Cold Gas Infall onto A Brightest Group Galaxy via A Gas-Rich Minor Merger

TL;DR

This study provides the first direct observational evidence that a gas-rich minor merger can transport cold gas onto a brightest group galaxy, influencing its evolution and cold gas content.

Contribution

It presents the first unambiguous case of cold gas transportation via a gas-rich minor merger onto a BGG, combining JWST imaging and cosmological simulations.

Findings

Direct evidence of cold gas transfer from a satellite to a BGG

Identification of a heavily obscured, low-mass satellite involved in the merger

Simulation results showing such mergers occur during first infall in eccentric orbits

Abstract

Dust and cold gas are not uncommon in nearby early-type galaxies (ETGs), and represent an important aspect of their evolution. However, their origin has been debated for decades. Potential sources include internal processes (e.g., mass loss from evolved stars), external mechanisms (e.g., minor mergers or cooling flows), or a combination of both. Gas-rich minor mergers have long been proposed as an important channel for cold gas fueling in both observations and simulations, but direct evidence of cold gas transportation via gas-rich minor mergers remains elusive, particularly in galaxy groups and clusters where environmental effects are prevalent. In this letter, we present the first unambiguous case of direct cold gas transportation onto a brightest group galaxy (BGG) at $z=0.25$, driven by an ongoing close-separation gas-rich minor merger with a mass ratio of $\sim1:56$. High-resolution JWST imaging reveals a heavily obscured, low-mass satellite that is barely visible at restframe optical wavelengths. Tidal stripping from this satellite deposits gas and dust onto the BGG, forming prominent $\sim$10 kpc dust lanes in situ. Cosmological simulations indicate that such interactions preferentially occur in gas-rich satellites undergoing their first infall in highly eccentric orbits. Our results highlight the pivotal role of gas-rich minor mergers in replenishing cold gas reservoirs and shaping the evolution of central ETGs in galaxy groups.