Gemini NIFS survey of feeding and feedback in nearby Active Galaxies -- V. Molecular and Ionised Gas Kinematics

Abstract

We study the gas distribution and kinematics of the inner kpc of six moderately luminous (43.43 ≤ log 𝐿 bol ≤ 44.83) nearby (0.004 ≤ 𝑧 ≤ 0.014) Seyfert galaxies observed with the Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) in the J(1.25𝜇m) and K(2.2𝜇m) bands. We analyse the most intense emission lines detected on these spectral wavebands: [Fe ] 1.2570 𝜇m and Pa𝛽, which trace the ionised gas in the partially and fully ionised regions, and H 2 2.1218 𝜇m, that traces the hot (∼ 2000 K) molecular gas. The dominant kinematic component is rotation in the disc of the galaxies, except for the ionised gas in NGC 5899 which shows only weak signatures of a disc component. We find ionised gas outflow in four galaxies, while signatures of H 2 outflows are seen in three galaxies. The ionised gas outflows display velocities of a few hundred km s −1 , and their mass-outflow rates are in the range 0.005 − 12.49 M yr −1 . Their kinetic powers correspond to 0.005 − 0.7 per cent of the AGN bolometric luminosities. Besides rotation and outflows signatures in some cases, the H 2 kinematics reveals also inflows in three galaxies. The inflow velocities are 50 − 80 km s −1 and the mass inflow rates are in the range 1 − 9 × 10 −4 M yr −1 for hot molecular gas. These inflows might be only the hot skin of the total inflowing gas, which is expected to be dominated by colder gas. The mass inflow rates are lower than the current accretion rates to the AGN, and the ionised outflows are apparently disturbing the gas in the inner kpc.