Cold Gas and Star Formation in the Phoenix Cluster with JWST

TL;DR

This study uses JWST observations to map molecular gas, dust, and star formation in the Phoenix Cluster's brightest galaxy, revealing insights into gas properties, star formation rates, and the impact of the intracluster medium.

Contribution

First detailed JWST-based analysis of molecular gas, dust, and star formation in a galaxy cluster's core, providing updated measurements and insights into feedback processes.

Findings

Molecular gas mass estimated at 1.9 x 10^{10} M_sun, consistent with CO measurements.

Star formation rates of 1340 and 740 M_sun/yr over 10 and 100 Myr, respectively.

PAH flux-based star formation estimates are significantly lower than other methods, indicating PAH destruction.

Abstract

We present integral field unit observations of the Phoenix Cluster with the JWST Mid-infrared Instrument's Medium Resolution Spectrometer (MIRI/MRS). We focus this study on the molecular gas, dust, and star formation in the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG). We use precise spectral modeling to produce maps of the silicate dust, molecular gas, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the inner $\sim$50 kpc of the cluster. We measure the optical depth from silicates by comparing the observed H$_2$ line ratios to those predicted by excitation models. We provide updated measurements of the total molecular gas mass of $1.9^{+0.5}_{-0.4} \times 10^{10}$ $M_{\odot}$ which agrees with CO-based estimates, providing an estimate of the CO-to-H$_2$ conversion factor of $\alpha_{\rm CO} = 0.8 \pm 0.2\,M_{\odot}\,{\rm pc}^{-2}\,({\rm K}\,{\rm km}\,{\rm s}^{-1})^{-1}$; an updated stellar mass of $M_* = 2.6 \pm 0.5 \times 10^{10}$ $M_\odot$; and star formation rates averaged over 10 and 100 Myr of $\langle{\rm SFR}\rangle_{\rm 10} = 1340 \pm 100$ $M_\odot\,{\rm yr}^{-1}$, and $\langle{\rm SFR}\rangle_{\rm 100} = 740 \pm 80$ $M_\odot\,{\rm yr}^{-1}$, respectively. The H$_2$ emission seems to be powered predominantly by shocks and star formation within the central $\sim 20$ kpc, induced by stellar feedback and radio jets from the active galactic nucleus. Additionally, we find nearly an order of magnitude drop in the star formation rates estimated by PAH fluxes in cool core BCGs compared to field galaxies, suggesting that hot particles from the intracluster medium are destroying PAH grains even in the centralmost 10s of kpc.