# A Unique View of AGN-Driven Molecular Outflows: The Discovery of a Massive Galaxy Counterpart to a $z=2.4$ High-Metallicity Damped Lyman-$\alpha$ Absorber

## TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of a massive galaxy at z=2.4 associated with a high-metallicity DLA, showing evidence of AGN activity and outflows, providing insights into AGN feedback in the early universe.

## Contribution

It presents the first identification of a galaxy counterpart to a high-metallicity DLA at high redshift with evidence of AGN-driven outflows, highlighting AGN feedback effects.

## Key findings

- Galaxy J1439B has a mass of ~5.4×10^{10} M_sun and exhibits AGN activity.
- The sub-DLA shows high metallicity and broad velocity spread, indicating energetic outflows.
- The galaxy's star formation rate is significantly lower than typical for its mass and redshift.

## Abstract

We report the discovery of a massive $\log(M/M_\odot)=10.74^{+0.18}_{-0.16}$ galaxy at the same redshift as a carbon-monoxide-bearing sub-damped Lyman $\alpha$ absorber (sub-DLA) seen in the spectrum of QSO J1439+1117. The galaxy, J1439B, is located 4\farcs7 from the QSO sightline, a projected distance of 38 physical kpc at $z=2.4189$, and exhibits broad optical emission lines ($\sigma_{\rm{[O III]}}=303 \pm 12$~\kms) with ratios characteristic of excitation by an active galactic nucleus (AGN). The galaxy has a factor of $\sim$9 lower star formation than is typical of star-forming galaxies of the same mass and redshift. The nearby sub-DLA is highly enriched, suggesting its galactic counterpart must be massive if it follows the $z\sim2$ mass-metallicity relationship. Metallic absorption within the circumgalactic medium of the sub-DLA and J1439B is spread over a velocity range $\Delta v > 1000$ \kms, suggesting an energetic origin. We explore the possibility that a different galaxy could be responsible for the rare absorber, and conclude that it is unlikely based on imaging, integral-field spectroscopy, and high-$z$ massive galaxy pair statistics. We argue that the gas seen in absorption against the QSO was likely ejected from the galaxy J1439B and therefore provides a unique observational probe of AGN feedback in the distant universe.