First detection of an ultra-fast outflow (v≈0.07c) in a quiescent galaxy quenched ~9 Gyr ago, suggesting AGN winds can maintain quiescence independent of global star formation.
Testing the blast-wave AGN feedback scenario in MCG-03-58-007
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abstract
We report the first Atacama large millimeter/submillimeter array observations of MCG-03-58-007, a local ($z=0.03236\pm0.00002$, this work) AGN ($L_{AGN}\sim10^{45}~\rm erg~s^{-1}$), hosting a powerful X-ray ultra-fast ($v=0.1c$) outflow (UFO). The CO(1-0) line emission is observed across $\sim18\,$kpc scales with a resolution of $\sim 1\,\rm kpc$. About 78\% of the CO(1-0) luminosity traces a galaxy-size rotating disk. However, after subtracting the emission due to such rotating disk, we detect with a S/N=20 a residual emission in the central $\sim 4\,$kpc. Such residuals may trace a low velocity ($v_{LOS}=170\,\rm km\,s^{-1}$) outflow. We compare the momentum rate and kinetic power of such putative molecular outflow with that of the X-ray UFO and find $\dot{P}_{out}/\dot{P}_{UFO}=0.3\pm0.2$ and $\dot{E}_{mol}/\dot{E}_{UFO}\sim4\cdot10^{-3}$. This result is at odds with the energy-conserving scenario suggested by the large momentum boosts measured in some other molecular outflows. An alternative interpretation of the residual CO emission would be a compact rotating structure, distinct from the main disk, which would be a factor of $\sim10-100$ more extended and massive than typical circumnuclear disks revealed in Seyferts. However, in both scenarios, our results rule out the hypothesis of a momentum-boosted molecular outflow in this AGN, despite the presence of a powerful X-ray UFO. [Abridged]
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First detection of ultra-fast outflows in a quiescent galaxy
First detection of an ultra-fast outflow (v≈0.07c) in a quiescent galaxy quenched ~9 Gyr ago, suggesting AGN winds can maintain quiescence independent of global star formation.