Abstract
Feedback and outflows in galaxies that are associated with a quasar phase are expected to be pivotal in quenching the most massive galaxies. However, observations targeting the molecular ...outflow phase, which dominates both the mass and momentum and removes the immediate fuel for star formation, are limited in high-
z
QSO hosts. Massive quiescent galaxies found at
z
∼ 4 are predicted to have quenched star formation already by
z
∼ 5 and undergone their most intense growth at
z
> 6. Here, we present two Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) detections of molecular outflows, traced by blueshifted absorption of the OH 119
μ
m doublet, from a sample of three
z
> 6 infrared luminous QSO hosts: J2310+1855 and P183+05. OH 119
μ
m is also detected in emission from P183+05, and tentatively in the third source: P036+03. Using similar assumptions as for high-
z
dusty star-forming galaxy outflows, we find that our QSOs drive molecular outflows with comparable mass outflow rates, which are comparably energetic except for J2310+1855's significantly lower outflow energy flux. We do not find evidence, nor require additional input from the central active galactic nucleus (AGN) to drive the molecular outflow in J2310+1855, but we cannot rule out an AGN contribution in P183+05 if a significant AGN contribution to
L
FIR
is assumed and/or if the outflow covering fraction is high (≥53%), which evidence from the literature suggests is unlikely in these sources. Differences observed in the blueshifted absorption spectral properties may instead be caused by the QSO hosts’ more compact dust continuums, limiting observations to lower altitude and more central regions of the outflow.
ABSTRACT
Astrochemistry has been widely developed as a power tool to probe the physical properties of the interstellar medium (ISM) in various conditions of the Milky Way (MW) Galaxy, and in near and ...distant galaxies. Most current studies conventionally apply linear scaling to all elemental abundances based on the gas-phase metallicity. However, these elements, including carbon and oxygen, are enriched differentially by stellar nucleosynthesis and the overall galactic chemical evolution, evident from α-enhancement in multiple galactic observations such as starbursts, high-redshift star-forming galaxies, and low-metallicity dwarfs. We perform astrochemical modelling to simulate the impact of an α-enhanced ISM gas cloud on the abundances of the three phases of carbon (C+, C, CO) dubbed as ‘the carbon cycle’. The ISM environmental parameters considered include two cosmic-ray ionization rates (ζCR = 10−17 and $10^{-15}\, {\rm s}^{-1}$), two isotropic FUV radiation field strengths (χ/χ0 = 1 and 102), and (sub-)linear dust-to-gas relations against metallicity, mimicking the ISM conditions of different galaxy types. In galaxies with C/O < 0, CO, C, and C+, all decrease in both abundances and emission, though with differential biases. The low-J CO emission is found to be the most stable tracer for the molecular gas, while C and C+ trace H2 gas only under limited conditions, in line with recent discoveries of C i-dark galaxies. We call for caution when using C ii $158\, \mu$m and C i(1–0) as alternative H2-gas tracers for both diffuse and dense gas with non-zero C/O ratios.
Astrochemistry has been widely developed as a power tool to probe physical
properties of the interstellar medium (ISM) in various conditions of the Milky
Way (MW) Galaxy, and in near and distant ...galaxies. Most current studies
conventionally apply linear scaling to all elemental abundances based on the
gas-phase metallicity. However, these elements, including carbon and oxygen,
are enriched differentially by stellar nucleosynthesis and the overall galactic
chemical evolution, evident from $\alpha$-enhancement in multiple galactic
observations such as starbursts, high-redshift star-forming galaxies, and
low-metallicity dwarfs. We perform astrochemical modeling to simulate the
impact of an $\alpha$-enhanced ISM gas cloud on the abundances of the three
phases of carbon (C$^+$, C, CO) dubbed as `the carbon cycle'. The ISM
environmental parameters considered include two cosmic-ray ionization rates
($\zeta_{\rm CR}=10^{-17}$ and $10^{-15}\,{\rm s}^{-1}$), two isotropic FUV
radiation field strengths ($\chi/\chi_0=1$ and $10^2$), and (sub-)linear
dust-to-gas relations against metallicity, mimicking the ISM conditions of
different galaxy types. In galaxies with C/O $<$ 0, CO, C and C$^+$ all
decrease in both abundances and emission, though with differential biases. The
low-$J$ CO emission is found to be the most stable tracer for the molecular
gas, while C and C$^+$ trace H$_2$ gas only under limited conditions, in line
with recent discoveries of CI-dark galaxies. We call for caution when using
CII~$158\mu$m and CI(1-0) as alternative H$_2$-gas tracers for both diffuse
and dense gas with non-zero C/O ratios.
Feedback and outflows in galaxies that are associated with a quasar phase are expected to be pivotal in quenching the most massive galaxies. However, observations targeting the molecular outflow ...phase, which dominates both the mass and momentum and removes the immediate fuel for star formation, are limited in high-z QSO hosts. Massive quiescent galaxies found at z ~ 4 are predicted to have already quenched star formation by z ~ 5 and undergone their most intense growth at z > 6. Here, we present two ALMA detections of molecular outflows, traced by blue-shifted absorption of the OH 119 micron doublet, from a sample of three z > 6 infrared luminous QSO hosts: J2310+1855 and P183+05. OH 119 micron is also detected in emission in P183+05, and tentatively in the third source: P036+03. Using similar assumptions as for high-z Dusty Star-Forming Galaxy outflows, we find that our QSOs drive molecular outflows with comparable mass outflow rates, and that are comparably energetic except for J2310+1855's significantly lower outflow energy flux. We do not find evidence, nor require additional input from the central AGN to drive the molecular outflow in J2310+1855 but can not rule out an AGN contribution in P183+05 if a significant AGN contribution to L_FIR is assumed and/or if the outflow covering fraction is high (> 53%), which evidence from the literature suggests is unlikely in these sources. Differences observed in the blue-shifted absorption spectral properties may instead be caused by the QSO hosts' more compact dust continuum, limiting observations to lower altitude and more central regions of the outflow.
The CO(1--0) and \ion{C}{1}(1--0) emission lines are well-established tracers of cold molecular gas mass in local galaxies. At high redshift, where the interstellar medium (ISM) is likely to be ...denser, there have been limited direct comparisons of both ground state transitions. Here we present a study of CO(1--0) and \ion{C}{1}(1--0) emission in a sample of 20 unlensed dusty, star-forming galaxies at \(z=2-5\). The CO(1--0)/\ion{C}{1}(1--0) ratio is constant up to at least \(z=5\), supporting the use of CI(1-0) as a gas mass tracer. PDR modelling of the available data indicates a median H\(_2\) density of log\((n~\)cm\(^{-3})=4.7\pm0.2\), and UV radiation field log\((G_{\mathrm{UV}} G\)_0\()=3.2\pm0.2\). We use the CO(1--0), \ion{C}{1}(1--0) and 3mm dust continuum measurements to cross--calibrate the respective gas mass conversion factors, finding no dependence of these factors on either redshift or infrared luminosity. Assuming a variable CO conversion factor then implies \ion{C}{1} and dust conversion factors that differ from canonically assumed values but are consistent with the solar/super-solar metallicities expected for our sources. Radiative transfer modelling shows that the warmer CMB at high redshift can significantly affect the \ion{C}{1} as well as CO emission, which can change the derived molecular gas masses by up to 70\% for the coldest kinetic gas temperatures expected. Nevertheless, we show that the magnitude of the effect on the ratio of the tracers is within the known scatter of the \(L'_\mathrm{CO}-L'_\mathrm{CI}\) relation. Further determining the absolute decrease of individual line intensities will require well-sampled spectral line energy distributions (SLEDs) to model the gas excitation conditions in more detail.
Astrochemistry has been widely developed as a power tool to probe physical properties of the interstellar medium (ISM) in various conditions of the Milky Way (MW) Galaxy, and in near and distant ...galaxies. Most current studies conventionally apply linear scaling to all elemental abundances based on the gas-phase metallicity. However, these elements, including carbon and oxygen, are enriched differentially by stellar nucleosynthesis and the overall galactic chemical evolution, evident from \(\alpha\)-enhancement in multiple galactic observations such as starbursts, high-redshift star-forming galaxies, and low-metallicity dwarfs. We perform astrochemical modeling to simulate the impact of an \(\alpha\)-enhanced ISM gas cloud on the abundances of the three phases of carbon (C\(^+\), C, CO) dubbed as `the carbon cycle'. The ISM environmental parameters considered include two cosmic-ray ionization rates (\(\zeta_{\rm CR}=10^{-17}\) and \(10^{-15}\,{\rm s}^{-1}\)), two isotropic FUV radiation field strengths (\(\chi/\chi_0=1\) and \(10^2\)), and (sub-)linear dust-to-gas relations against metallicity, mimicking the ISM conditions of different galaxy types. In galaxies with C/O \(<\) 0, CO, C and C\(^+\) all decrease in both abundances and emission, though with differential biases. The low-\(J\) CO emission is found to be the most stable tracer for the molecular gas, while C and C\(^+\) trace H\(_2\) gas only under limited conditions, in line with recent discoveries of CI-dark galaxies. We call for caution when using CII~\(158\mu\)m and CI(1-0) as alternative H\(_2\)-gas tracers for both diffuse and dense gas with non-zero C/O ratios.
