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Extreme Neutral Outflow in a non-AGN Quiescent Galaxy at z~1.3

2025/04/20 by Sun, Yang, Ji, Zhiyuan, Rieke, George H. +8 · 1 citation
#Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA) #FOS: Physical sciences

paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2504.14682

Abstract

We report the discovery of a substantial sodium doublet (Na D λλ5890, 5896Å)-traced neutral outflow in the quiescent galaxy JADES-GS-206183 at z=1.317. Its JWST/NIRSpec-MSA spectrum shows a deep, blueshifted Na D absorption, revealing a neutral outflow with v\rm out=828+79-49 \mathrmkm s-1 and a mass outflow rate of log(M\rm out/\mathrmM\odot yr-1)=2.40+0.11-0.16. This outflow rate exceeds that of any neutral outflows identified beyond z∼1 by the same line and is comparable with those in local galaxies with intensive star formation or luminous AGN. JADES-GS-206183 is also a peculiar quiescent galaxy with a spiral+bar morphology, high dust attenuation (AV=2.27±0.23 mag). Paschen α (Paα) emission from the FRESCO NIRCam grism confirms its low star formation rate (\mathrmSFRPaα=10.78± 0.55 \mathrmM\odot yr-1), placing it 0.5 dex below the main-sequence (log(\mathrmsSFR/yr-1)=-10.2). Despite the systematics introduced by different star formation history (SFH) priors, the SED modeling, combining HST-to-NIRCam photometry with the VLT/MUSE spectrum, suggests that JADES-GS-206183 experienced an older episode of star formation 0.5-2 Gyr ago and a possible rejuvenation within recent ∼10 Myr. Moreover, rest-frame optical lines indicate that the current AGN activity of JADES-GS-206183, if present, is also weak. Even though we tentatively detect a broad component of the Hα line, it likely traces an ionized outflow rather than an AGN. The results demonstrate that the Na D outflow in JADES-GS-206183 is highly unlikely to be driven by current star formation or nuclear activity. Instead, it may represent a long-lasting fossil outflow from past AGN activity, potentially co-triggered with the early phase of rejuvenation.

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