Massive dusty multiphase outflow in local merger shows no sign of slowing on kiloparsec scales

TL;DR

This study uses multi-phase gas observations to characterize a massive, star-formation-driven outflow in a local galaxy merger, which shows no signs of deceleration over kiloparsec scales.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of a massive multiphase outflow in a local ULIRG, highlighting its morphology, kinematics, and driving mechanisms, with new insights into outflow acceleration at large scales.

Findings

Massive molecular outflow contains 40% of total molecular gas.

Outflow extends to 5 kpc with velocities around 170 km/s.

No signs of slowing down, indicating ongoing acceleration.

Abstract

We use ALMA CO(1-0) observations and VLT/MUSE rest-frame optical data of the ultraluminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) IRAS20100-4156 at $z=0.1297$ to characterize its powerful outflow in multiple phases using tracers of cold molecular, ionized, and neutral atomic gas and dust as well. Our analysis uses the correspondence with the stellar velocity field to split the complex emission line profiles of the CO(1-0) line into components in gravitational and non-gravitational motion. We find a massive ($8\times10^{9}\,M_\odot$) molecular outflow containing about 40% of the total molecular gas mass in the system. The outflow shows a bi-conical morphology centered on the brightest galaxy in the merger, oriented along its minor axis and extending to $\sim5\,\mathrm{kpc}$. This outflow has a characteristic velocity of $170\,\mathrm{km/s}$, an outflow mass rate of $700\,M_\odot/\mathrm{yr}$, a depletion time of $16\,\mathrm{Myr}$, and energetics consistent with star formation as a driver. The neutral atomic and ionized gas phases traced by NaI absorption and H$\alpha$ emission show counterparts to the blueshifted cold molecular outflow but are only 15% and 3% as massive. None of the three gas phases show any signs of slowing down over the extent at which we detected the outflow, suggesting an acceleration mechanism acting on the outflowing gas at kiloparsec scales. We also detect $3.5\times 10^7\,M_\odot$ of dust, traced by optical extinction in the MUSE data, in the blueshifted outflowing cold molecular gas. The ionization state of the non-outflowing gas is consistent with star formation, while the outflowing component shows shock-like ionization. We conclude that the multiphase outflow in IRAS20100-4156 originates in the southeast nucleus of the merger and is driven by the starburst activity there, with radiation pressure likely playing a significant role in its acceleration.