First systematic search for oxygen-line blobs at high redshift: Uncovering AGN feedback and star formation quenching
- Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa-no-ha, Kashiwa 277-8582 (Japan)
- Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, IC2, Liverpool Science Park, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF (United Kingdom)
- Department of Astronomy, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan)
- Astronomical Institute, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578 (Japan)
- Center for Computational Science, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 (Japan)
We present the first systematic search for extended metal-line [O II] λλ3726, 3729 nebulae, or [O II] blobs (O IIBs), at z = 1.2 using deep narrowband imaging with a survey volume of 1.9 × 10{sup 5} Mpc{sup 3} on the 0.62 deg{sup 2} sky of Subaru-XMM Deep Survey (SXDS) field. We discover a giant O IIB, called 'O IIB 1', with a spatial extent over ∼75 kpc at a spectroscopic redshift of z = 1.18, and also identify a total of 12 O IIBs with a size of >30 kpc. Our optical spectrum of O IIB 1 presents [Ne V] λ3426 line at the 6σ level, indicating that this object harbors an obscured type-2 active galactic nucleus (AGN). The presence of gas outflows in this object is suggested by two marginal detections of Fe II λ2587 absorption and Fe II* λ2613 emission lines both of which are blueshifted at as large as 500-600 km s{sup –1}, indicating that the heating source of O IIB 1 is AGN or associated shock excitation rather than supernovae produced by starbursts. The number density of O IIB 1-type giant blobs is estimated to be ∼5 × 10{sup –6} Mpc{sup –3} at z ∼ 1.2, which is comparable with that of AGNs driving outflow at a similar redshift, suggesting that giant O IIBs are produced only by AGN activity. On the other hand, the number density of small O IIBs, 6 × 10{sup –5} Mpc{sup –3}, compared to that of z ∼ 1 galaxies in the blue cloud in the same M{sub B} range, may imply that 3% of star-forming galaxies at z ∼ 1 are quenching star formation through outflows involving extended [O II] emission.
- OSTI ID:
- 22348523
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 779, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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