Ca depletion and the presence of dust in large scale nebulosities in radiogalaxies (II)

We investigate here the origin of the gas observed in extended emission line regions surrounding AGNs. We use the technique of calcium depletion as a test to prove or disprove the existence of dust in such a gas in order to discriminate between two main theories: (1) a cooling process from a hotter X-ray emitting phase surrounding the galaxy, (2) merging or tidal interaction between two or more components. We have obtained long slit spectroscopy of a sample of objects representative of different galaxy types although our main interest focus on radio galaxies. The spectral range was set to always includethe [CaII]$\lambda\lambda$7291,7324 doublet. The faintness or absence of such lines is interpreted as due to the depletion of calcium onto the dust grains and, therefore, is a proof of the existence of dust mixed with the gas in the EELRs.