A Multiwavelength Study of a Young, Z-shaped, FR I Radio Galaxy NGC 3801

TL;DR

This study investigates the multi-wavelength properties of the young, Z-shaped FR I radio galaxy NGC 3801, revealing a complex gas and dust structure likely resulting from a merger, with implications for jet dynamics and galaxy evolution.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the gas, dust, and kinematic structures of NGC 3801, suggesting a merger origin and detailed multi-wavelength analysis of a young, bent jet radio galaxy.

Findings

Detection of a 30 kpc rotating gas disk aligned with stellar rotation

Identification of a ~2 kpc dusty, star-forming nuclear ring

Evidence of jet-driven outflows and merger-related structures

Abstract

We present preliminary results from a multi-wavelength study of a merger candidate, NGC3801, hosting a young FR I radio galaxy, with a Z-shaped structure. Analysing archival data from the VLA, we find two HI emission blobs on either side of the host galaxy, suggesting a 30 kpc sized rotating gas disk aligned with stellar rotation, but rotating significantly faster than the stars. Broad, faint, blue-shifted absorption wing and an HI absorption clump associated with the shocked shell around the eastern lobe are also seen, possibly due to an jet-driven outflow. While 8.0 um dust and PAH emission, from Spitzer and near and far UV emission from GALEX is seen on a large scale in an S-shape, partially coinciding with the HI emission blobs, it reveals a ~2 kpc radius ring-like, dusty, starforming structure in the nuclear region, orthogonal to the radio jet axis. Its similarities with Kinematically Decoupled Core galaxies and other evidences have been argued for a merger origin of this young, bent jet radio galaxy.