First results from the JWST Early Release Science Program Q3D: Turbulent times in the life of a $z \sim 3$ extremely red quasar revealed by NIRSpec IFU

TL;DR

This paper presents the first JWST NIRSpec IFU observations of a high-redshift, extremely red quasar revealing complex ionized gas structures, outflows, and dense environment interactions indicative of a forming galaxy cluster at z~3.

Contribution

First integral field spectroscopic observations of a z~3 red quasar with JWST, unveiling detailed gas morphology and environment suggesting early cluster formation.

Findings

Extended ionized gas detected in the host galaxy.

Evidence of complex morphology and kinematics.

Indications of a dense, merging galaxy environment.

Abstract

Extremely red quasars, with bolometric luminosities exceeding $10^{47}$ erg s$^{-1}$, are a fascinating high-redshift population that is absent in the local universe. They are the best candidates for supermassive black holes accreting at rates at or above the Eddington limit, and they are associated with the most rapid and powerful outflows of ionized gas known to date. They are also hosted by massive galaxies. Here we present the first integral field unit (IFU) observations of a high-redshift quasar obtained by the Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) on board the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which targeted SDSSJ165202.64+172852.3, an extremely red quasar at $z=2.94$. JWST observations reveal extended ionized gas - as traced by [OIII]$\lambda$5007\AA - in the host galaxy of the quasar, its outflow, and the circumgalactic medium. The complex morphology and kinematics imply that the quasar resides in a very dense environment with several interacting companion galaxies within projected distances of 10-15 kpc. The high density of the environment and the large velocities of the companion galaxies suggest that this system may represent the core of a forming cluster of galaxies. The system is a good candidate for a merger of two or more dark matter halos, each with a mass of a few $10^{13}$ M$_\odot$ and traces potentially one of the densest knots at $z\sim3$.