SDSS-IV MaNGA: A serendipitous observation of a potential gas accretion event

TL;DR

A serendipitous MaNGA survey observation reveals a large, asymmetric Hα complex extending beyond a starburst galaxy, likely representing a gas accretion event that influences galaxy evolution.

Contribution

This study presents the first detailed analysis of a large, asymmetric Hα complex outside a galaxy, suggesting it is a gas accretion event through recycled wind material.

Findings

The Hα complex extends about 6.3 kpc beyond the galaxy.

Gas metallicities and kinematics support a gas accretion scenario.

The event may regulate low-mass galaxy evolution.

Abstract

The nature of warm, ionized gas outside of galaxies may illuminate several key galaxy evolutionary processes. A serendipitous observation by the MaNGA survey has revealed a large, asymmetric H$\alpha$ complex with no optical counterpart that extends $\approx8"$ ($\approx6.3$ kpc) beyond the effective radius of a dusty, starbursting galaxy. This H$\alpha$ extension is approximately three times the effective radius of the host galaxy and displays a tail-like morphology. We analyze its gas-phase metallicities, gaseous kinematics, and emission-line ratios, and discuss whether this H$\alpha$ extension could be diffuse ionized gas, a gas accretion event, or something else. We find that this warm, ionized gas structure is most consistent with gas accretion through recycled wind material, which could be an important process that regulates the low-mass end of the galaxy stellar mass function.