$_\mathrm{DM}>10^{12}$ M$_\odot$) and forms a galaxy pair with Hyde, which shows very intense dust-enshrouded star formation (star formation rate $\sim300$ M$_\odot$yr$^{-1}$). We find large amounts of kinematically perturbed ionized and neutral gas in the circumgalactic medium around the pair. Despite this large gas reservoir, Jekyll, which formed $10^{11}$ M$_\odot$ in stars and chemically enriched early (first billion years of the Universe) and quickly (200-300 Myr), has remained quiescent for over 500 Myr. The properties of the gas found around the two galaxies are consistent with intense, AGN-induced photoionization, or intense shocks. However, with the current data no obscured or unobscured AGN is detected in the central galaxy (Jekyll) nor in the very active and dust rich star-forming galaxy (Hyde).
Acceso Abierto
A fast-rotator post-starburst galaxy quenched by supermassive black-hole feedback at z = 3
(Springer Nature, 2024-09-16) D’Eugenio, Francesco; Pérez-González, Pablo G.; Maiolino, Roberto; Scholtz, Jan; Perna, Michele; Circosta, Chiara; Übler, Hannah; Arribas, Santiago; Böker, Torsten; Bunker, Andrew J.; Carniani, Stefano; Charlot, Stephane; Chevallard, Jacopo; Cresci, Giovanni; Curtis-Lake, Emma; Jones, Gareth C.; Kumari, Nimisha; Lamperti, Isabella; Looser, Tobias J.; Parlanti, Eleonora; Rix, Hans Walter; Robertson, Brant; Rodriguez Del Pino, Bruno; Tacchella, Sandro; Venturi, Giacomo; Willott, Chris J.; European Research Council (ERC); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN); Comunidad De Madrid; Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España); Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF); Arizona State University (ASU); State University of Santa Cruz (UESC); National Science Foundation (NSF)
The most massive galaxies in the Universe stopped forming stars due to the time-integrated feedback from central supermassive black holes (SMBHs). However, the exact quenching mechanism is not yet understood, because local massive galaxies were quenched billions of years ago. Here we present JWST/NIRSpec integral-field spectroscopy observations of GS-10578, a massive, quiescent galaxy at redshift z = 3.064 ± 0.002. From its spectrum, we measure a stellar mass M⋆ = 1.6 ± 0.2 × 1011 M⊙ and a dynamical mass Mdyn = 2.0 ± 0.5 × 1011 M⊙. Half of its stellar mass formed at z = 3.7–4.6, and the system is now quiescent, with a current star-formation rate of less than 19 M⊙ yr−1. We detect ionized- and neutral-gas outflows traced by [O iii] emission and Na i absorption, with mass outflow rates 0.14–2.9 and 30–100 M⊙ yr−1, respectively. Outflow velocities reach vout ≈ 1,000 km s−1, comparable to the galaxy escape velocity. GS-10578 hosts an active galactic nucleus, evidence that these outflows are due to SMBH feedback. The neutral outflow rate is higher than the star-formation rate. Hence, this is direct evidence for ejective SMBH feedback, with a mass loading capable of interrupting star formation by rapidly removing its fuel. Stellar kinematics show ordered rotation, with spin parameter λRe=0.62±0.07, meaning GS-10578 is rotation-supported. This study presents direct evidence for ejective active galactic nucleus feedback in a massive, recently quenched galaxy, thus helping to clarify how SMBHs quench their hosts. The high value of λRe implies that quenching can occur without destroying the stellar disk.

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