Observational Signatures of Galactic Winds Powered by Active Galactic Nuclei

TL;DR

This paper predicts observable signatures of galaxy-scale outflows driven by active galactic nuclei, focusing on X-ray and radio emissions as indicators of AGN-ISM interactions and wind energetics.

Contribution

It provides theoretical predictions for X-ray and radio signatures of AGN-driven galactic winds, offering observational tests for AGN feedback models.

Findings

Extended 1-10 keV X-ray emission of 10^(41-44) erg/s predicted

Radio luminosity in quasars comparable to star-forming galaxies

Radio emission from wind shocks explains correlations with narrow-line region kinematics

Abstract

We predict the observational signatures of galaxy scale outflows powered by active galactic nuclei (AGN). Most of the emission is produced by the forward shock driven into the ambient interstellar medium (ISM) rather than by the reverse shock. AGN powered galactic winds with energetics suggested by phenomenological feedback arguments should produce spatially extended 1-10 keV X-ray emission of 10^(41-44) erg/s, significantly in excess of the spatially extended X-ray emission associated with normal star forming galaxies. The presence of such emission is a direct test of whether AGN outflows significantly interact with the ISM of their host galaxy. We further show that even radio quiet quasars should have a radio luminosity comparable to or in excess of the far infrared-radio correlation of normal star forming galaxies. This radio emission directly constrains the total kinetic energy flux in AGN-powered galactic winds. Radio emission from AGN wind shocks can also explain the recently highlighted correlations between radio luminosity and the kinematics of AGN narrow-line regions in radio quiet quasars.