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arXiv · 2606.31773

Uncovering neutral Hydrogen clouds in Radio Galaxies in the SKA era

Mamta Pandey-Pommier
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Abstract

AGN feedback driven by radio jets plays a key role in regulating the cold ISM of galaxies. Neutral hydrogen traced through the H1 21-cm line provides a powerful probe of the kinematics, distribution, and physical conditions of cold gas in the central regions of AGN. Previous observations have detected H1 column densities down to $\sim10^{20}$ cm$^{-2}$, but typically at arcsecond-scale resolution, inhibiting the characterization of small-scale H1 gas clouds and their connection to molecular gas reservoirs and sites of jet-ISM interaction. High-resolution H1 imaging is therefore required to determine whether the atomic gas is associated with circumnuclear structures, jet-driven outflows, compressed gas layers, or fragmented cold clouds embedded within a disturbed multiphase ISM. In this chapter, we focus on molecular gas-rich radio AGN hosting large-scale jets and exhibiting strong interactions between the radio plasma and the surrounding ISM, where atomic, molecular, and ionized gas coexist. These systems provide ideal laboratories for investigating the spatial distribution and kinematics of H1, constraining the impact of radio jets on the cold gas, and determining whether the gas is associated with inflowing, outflowing, or otherwise disturbed components. SKA-VLBI will deliver milliarcsecond-scale imaging and $\mu$Jy-level sensitivity, resolving H1 gas clouds on parsec scales across extended radio structures. This capability will enable detailed constraints on the location, morphology, and kinematics of atomic gas from the nuclear regions to kiloparsec-scale jet-ISM interaction sites. Combined with molecular gas observations at other wavelengths, these measurements will provide a comprehensive view of the jet-ISM interactions, the impact of AGN-driven feedback, and the role of cold gas in galaxy evolution.

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Mamta Pandey-Pommier. 2026-06-30. Uncovering neutral Hydrogen clouds in Radio Galaxies in the SKA era. https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.31773

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