Exceptional AGN-driven turbulence inhibits star formation in the 3C 326N radio galaxy

Abstract

We detect bright [Cii]λ158 μm line emission from the radio galaxy 3C 326N at z = 0.09, which shows no sign of ongoing or recent star formation (SFR< 0.07 M_⊙ yr^(-1)) despite having strong H_2 line emission and a substantial amount of molecular gas (2 × 10^9 M_⊙, inferred from the modeling of the far-infrared (FIR) dust emission and the CO(1−0) line emission). The [Cii] line is twice as strong as the 0−0S(1) 17 μm H_2 line, and both lines are much in excess of what is expected from UV heating. We combine infrared Spitzer and Herschel photometry and line spectroscopy with gas and dust modeling to infer the physical conditions in the [Cii]-emitting gas. The [Cii] line, like rotational H_2 emission, traces a significant fraction (30 to 50%) of the total molecular gas mass. This gas is warm (70

Additional Information

© 2015 ESO. Received 10 February 2014. Accepted 10 October 2014. Published online 20 January 2015. We wish to thank Nicole Nesvadba for proposing these observations and in generously sharing hers with us. We also thank Volker Gaibler for discussing the results and nature of his radio jet simulations and Heino Falcke and Peter Biermann for their insights into cosmic rays in the environments of AGN. We are also very grateful to the NHSC staff for providing remote computing sources and help with the PACS data processing. PACS has been developed by a consortium of institutes led by MPE (Germany) and including UVIE (Austria); KU Leuven, CSL, IMEC (Belgium); CEA, LAM (France); MPIA (Germany); INAF-IFSI/OAA/OAP/OAT, LENS, SISSA (Italy); IAC (Spain). This development has been supported by the funding agencies BMVIT (Austria), ESA-PRODEX (Belgium), CEA/CNES (France), DLR (Germany), ASI/INAF (Italy), and CICYT/MCYT (Spain). The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302).

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Submitted - 1410.6155v2.pdf

Published - aa23612-14.pdf

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