Abstract

Contributed Talk - Splinter SMBHs   (MW-0250)

The interplay between AGN photo-ionization, radio jet, and star formation in the z ∼ 3.5 radio galaxy 4C +03.24

Bruno Dall'Agnol de Oliveira, Dominika Wylezalek, Pranav Kukreti, Wuji Wang, Rogério Riffel, Rogemar A. Riffel, Andrey Vayner, Caroline Bertemes, Julian T. Groth, David S. N. Rupke, Carlos De Breuck, Joël Vernet
Universität Heidelberg, IPAC, UFRGS, UFSM, FGCU, Rhodes College, ESO

High-redshift radio galaxies (HzRGs) are powerful radio sources associated with massive galaxies in dense environments at z ≳ 1 and are key to understanding galaxy evolution, as intense radiation, jets, and star formation are simultaneously observed. We present JWST/NIRSpec integral field spectroscopy of 4C +03.24, a powerful HzRG at z ∼ 3.6. We identify kinematically disturbed regions in the warm ionized gas (∼10⁴ K) by decomposing the emission-line spectra into multiple Gaussian components, which is crucial to better constrain the outflow properties. The outflow power peaks close to the nucleus, with a corresponding low kinetic coupling efficiency of ~10⁻³%. Comparison of rest-frame optical continuum emission with archival rest-frame UV continuum imaging from VLT/MUSE and HST reveals extended regions with star formation out to ∼14 kpc, possibly tracing nearby companions. Additionally, high emission line ratios in a clearly delineated bipolar region indicate that AGN photoionization dominates the ionization of the interstellar medium. Overall, we find that 4C +03.24 likely resides in an overdense, interacting environment, with the main galaxy exhibiting solar-like gas metallicities, surrounded by lower-metallicity companions.