Detalles de publicación

PP 026019

JWST spectra are consistent with the edge-on star-forming galaxy scenario for the "runaway supermassive black hole"

Jorge Sanchez Almeida (1,2), Ignacio Trujillo (1,2), Sebastian F. Sanchez (3,1,2), Mireia Montes (4)
(1) IAC, (2) Departamento de Astrofisica, ULL, (3) Instituto de Astronomia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de M exico, Ensenada, Mexico, (5) Institute of Space Sciences (ICE, CSIC), Campus UAB, Barcelona, Spain
Abstract:The linear structure reported by van Dokkum et al. (2023) has been proposed as either a massive stellar wake produced by a runaway supermassive black hole (SMBH) or a bulgeless edge-on galaxy. New JWST/NIRSpec IFU observations target the tip of the structure, where a SMBH would produce a bow shock, whereas a normal galaxy would host an HII region. Using standard BPT diagrams ([OIII]5007/Hb vs [NII]6583/Ha and [OIII]5007/Hb vs [OII]6716,6731/Ha), we find that the line ratios at the tip fall on the locus of low-metallicity low-extinction HII regions. This region does not overlap with loci typical of shocks in merging galaxies. Thus, these results are consistent with the interpretation that the linear structure is a star-forming galaxy, with the bright knot representing one of its HII regions.

 
Aceptado para publicación en (RNAAS) Research Note of the American Astronomical Society | Enviado el 2026-02-12 | Proyecto P/309201 P/302302