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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Chris HarrisonORCiD, Dr David RosarioORCiD
This is the final published version of an article that has been published in its final definitive form by Oxford University Press, 2021.
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© 2021 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical SocietyWe present high-resolution (-2.4 kpc) ALMA band 7 observations (rest-frame λ - 250 μm) of three powerful z - 2.5 quasars (Lbol = 1047.3–1047.5 erg s−1). These targets have previously been reported as showing evidence for suppressed star formation based on cavities in the narrow H α emission at the location of outflows traced with [O III] emission. Here, we combine the ALMA observations with a re-analysis of the VLT/SINFONI data to map the rest-frame far-infrared emission, H α emission, and [O III] emission. In all targets, we observe high velocity [O III] gas (i.e. W80 - 1000–2000 km s−1) across the whole galaxy. We do not identify any H α emission that is free from contamination from AGN-related processes; however, based on SED analyses, we show that the ALMA data contain a significant dust-obscured star formation component in two out of the three systems. This dust emission is found to be extended over ≈1.5–5.5 kpc in the nuclear regions, overlaps with the previously reported H α cavities and is co-spatial with the peak in surface brightness of the [O III] outflows. In summary, within the resolution and sensitivity limits of the data, we do not see any evidence for a instantaneous shut down of in situ star formation caused directly by the outflows. However, similar to the conclusions of previous studies and based on our measured star formation rates, we do not rule out that the global host galaxy star formation could be suppressed on longer time-scales by the cumulative effect of quasar episodes during the growth of these massive black holes.
Author(s): Scholtz J, Harrison CM, Rosario DJ, Alexander DM, Knudsen KK, Stanley F, Chen C-C, Kakkad D, Mainieri V, Mullaney J
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Year: 2021
Volume: 505
Issue: 4
Pages: 5469-5487
Online publication date: 09/06/2021
Acceptance date: 26/05/2021
Date deposited: 14/08/2024
ISSN (print): 0035-8711
ISSN (electronic): 1365-2966
Publisher: Oxford University Press
URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab1631
DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stab1631
Data Access Statement: The raw IFU and ALMA data are available at VLT/SINFONI and ALMA archive services. The reduced data and main analyses code underlying this article are available on github here.
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