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arXiv · 2610.33176

Recently launched AGN-driven outflow in a lensed quiescent galaxy at Cosmic Noon

Letizia Bugiani·Andrew B. Newman·Sirio Belli·Cosimo Marconcini·Pietro Bergamini·Sai Gangula·Claudio Grillo·Andrea Bolamperti·Katherine E. Whitaker·Aliza Beverage·Richard S. Ellis·Amir H. Khoram·Allison Matthews·Marco Lombardi
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Abstract

We analyze JWST/NIRSpec IFU spectroscopy of MRG-M0150, a gravitationally lensed, massive quiescent galaxy at $z=2.6$ from the INQUEST-JWST survey. Thanks to the combination of lensing magnification with JWST's angular resolution, we are able to build spatially resolved maps of the ionized gas spatial distribution, kinematics, and ionization properties in this system. We detect ionized gas emission throughout the galaxy: the lack of residual star formation inferred from line-ratio diagnostic diagrams, together with the decoupling between the gas and stellar kinematics, suggest that the ionized gas is in a wind. We use the 3D gas kinematics modeling code \texttt{MOKA3D} to constrain the geometry and physical properties of the ionized gas wind. We find that the observations are consistent with a biconical wind driven by the low-luminosity AGN at the center of the galaxy, which is detected in X-rays. The wind reaches high velocities of $1000-1400$ km/s, implying that part of the gas may escape the halo. The ionized gas mass outflow rate, $(0.6 \pm 0.2)$~${\rm M}_{\odot}$~yr${}^{-1}$, is modest but exceeds the upper limit on the residual star formation rate, and it is likely that the wind is multiphase and carries more mass. We show that typical unresolved observations would not detect the wind, suggesting that the incidence of such outflows may be higher than previously recognized. Simple geometric arguments show that the observed outflow must have been launched $\approx 0.45$~Myr ago from the time of observation. This evidence suggests that low-level AGN activity is an important mechanism for maintaining quiescence in massive galaxies at cosmic noon, potentially over cosmological timescales.

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Letizia Bugiani, Andrew B. Newman, Sirio Belli, Cosimo Marconcini, Pietro Bergamini, Sai Gangula, Claudio Grillo, Andrea Bolamperti, Katherine E. Whitaker, Aliza Beverage, Richard S. Ellis, Amir H. Khoram, Allison Matthews, Marco Lombardi. 2026-10-23. Recently launched AGN-driven outflow in a lensed quiescent galaxy at Cosmic Noon. https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.33176

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