Feedback from low-to-moderate-luminosity radio-active galactic nuclei with MaNGA

Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg, Münchhofstr. 12-14, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany

^⋆ Corresponding author: kukreti@uni-heidelberg.de

Received: 4 December 2024
Accepted: 23 March 2025

Abstract

Context. Spatially resolved spectral studies of galaxies hosting a radio-active galactic nucleus (radio-AGN) have shown that these systems can impact ionised gas on galactic scales. However, it is still unclear whether jet and radiation-driven feedback occurs simultaneously. The relative contribution of these two mechanisms in driving feedback in the AGN residing in the Local Universe is also poorly understood.

Aims. We selected a large and representative sample of 806 radio-AGN from the MaNGA survey, which provides integral field unit (IFU) optical spectra for nearby galaxies. We define radio-AGN as sources having excess emission above the level that is expected from star formation. We aim to study the feedback driven by radio-AGN on the galaxy’s ionised gas, its location, and its relation to AGN properties. We also aim to disentangle the role of jets and radiation in these systems.

Methods. We used a sample of nearby radio-AGN from L_1.4 GHz ≈ 10²¹ − 10²⁵ W Hz⁻¹ to trace the kinematics of the warm ionised gas phase using their [O III] emission line. We measured the [O III] line width and compared it to the stellar velocity dispersion to determine the presence and location of the disturbed gas. We investigated the dependence of radial profiles of these properties on the presence of jets and radiation, along with their radio luminosities.

Results. We mainly found disturbed [O III] kinematics and proportion of disturbed sources up to a radial distance of 0.25 R_eff, when both radio- and optical-AGN are present in a source, and when the radio luminosity is greater than 10²³ W Hz⁻¹. When it is either only radio- or optical-AGN present, the impact on [O III] is milder. Irrespective of luminosity and the presence of an AGN, we find no evidence for feedback from radio-AGN on [O III] kinematics at radial distances larger than 0.25 R_eff.

Conclusions. The presence of more kinematically disturbed warm ionised gas in the central region of radio-AGN host galaxies is related to both jets and radiation in these sources. We propose that in moderate-radio-luminosity AGN (L_1.4 GHz ≈ 10²³ − 10²⁵ W Hz⁻¹), the gas clouds pushed to high velocities by the jets (radiation) are driven to even higher velocities by the impact of radiation (jets) when both radio- and optical-AGN are present. At lower luminosities (L_1.4 GHz ≈ 10²¹ − 10²³ W Hz⁻¹), the correlation between the disturbed ionised gas and enhanced radio emission could either be due to wind-driven shocks powering the radio emission or low-power jets disturbing the gas. Finally, beyond 0.25 R_eff, the lack of any disturbed [O III] suggests a weak coupling between the jets and the ionised gas in these sources.