Radio Morphology of Red Geysers

Namrata Roy, Emily Moravec, Kevin Bundy, Martin J. Hardcastle, Gülay Gürkan, Ranieri Diego Baldi, Sarah K. Leslie, Karen Masters, Joseph Gelfand, Rogerio Riffel, Rogemar A. Riffel, Beatriz Mingo Fernandez, Alexander Drabent

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We present 150 MHz, 1.4 GHz, and 3 GHz radio imaging (LoTSS, FIRST, and VLASS) and spatially resolved ionized gas characteristics (SDSS IV-MaNGA) for 140 local (z < 0.1) early-type red geyser galaxies. These galaxies have a low star formation activity (with a star formation rate, SFR, ~ 0.01 M o? yr-1), but show unique extended patterns in spatially resolved emission-line maps that have been interpreted as large-scale ionized winds driven by active galactic nuclei (AGN). In this work, we confirm that red geysers host low-luminosity radio sources (L 1.4GHz ~ 1022 WHz -1). Out of 42 radio-detected red geysers, 32 are spatially resolved in LoTSS and FIRST, with radio sizes varying between ~5-25 kpc. Three sources have radio sizes exceeding 40 kpc. A majority display a compact radio morphology and are consistent with either low-power compact radio sources (FR0 galaxies) or radio-quiet quasars. They may be powered by small-scale AGN-driven jets that remain unresolved at the current 5" resolution of radio data. The extended radio sources, not belonging to the "compact"morphological class, exhibit steeper spectra with a median spectral index of -0.67, indicating the dominance of lobed components. The red geysers hosting extended radio sources also have the lowest specific SFRs, suggesting they either have a greater impact on the surrounding interstellar medium or are found in more massive halos on average. The degree of alignment of the ionized wind cone and the extended radio features are either 0 or 90 , indicating possible interaction between the interstellar medium and the central radio AGN.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number230
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume922
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2021

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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