Hubble Space Telescope Imaging of Bipolar Nuclear Shells in the Disturbed Virgo Cluster Galaxy NGC 4438

Abstract

We present broadband and narrowband Hubble Space Telescope images of the central region of the heavily disturbed Virgo cluster galaxy NGC 4438 (Arp120), whose nucleus has been described as a type 1 LINER or dwarf Seyfert. Narrowband H-alpha and [NII] HST images reveal striking bipolar shell features, 1 kpc in projected length from end-to-end, which are likely the result of an outflow from the nuclear region experiencing a strong interaction with the ISM. While these outflow shells share similarities with those in some other starburst or AGN galaxies, these in NGC 4438 are notable because NGC 4438 harbors neither a luminous circumnuclear starburst nor a luminous AGN. The shells appear to be closed at their outer ends, suggesting that the outflow in NGC 4438 is dynamically younger than those in some other galaxies. The radio continuum emission is strongly enhanced near the outer ends of the shells, suggesting working surfaces arising from collimated nuclear outflows which have impacted and shocked the surrounding ISM. The 2 shells are quite different, as the northwestern (NW) shell is luminous and compact, while the southeastern (SE) shell is 2.5 times longer and much fainter, in both optical emission lines and the non-thermal radio continuum. The differences between the 2 shells may be attributed to a difference in ISM density on the 2 sides of the nuclear disk. Such an ISM asymmetry exists on larger scales in this heavily disturbed galaxy. At the base of the outflow is a nuclear source, which is the highest surface brightness source in the galaxy at optical wavelengths, We discuss whether the outflow is powered by a low luminosity AGN or a compact nuclear starburst.