AGN feedback and chemical enrichment on galaxy scales

Villar Martín, M.; López Cobá, C. M.; Cazzoli, S.; Pérez Montero, E.; Cabrera Lavers, A.
Bibliographical reference

Highlights of Spanish Astrophysics XII

Advertised on:
5
2025
Number of authors
5
IAC number of authors
1
Citations
0
Refereed citations
0
Description
Giant (>100 kpc) nebulae associated with active galaxies provide rich information about the circumgalactic medium (CGM) around galaxies, its link with the interstellar medium (ISM) of the hosts and the mechanisms involved in their evolution. We have studied the giant nebula associated with the Teacup (z=0.085) obscured quasar based on VLT MUSE integral field spectroscopy to investigate whether the well known giant (∼10 kpc) active galactic nucleus (AGN) induced outflow has an impact on the distribution of heavy elements in and outside the host galaxy. We have mapped the oxygen and nitrogen gas relative abundances (O/H and N/O) in two spatial dimensions across the giant nebula and within the galaxy by means of comparing emission line ratios with photoionisation model predictions. We have found that the outflow responsible for the ∼10 kpc ionised bubble is enhancing the gas metal abundance up to ∼10 kpc from the AGN. O/H is solar or slightly higher in the bubble edges, in comparison with the subsolar abundances across the rest of the nebula median (O/H∼0.63 (O/H)⊙). We conclude that AGN feedback can produce metal enrichment at large extranuclear distances in galaxies (≥10 kpc).