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C. Vignali

Publications and source records attributed to C. Vignali.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

The Multiphase CGM in the Epoch of Reionization: CII and CIV absorbers around [OIII] Emitters

We investigate the multiphase circumgalactic medium (CGM) during the Epoch of Reionization (EoR, $z>6$) by cross-correlating cool- CII and warm-ionized CIV absorption systems with star-forming [OIII] emitters. JWST/NIRCam wide-field slitless spectroscopy from the EIGER survey is combined with medium- and high-resolution optical/NIR spectra of six background quasars, including new VLT/X-Shooter observations of PSO J159-02. We analyze the relation between 16 CII and 14 CIV absorbers ($\log(N) > 13.0$) and 136 galaxies, within an impact parameter of R$_{\perp} \leq$ 1000 pkpc and a line-of-sight separation of $Δv \leq 500$ km/s. We detect a statistically significant excess of both ions around galaxies compared to a randomized background. We observe that the CIV covering fraction remains enhanced up to $\sim 1$ pMpc, whereas CII drops to the background level beyond $\sim 0.5$ pMpc, demonstrating that the warm-ionized phase is more spatially extended than cooler gas. Jointly, the 3D galaxy-absorber spatial clustering is significantly weaker than the galaxy-galaxy auto-correlation. This provides direct physical evidence that early carbon enrichment is not confined to the virial radius of massive star-forming systems; rather, a substantial fraction of these metals permeates the diffuse intergalactic medium (IGM) or is injected by a widespread population of faint, undetected dwarf galaxies. Finally, we note a rapid radial decline of the CIV covering fraction compared with lower redshift samples at $z<2$ and $z\sim3-4$ pointing out an evolving CGM ionization structure where early metals reside predominantly in lower ionization states. In conclusion, we determine a conservative lower limit for the observed carbon mass of $\rm M_{CII + CIV} \geq 2.8 \times 10^6 \, M_{\odot}$ within 300 pkpc.

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arXiv2026

LoTSS of dual AGN: enhanced detectability and prospects for a systematic search

Context: Dual active galactic nuclei (DAGN) - systems of two accreting supermassive black holes at kpc-scale separations - trace galaxy mergers and are the progenitors of gravitational-wave sources targeted by pulsar timing arrays and the upcoming Laser Interferometer Space Antenna. However, their radio properties remain poorly constrained, particularly at high redshift. Aims: We demonstrate the detectability of high-redshift DAGN at 144 MHz through sub-arcsec imaging of the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) and characterize their low-frequency radio properties. Methods: We cross-matched 92 spectroscopically confirmed DAGN (z > 0.3, projected separation r_p < 30 kpc) with the LoTSS DR2 catalog and reprocessed international LOFAR telescope (ILT) data for three systems (0.59 < z < 2.39), achieving ~0.3 arcsec resolution at 144 MHz. Multi-frequency analysis and brightness-temperature diagnostics were used to investigate the radio emission. Results: We obtained high-quality ILT images for all three systems. In one source at z = 1.49, both AGN are detected at >5 sigma, making it one of the highest-redshift and faintest radio-detected DAGN. Brightness temperatures confirm AGN-powered emission even in sub-mJy sources. In the other two systems only one AGN is detected; for one, the new data constrain the low-frequency spectrum of a compact steep-spectrum source, indicating that its morphology is driven by jet-ISM interaction rather than the companion galaxy. For the 92 objects sample, the LoTSS detection rate is ~24%, significantly higher than for matched single AGN (~9-10%), suggesting an enhanced detectability of DAGN in the LoTSS. Conclusions: Low-frequency sub-arcsec radio observations provide an efficient, dust-unbiased method to detect and characterize DAGN. This pilot study establishes a benchmark for the forthcoming all-sky ~0.3 arcsec iLoTSS survey and future SKA observations.

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arXiv2026

The WISSH quasars project XIII. A multi-epoch study of ultra-fast broad absorption line outflows at cosmic noon

Ultra-fast broad absorption line outflows (uBAL, ~0.1-0.2c) represent some of the most extreme manifestations of quasar-driven winds. We aim to investigate the variability of uBALs through their characterisation across different epochs and multiple ionic species. The main goal is to constrain their physical properties, locations, and kinetic powers to evaluate their potential impact on the respective quasar host galaxies. We performed a multi-epoch analysis of three hyper-luminous quasars from the WISSH sample, namely WISSH53, WISSH56, and WISSH71, at redshifts z=3.628, 4.101, and 3.567, respectively. New and archival spectra, spanning up to ~23 years of monitoring in the observed frame, were used in the analysis. We modeled absorption associated with the CIV transition with Gaussian components, accounting for covering factor variations. A conservative analysis of multi-ion profiles (PV, Lyalpha, NV, SiIV) was also performed, considering the same uBAL velocity as CIV. We derived ionic column density, as well as ionisation parameters, which allowed us to estimate lower and upper limits on distances and kinetic powers of the outflows. The CIV uBALs in the three sources exhibit velocities up to ~0.2c and show significant variability across epochs, likely driven by changes in ionisation state and/or transverse gas motion. The analysis of the multiple troughs highlights the dominant mechanisms causing variability and enables the derivation of robust lower and upper limits of the physical and energetic properties of the outflows. Outflow distances are constrained from the broad line region (BLR) radius (~1 pc) up to a few hundred parsecs, and kinetic powers of individual troughs reach up to ~25% of the quasar bolometric luminosity, in the most extreme cases. Our results demonstrate that extreme outflows such as the uBALs are able to inject sufficient kinetic energy to affect the host medium.

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arXiv2026

Exploring the AGN population in protoclusters: results from the TNG300 simulation and comparison with observations

In this work, we investigate the physical properties and cosmic evolution of galaxies and AGN in a sample of 280 protoclusters identified in the TNG300 simulation, selected to end up in $z = 0$ clusters with $M_{200, \rm c} > 10^{14} \, {\rm M_{\odot}}$. Our goal is to provide the first statistical view of AGN activity enhancement in a uniformly defined sample of overdense environments, and to identify the physical mechanisms driving it. We identify protoclusters as the progenitors of present-day galaxy clusters through merger-tree reconstruction and compare their galaxy and AGN populations with a control sample of field galaxies across the redshift range $0 \leq z \leq 6$. We investigate galaxy and SMBH demographics, AGN fractions, bolometric luminosity functions, and the SMBH accretion rate density, consistently applying homogeneous selection criteria in all environments. We find that TNG300 protoclusters host systematically more massive galaxies and SMBHs than the field by up to $1 \, {\rm dex}$ at all redshifts, with signatures of accelerated galaxy evolution already visible at $z \sim 3-4$. The AGN fraction increases with stellar mass in both environments and, at fixed host-galaxy stellar mass, is broadly consistent between protoclusters and field galaxies, indicating no strong environmental triggering of SMBH accretion. However, when analysed as a function of redshift, protoclusters exhibit a significant enhancement of AGN activity (by a factor $> 2$), particularly at high luminosities and early cosmic times. We show that this enhancement primarily arises from differences in the stellar-mass distributions of galaxies in overdense regions, where massive systems assemble earlier than in the field. Consistently, protoclusters dominate the bright end of the AGN bolometric luminosity function and contribute up to $\sim 50\%$ of the total SMBH accretion rate density at $z \sim 6$.

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arXiv2026

A new era for Dual AGN science with SHARP

The search for and the characterization of ultra-compact dual active galactic nuclei (AGN) are among the hottest topics of current extragalactic astrophysics. These systems involve two accreting massive black holes (MBHs) embedded within the same host galaxy, with relative projected separations from a few hundred pc down to a few pc. They are central to understanding hierarchical galaxy formation, black hole growth and demographics, and accretion-feedback coupling in the most extreme interaction phases. Even more compellingly, such tight pairs are the most direct precursors of gravitationally bound binary MBHs (sub-pc scale separation), which are among the loudest emitters of gravitational waves (GWs) in the low-frequency ranges. SHARP will deliver the first statistical census and physical characterization of ultra-compact dual AGN up to cosmic distances, finally bridging the observational gap between kpc-scale pairs and sub-pc GW-emitting binaries, and enabling a breakthrough understanding of MBH growth, feedback and co-evolution across cosmic time.

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arXiv2026

Dual AGN and Multiple SMBH Systems in the Era of SKAO

We present a radio-oriented review of current strategies for the detection and characterization of dual active galactic nuclei (DAGN) and supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs), emphasizing the crucial role of radio interferometry in advancing this field. We discuss how high-resolution radio imaging - particularly through very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) - provides a unique, dust-unbiased tool to identify multiple accreting SMBHs, disentangle AGN-related emission from star formation, and trace components from tens of kpc to sub-parsec scales. We summarize current observational limitations, such as insufficient sensitivity-resolution combination and area coverage. We then outline how the SKAO will overcome these constraints through its unprecedented combination of sensitivity, survey speed, imaging fidelity and angular resolution, enabling the discovery and characterization of dual and binary SMBHs from the nearby Universe to the epoch of reionization. Several science cases are presented, including radio follow-ups of optical/infrared-selected DAGN, direct blind radio selection of DAGN, studies of compact bound SMBHBs, and the link between SMBHB orbital evolution and low-frequency gravitational wave emission. We further emphasize the synergy between SKAO observations and modern and upcoming facilities such as the James Webb and Euclid space telescopes, Rubin Observatory, and gravitational wave detectors including the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna and pulsar timing arrays. These combined capabilities will allow SKAO to enable the first comprehensive radio census of dual and binary SMBH systems, bridge the gap between electromagnetic and gravitational wave observations, and provide a statistically significant view of SMBH pairing, accretion, and merger-driven feedback throughout cosmic history.

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arXiv2026

Fast, dust-poor outflows in the local candidate dual AGN MCG-03-34-64 observed with VLT/ERIS

We present VLT/ERIS IFU J-band observations of MCG-03-34-64, a nearby (z = 0.0167) Seyfert galaxy hosting a candidate dual AGN system with a separation of ~100 pc between the nuclei. The observations cover, among others, the HeI1.083um, [FeII]1.257um and Pa$β$ emission lines, over a FoV of 3"x3"(~1x1 kpc$^2$). We analyse the ionised gas kinematics and identify two regions with enhanced velocity dispersion (W80~1500 km/s), suggestive of fast outflowing gas, spatially coincident with the position of the two candidate active nuclei. The spectra of the two outflows show a prominent blueshifted wing with velocities vmax ~ -1700 km/s corresponding to the highest 2-5 percentiles of samples of local AGN with similar bolometric luminosities. For the ionised phase of the two outflows, we derive comparable masses of $(4\pm1)\times 10^5$ $M_{\odot}$ and mass outflow rates of $20\pm5$ $M_{\odot}$/yr. The two distinct outflows could be associated with the two nuclei, or be generated by the interaction of the radio jet with the ISM. We also analyse the peculiar profile of the [Fe VII]6087A optical coronal line from an archival VLT/X-shooter spectrum. The comparison with the [NeV]3425A and [FeII]1.257um profiles indicates that [Fe VII] emission likely arises only from the outflow. The absence of the systemic component in [Fe VII] - unlike in [NeV], which has similar ionisation potential and critical density - suggests suppression of [Fe VII] due to iron depletion onto dust grains, while its detection in the outflow implies a lower dust content than in the host ISM. The additional information gained from the ERIS data are consistent with the scenario of a dual AGN, however further observations are required to confirm its nature.

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arXiv2026

The WISSHFUL program: the highest redshift UFO discovered in a non-lensed QSO

We present the first results from the WISSHFUL program, an XMM-Newton heritage program targeting luminous QSOs at Cosmic Noon. We report on recent simultaneous XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observations of the Super-Eddington accreting quasar WISSH13 at z=3.294, which provide the highest quality broadband X-ray spectrum to date for a non-lensed QSO at this redshift. Physical modeling of the continuum reveals a soft photon index ($Γ\sim2$) and strong reflection ($R\sim1.4-1.8$), despite the weak narrow Fe emission, and a low high-energy cut-off ($E_{cut}\sim60-80$ keV, $kTe = 15-20$ keV, depending on the model adopted). Most notably, we detect two significant (at $96.7\%$ and $98.9\%$ confidence level, respectively) absorption features at $\sim7.5$ and $\sim10$ keV rest-frame, interpreted as a blueshifted blend of Fe XXV He$α$ and Fe XXVI Ly$α$. These features indicate the presence of two kinematic components of a highly ionized, high column Ultra-Fast Outflow (UFO) with a velocity of $v_{out}\sim0.1c$ and $v_{out}\sim0.3c$, respectively. The slower wind is consistently detected in an archival 2017 XMM-Newton observation, whereas the faster wind is detected only in 2024. This stratified and variable wind exhibits extreme energetics, with a mass outflow rate of $\dot{M}_{out}\sim20M_{\odot}/yr$ (corresponding to $15\% \dot{M}_{acc}$) for each component, and a kinetic power of the order of $\sim1$ and $\sim10\%$ of the bolometric luminosity, respectively. While this represents one of the most powerful UFOs ever detected, its kinetic power is a similar fraction of the QSO's bolometric luminosity compared to lower-redshift AGN. We present several theoretical frameworks to explain the peculiar accretion and ejection properties of this remarkable QSO at Cosmic Noon.

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arXiv2026

A XRISM view of the iron line complex in NGC 1068: Rethinking the prototypical Compton-thick AGN

We analyze a XRISM/Resolve observation of NGC1068, focusing on the Fe K$α$ and Fe K$β$ fluorescent lines and on the Fe XXV and Fe XXVI emission complexes. Line centroid energies, intrinsic widths, flux ratios, and constraints on the Compton shoulder are derived through local spectral fitting, and compared with atomic calculations and theoretical predictions. The centroid energies of the Fe K$α$ and Fe K$β$ lines tightly constrain the emitting material to be neutral or near-neutral. The observed Fe K$β$/K$α$ ratio, together with the stringent upper limit on the Compton shoulder ($\lesssim$8--11% of the core flux), disfavour reflection dominated by a homogeneous, classical Compton-thick medium, indicating that most of the neutral Fe K$α$ emission arises in optically thin or moderately Compton-thick gas. The Fe XXV and Fe XXVI emission lines exhibit remarkably large velocity widths, of several thousand km~s$^{-1}$. These broad profiles closely resemble the integrated optical and infrared [O III] and [O IV] lines associated with the large-scale biconical outflow, and are naturally interpreted as the X-ray signature of a more highly ionized, faster, and more spatially confined phase of the same outflow. The iron-K emission of NGC1068 reveals a stratified circumnuclear environment in which neutral and highly ionized components arise in physically distinct regions. The neutral Fe K fluorescence originates predominantly in optically thin or mildly Compton-thick material, despite the persistently Compton-thick line-of-sight obscuration, indicating a geometrically complex cold reprocessor. The highly ionized iron emission lines trace a fast component consistent with a warm bipolar outflow on parsec scales, whose large velocities and inferred energetics suggest that it may represent an efficient channel for feedback in a heavily obscured Seyfert galaxy.

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arXiv2026

Is XRISM/Resolve probing a "raining" absorber in Mrk 509?

X-ray spectroscopy of AGN offers unique insights into the reprocessing of radiationand gas dynamics near SMBH. The Sey 1 galaxy Mrk 509 is an ideal laboratory for these studies since its complex FeK$α$ in emission and the past evidences of transient and fast flows. We present the first high-resolution 2-12 keV spectrum of Mrk 509 obtained with the Resolve calorimeter on-board XRISM, complemented with XMM-Newton and NuSTAR observations to constrain the broadband continuum. We modeled the spectra using self-consistent reflection models for the continuum and emission lines, and photoionized plasma models for the absorption components. The XRISM/Resolve spectrum reveals a narrow FeK$α$ core resolved with $σ\sim 10 eV$ (v$_{FWHM} \sim$ 1100 km/s) and a broader component with $σ\sim 450 eV$. We also find tentative evidence (3.6$σ$) for a ionized absorber. The data suggest that this component is infalling with a velocity of $v_{in} \sim 11000$ km/s and that it is located within few thousands gravitational radii. The narrow FeK$α$ emission is consistent with an origin in the dusty torus, while the broad component arises from the inner BLR or in the accretion disk (R$\sim 30--120 r_g$). Relativistic reflection modeling indictaes the inner edge if the emitting disk to R$\geq 27 r_g$. If confirmed, the high velocity inflow would likely represent fragmented clumps of a "failed wind" raining onto the accretion disk. providing potential direct evidence that non-standard accretion processes coexist with canonical disk-like flows in the inner regions of AGNS.

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arXiv2026

Cosmic Duets I. High-spatial resolution spectroscopy of dual and lensed AGN with MUSE-NFM

We present the first-year results of the MUSE Large Program "Cosmic Duets", whose goal is to obtain adaptive-optics assisted MUSE observations with an angular resolution of 0.1"-0.2" in order to provide integral-field spectroscopy of sub-arcsec separation dual and lensed active galactic nucleus (AGN) candidates. These observations reveal previously unexplored properties of dual and lensed systems that are key to understanding galaxy evolution, supermassive black hole mergers, and strong-lensing modeling. Targets were efficiently selected using the Gaia multipeak (GMP) technique, which identifies pairs of point-like sources with separations below 0.8" in the Gaia catalog. MUSE spatially resolved spectroscopy provides accurate redshifts, ionization diagnostics, and identification of absorption systems along the line of sight. We report results for 30 GMP targets at z=0.5-3.5. All systems show at least 2 spatially resolved components. 19 objects are confirmed as AGN multiplets, including 6 dual AGN, 10 doubly lensed quasars, and 3 quadruply lensed systems, while the remaining 11 correspond to chance alignments with foreground stars. Among all the spectroscopically confirmed dual AGN in the literature, 27 pairs have projected separations below 7kpc in this redshift regime, and our sample accounts for 22% of the total. We studied dual and lensed AGN distributions as a function of redshift, magnitude, and projected separation while accounting for selection effects, and we find that bright systems are dominated by lensed quasars, whereas the relative fraction of dual AGN increases at fainter magnitudes. This first-year sample demonstrates the high efficiency of GMP selection combined with MUSE spectroscopy for identifying sub-arcsec dual and lensed AGN. The full program, targeting 150 systems, will enable statistical studies of dual AGN and constraints on mass distribution in lensing galaxies.

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arXiv2026

Higher resolution optical spectra of $M_*<10^{10}~M_{\odot}$ galaxies reveal outflow signatures unresolved by the SDSS

Galactic outflows are predicted to be ubiquitous in low-mass galaxies, but observational evidence is lacking. Both a low signal-to-noise and a low spectral resolution can severely hamper the detection of galactic outflows, especially in small galaxies that have intrinsically narrow spectral lines. We obtained new, medium-high resolution (FWHM$_\mathrm{inst}\sim50-110$~km/s) optical spectra of 52 local star forming galaxies ($0.01 < z < 0.03$) with stellar masses $10^{8.5} 10^{-0.74}~\mathrm{M_{\odot}/yr}$). We estimate ionized gas mass outflow rates ranging from $\sim0.1-50\times10^{-3}~\mathrm{M_{\odot}/yr}$ (mean $\sim20\times10^{-3}~\mathrm{M_{\odot}/yr}$) and corresponding mass loading factors between 0.03 and 0.14 (mean $\sim0.07$) for the sample.

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arXiv2026

Outflowing shocked gas dominates the NIR H$_2$ emission from the dual AGN NGC6240

[Abridged] We present a multi-line study of the kinematics of the molecular and ionised gas phases in the central 2 kpc of NGC6240, based on JWST/NIRSpec and ALMA observations. We devised a new spectral-line fitting approach to de-blend rotating and non-rotating gas components, which is better tailored to the extreme feedback mechanisms at work in NGC6240. We find that ~65% of the Pa$α$, H$_2$, and [FeII] line fluxes within the NIRSpec field of view arise from gas components that are kinematically decoupled from the stars. The NIR H$_2$ lines show the most deviation from the stars, with peak emission between the two rotating stellar structures. The PAH 3.3$μ$m feature does not follow the NIR H$_2$ morphology, indicating that the latter does not trace PDRs. In the non-rotating gas components, we identify a biconical wind launched from the northern AGN, expanding along the minor axis of stellar rotation. This wind is dominated by ionised gas and, although it entrains some H$_2$, it does not show a H$_2$/PAH enhancement, suggesting either high UV irradiation or expansion along a relatively gas-free path. Furthermore, we find bright non-rotating gas emission between the two AGN and around the southern AGN, which we interpret as due to an outflow launched from the southern nucleus, coinciding with the molecular outflow previously studied in cold (sub-)millimeter tracers. The strong H$_2$/PAH enhancement measured in this region, coextensive with high velocity redshifted gas ($v\sim900$ km s$^{-1}$), suggests that the shocks responsible for the high H$_2$/PAH ratios are due to the outflow rather than to the collision of media during the merger. Our results show that the bulk of the NIR line emission in NGC6240 is decoupled from the stars, and that most of the warm H$_2$ is shock-excited and embedded in a powerful outflow, where it coexists with colder molecular gas.

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arXiv2026

MIRACLE II: Unveiling the multi-phase gas interplay in the circumnuclear region of NGC 1365 via multi-cloud modeling

We present a multi-phase study of the gas in the circumnuclear region (~1.1x1.0 kpc^2) of the nearby Seyfert 1.8 galaxy NGC 1365, observed in the context of the Mid-IR Activity of Circumnuclear Line Emission (MIRACLE) program. We combined spatially resolved spectroscopic observations from JWST/MIRI, VLT/MUSE, and ALMA to investigate the ionized atomic gas and the warm and cold molecular phases. MIRI data revealed over 40 mid-IR emission lines from ionized and warm molecular gas. Moment maps show that both cold and warm molecular gas follow the rotation of the stellar disk along the circumnuclear ring. The ionized gas displays flux and kinematic patterns that depend on ionization potential (IP): low-IP species (<25 eV) trace the disk, while higher-IP lines (up to ~120 eV) trace outflowing material. The [O III]5700 and [Ne V]14 lines both trace the southeast nuclear outflow cone. Additionally, [Ne V]14 detects the northwest counter-cone, obscured in the optical and thus invisible in [O III]5700. Mid-IR diagnostics, unlike optical ones, clearly reveal the AGN as the primary ionization source in the nucleus. Emission from high-IP species is spatially coincident with the ionization cones and not with star-forming regions. Using the [Ne V]24/[Ne V]14 ratio, we derive an electron density of (750+-440) cm^(-3), in agreement with values from the [S II] optical doublet. For the first time, we apply a fully self-consistent approach combining advanced photoionization and kinematic models (HOMERUN+MOKA3D) to constrain intrinsic outflow properties, overcoming the limitations of simplified classical methods. Exploiting the synergy of JWST/MIRI and VLT/MUSE, HOMERUN reproduces fluxes of over 60 emission lines from optical to mid-IR, disentangling AGN and star formation contributions and yielding robust estimates of outflow mass, geometry, and energetics.

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arXiv2026

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

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$α$ 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.

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arXiv2025

ESO Expanding Horizons White Paper: Electromagnetic counterparts of massive BH mergers with LISA

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), adopted by ESA and scheduled for the second half of the next decade, will drive a new revolution in the rapidly growing field of gravitational-wave astronomy, by extending GW observations into the hiterto unexplored millihertz regime. One of the key source classes of LISA is merging massive black hole binaries in the 1e4-1e7 Msun mass range detectable to very high redshifts $z\sim 15$. MBHBs lighter than 1e6 Msun can potentially be identified during their inspiral weeks before coalescence, allowing for complementary electromagnetic observations before, during, and after the two MBHs merge. This white paper aims at defining the optimal strategy to maximize the number of detected EM counterparts of LISA MBHB events.

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arXiv2025

MIRACLE III. JWST/MIRI expose the hidden role of the AGN outflow in NGC 1068

We present new JWST IFS observations of the active galaxy NGC 1068, combining Mid-IR and optical IFS data from MIRI and MUSE to characterize the multi-phase circumnuclear gas properties and its interaction with the AGN outflow and radio jet. MIRI data trace the multiphase gas emission up to 400 pc from the nucleus at 20--60 pc resolution, unveiling a clumpy ionized structure around the radio hot-spots and a rotating warm molecular disc. Innovative Mid-IR diagnostic diagrams highlight the role of the AGN as the main excitation source for the ionized gas in the entire MIRI field of view, consistent with optical diagnostics, and supporting the AGN-driven wind scenario. Density sensitive [NeV] and [ArV] Mid-IR transitions reveal high-density clumps (n_e > 10**4 cm**-3) along the edges of the jet and outflow, tracing gas compression by the expanding wind. We combined multi-cloud kinematic (MOKA) and photo-ionization (HOMERUN) modeling to characterize the ionized outflow properties and found that [OIV] traces an outflow 300 km/s faster than that inferred from [OIII], showing that the two lines originate from distinct gas components. This kinematic dichotomy is confirmed by the photoionization analysis, which requires a dust-poor component dominating the optical lines and a dust-rich component responsible for the Mid-IR emission. The Mid-IR-revealed dusty component carries a significantly larger ionized-gas mass than what can be inferred from optical lines alone, showing that most of the outflowing mass is hidden from classical optical diagnostics. Our modelling point to a two-stage acceleration scenario, with velocities up to ~2000 km/s, consistent with an energy-driven wind. Our findings indicates that the outflow entrains up to a few 10**6 solar masses of ionized gas and couples efficiently with the surrounding ISM, injecting turbulence and impacting the host-galaxy environment.

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arXiv2025

Connecting outflows with radio emission in active galactic nuclei at cosmic noon

AGN feedback is a well known mechanism in the evolution of galaxies. One open question is the driving mechanism of galaxy-scale outflows. At low redshift, radio jets often interact with the ISM, generating turbulence and driving ionized outflows. Despite this evidence at low redshift, relatively few studies have investigated the radio-ionized gas connection at cosmic noon. Thus, our main goal is to conduct a pilot study using VLA data for three quasars with moderate/high radio power, which have ionized outflows identified in observations from the SUPER survey. We used [OIII] data from SINFONI analyzed in earlier studies, along with new 6.2 GHz VLA radio observations, at comparable spatial resolution. We also incorporate radio data from the literature to explore the radio emission. We detected extended radio structure in our VLA A-array data for two quasars. The extended structure in J1333+1649 aligns with the smaller-scale emission seen in archival images, suggesting a jet propagating from nuclear to galaxy-wide scales. In all three quasars, we found that the brightest radio emission and ionized gas have comparable spatial scales. Furthermore, the position angles of the radio emission and ionized gas present small offsets for the two targets with extended structures. Given that the kinematics of the ionized gas in all three quasars is dominated by outflows, our results suggest a strong connection between radio emission and ionized outflows in typical AGN at cosmic noon. Based on energetic considerations and comparisons with archival data, radio jets could be a significant mechanism for driving outflows in AGN from cosmic noon to low redshifts. However, with the exception of one object (J1333+1649), we cannot rule out the possibility that the radio emission arises from shocks in the interstellar medium caused by disk winds or radiatively driven outflows.

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