arXiv subjects

Maitê S. Z. de Mellos

Publications and source records attributed to Maitê S. Z. de Mellos.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Blowing star formation away in AGN hosts (BAH) -- V: The Feeding-Feedback Cycle in local AGNs as revealed by their stellar populations

We present a spatially resolved analysis of the stellar populations in the inner kiloparsec of NGC 3884, 3C 293, and CGCG 012-070. Using near-infrared spectroscopy, we reconstruct their star formation histories (SFHs) by comparing the M13, XSL, and FSPS stellar population synthesis models. The stellar light is dominated by intermediate-age to old populations (t >= 1 Gyr) with super-solar metallicities (Z >= 1 Z_sun). All models clearly indicate recent star formation (rejuvenation) in these AGN hosts, with young to intermediate-age populations contributing significantly in the nuclear regions. The SFHs from M13 and XSL broadly agree in showing coexisting old and young components, whereas FSPS favours a larger fraction of very young (t < 50 Myr) stars. Moreover, XSL- and FSPS-based SFHs are generally more irregular and "bumpy," while M13 yields smoother, more continuous SFHs. In NGC 3884 and 3C 293, stars with 0.2 < t <= 0.7 Gyr form a ring-like structure around the nucleus. The nuclear spectra further require non-stellar components: a featureless power-law continuum (FC) and hot dust emission (HD). In 3C 293, the FC component appears in two spatially separated regions, possibly indicating a dual active galactic nucleus, though a heavily reddened starburst origin for the secondary component cannot be excluded. Nearly all fits show a central drop in stellar metallicity, consistent with inflow of metal-poor gas that fuels recent accretion and AGN activity. Radial profiles show that HD and FC contributions decrease with radius, while younger stellar populations become more prominent outward. Together, these results support a feeding-feedback scenario in which gas inflows trigger circumnuclear star formation and, via stellar mass loss, help sustain ongoing AGN activity. .

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Jet-driven shocks and turbulence in radio-loud Active Galactic Nuclei observed with JWST MIRI/MRS

Jet-cloud interactions are a key manifestation of Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) feedback on nuclear scales, distinct from the large-scale radio-mode feedback that suppresses gas cooling in galaxy halos. On these smaller scales, radio jets can inject energy and momentum into the interstellar medium (ISM), shaping the physical and kinematic properties of the nuclear and circumnuclear regions of galaxies. Using JWST MIRI/MRS observations of seven nearby radio-loud AGN (3C293, 3C305, Centaurus A, Cygnus A, IC5063, NGC1052, and M87), we investigate jet-driven turbulence in both the warm molecular and ionized gas phases. By combining spatially resolved H$_2$/PAH flux ratios with diagnostic line ratios of the ionized gas, we constrain the dominant H$_2$ excitation processes and assess the impact of radio jet--ISM interactions on the multiphase gas. We find that radio jets drive enhanced turbulence in both molecular and ionized (traced by [FeII], [NeII] and [NeIII] lines) gas, not only along but also perpendicular to the jet axis, indicating that jet--ISM interactions extend beyond the collimated jet channel and affect the nuclear environment. Strong correlations between the H$_2$/PAH ratio, the H$_2$ excitation temperature, and shock-sensitive ionized-gas tracers indicate that jet-driven shocks dominate the excitation of the H$_2$ rotational lines in most sources. These results indicate that radio jets are a key driver of multiphase ISM kinematics and excitation in nearby radio-loud galaxies.

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arXiv2025

Blowing star formation away in AGN Hosts (BAH) -- IV: Feeding and feedback in 3C 293 observed with JWST NIRSpec

We use JWST/NIRSpec observations of the radio galaxy 3C 293 to map the emission, extinction, and kinematics of hot molecular and ionized gas, as well as stellar kinematics, within the inner ~ 2 kpc. The stellar velocity field is well described by a rotating disk model, with its kinematical center offset by ~ 0.5 arcsec from the continuum peak. The hot molecular gas is traced by the H$_2$2.12$μ$m emission line, and the ionized gas by [Fe II]1.64$μ$m and Pa$α$. The gas presents three main kinematic components: a rotating disk seen as a narrow component ($σ$ ~ 100 kms$^{-1}$); a blueshifted broad outflow ($σ$ ~ 250 kms$^{-1}$); and a fast ionized outflow as a very broad component ($σ$ ~ 640 kms$^{-1}$). Extinction maps reveal high A$_V$ values, up to ~ 35, spatially coincident with dust lanes seen in optical images. In addition to the disk and outflows components, inflows along the dust lanes are detected in H$_2$ gas, with a mass inflow rate of $\dot{M}_{in}$ ~ 4 x 10$^{-4}$ M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$, which is lower than the AGN accretion rate. For the outflows, we derive peak mass-outflow rates of 0.08 $\pm$ 0.02 M$_{\odot}$yr$^{-1}$ (molecular) and 6.5 $\pm$ 1.7 M$_{\odot}$yr$^{-1}$ (ionized). The outflow, driven by the radio jet, has a kinetic power of 5.7% of the jet power - enough to suppress star formation. Our results highlight 3C 293's turbulent post-merger history and JWST's unique capability to probe dust-obscured AGN.

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arXiv2025

Blowing Star Formation Away in AGN Hosts (BAH) -- III. Serendipitous discovery of a $z\sim2.9$ star-forming galaxy lensed by the galactic bulge of CGCG 012-070 using JWST NIRSpec

We report the detection of a gravitationally lensed galaxy by the nearby spiral galaxy CGCG 012-070 ($z = 0.048$) using Integral Field Unit (IFU) observations with the Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) instrument on board the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The lensed galaxy is identified through the flux distributions of emission lines in the rest-frame optical, consistent with a source located at a redshift of $z\sim2.89$. The system is detected in [O III]$λ\lambda4959,5007$, H$β$, and H$α$ emission lines, exhibiting line ratios typical of a star-forming galaxy. The emission-line flux distributions reveal three distinct components, which are modeled using an elliptical power-law (EPL) mass profile for the lens galaxy. This model provides a good characterization of the source and reveals a disturbed star-forming morphology consistent with those of galaxies at cosmic noon. This serendipitous discovery of a rare low-redshift strong lens highlights the critical role of IFU observations in expanding the lens census and advancing our understanding of galaxy mass profiles and evolution.

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arXiv2024

Determining star formation rates in AGN hosts from strong optical emission lines

The influence of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) on star formation within their host galaxies remains a topic of intense debate. One of the primary challenges in quantifying the star formation rate (SFR) within AGN hosts arises from the prevalent assumption in most methodologies, which attribute gas excitation to young stars alone. However, this assumption does not consider the contribution of the AGN to the ionization of the gas in their environment. To address this issue, we evaluate the use of strong optical emission lines to obtain the SFR surface density ($Σ{\rm SFR_{AGN}}$) in regions predominantly ionized by an AGN, using a sample of 293 AGN hosts from the MaNGA survey, with SFR measurements available through stellar population fitting. We propose calibrations involving the H$α$ and [O\,{\sc iii}]$λ$5007 emission lines, which can be used to determine $Σ{\rm SFR_{AGN}}$, resulting in values consistent with those estimated through stellar population fitting.

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