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arxiv: 2601.16977 · v3 · pith:D56K23DUnew · submitted 2026-01-23 · 🌌 astro-ph.GA

ReveaLLAGN 1: JWST Emission-Line Spectra Reveal Low-Luminosity AGN with UV-Deficient SEDs and Warm Molecular Gas

classification 🌌 astro-ph.GA
keywords emissionjwstllagnreveallagnemission-linelineslow-luminositymagnitude
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We present near- and mid-infrared spectra of eight Low-Luminosity Active Galactic Nuclei (LLAGN), spanning nearly four orders of magnitude in black hole mass and Eddington ratio, obtained with JWST/NIRSpec and MIRI as part of the ReveaLLAGN program along with identical archival data of Cen A. The high spatial resolution of JWST cleanly separates AGN emission from host-galaxy contamination, enabling detections of high-ionization potential lines more than an order of magnitude fainter than previously measured. Emission-line diagnostics reveal a transition at log($L_{bol}/L_{Edd}$) ~ -3.5, where the spectral energy distribution becomes increasingly deficient in ultraviolet photons. We find that rotational H$_2$ excitation temperatures are elevated (~500 K higher) compared to both higher-luminosity AGN and star-forming galaxies, while the H$_2$(0-0)S(3)/PAH$_{11.3 \mu m}$ ratios are consistent with those observed in the AGN population. We discuss the possible roles of outflows, jets, and X-ray dominated regions in shaping the interstellar medium surrounding LLAGN. Silicate emission at ~10 $\mu$m, localized to the nuclear region, is detected in most ReveaLLAGN targets. This dataset offers the first comprehensive JWST-based characterization of infrared emission lines in the nuclear regions of LLAGN.

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  1. Wild is the wind from low-luminosity AGN: a jet-driven gas bubble blowing out a massive CO-dark outflow in ESO 420-G13

    astro-ph.GA 2026-04 unverdicted novelty 6.0

    A low-luminosity AGN in ESO 420-G13 powers a jet-driven gas bubble and massive CO-dark molecular outflow with total kinetic power ~1.5e41 erg/s and ~3.8% coupling efficiency, expelling ~5% of the central molecular gas.