Integral-Field Spectroscopy of Fast Outflows in Dwarf Galaxies with AGN

TL;DR

This study uses integral-field spectroscopy to analyze fast outflows in dwarf galaxies with AGN, revealing that these outflows are energetic, spatially extended, primarily photoionized by the AGN, and can impact the circumgalactic medium.

Contribution

First detailed integral-field spectroscopic analysis of AGN-driven outflows in dwarf galaxies, demonstrating their properties and potential influence on galaxy evolution.

Findings

Outflows detected in 7 of 8 dwarf galaxies with AGN.

Outflows reach median velocities of ~240 km/s and line widths up to ~1200 km/s.

Outflows are mainly photoionized by AGN and can escape to enrich the circumgalactic medium.

Abstract

Feedback likely plays a vital role in the formation of dwarf galaxies. While stellar processes have long been considered the main source of feedback, recent studies have revealed tantalizing signs of AGN feedback in dwarf galaxies. In this paper, we report the results from an integral-field spectroscopic study of a sample of eight dwarf galaxies with known AGN and suspected outflows. Outflows are detected in seven of them. The outflows are fast, with 50-percentile (median) velocity of up to $\sim$240 km s$^{-1}$ and 80-percentile line width reaching $\sim$1200 km s$^{-1}$, in clear contrast with the more quiescent kinematics of the host gas and stellar components. The outflows are generally spatially extended on a scale of several hundred pc to a few kpc, although our data do not clearly resolve the outflows in three targets. The outflows appear to be primarily photoionized by the AGN rather than shocks or young, massive stars. The kinematics and energetics of these outflows suggest that they are primarily driven by the AGN, although the star formation activity in these objects may also contribute to the energy input. A small but non-negligible portion of the outflowing material likely escapes the main body of the host galaxy and contributes to the enrichment of the circumgalactic medium. Overall, the impact of these outflows on their host galaxies is similar to those taking place in the more luminous AGN in the low-redshift universe.