Detalles de publicación
PP 026019
JWST spectra are consistent with the edge-on star-forming galaxy scenario for the "runaway supermassive black hole"
(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.