The Close AGN Reference Survey (CARS). Discovery of a global [C II] 158 µm line excess in AGN HE 1353-1917
Gaspari, M.; Groves, B.; Combes, F.; Scharwächter, J.; Appleton, P.; O'Dea, C. P.; Pérez-Torres, M.; Husemann, B.; Singha, M.; Davis, T. A.; Urrutia, T.; Klein, R.; Tremblay, G. R.; Bethermin, M.; Croom, S.; Smirnova-Pinchukova, I.; Busch, G.; Fischer, C.
Germany, United States, France, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, Spain
Abstract
The [C II]λ158 μm line is one of the strongest far-infrared (FIR) lines and an important coolant in the interstellar medium of galaxies that is accessible out to high redshifts. The excitation of [C II] is complex and can best be studied in detail at low redshifts. Here we report the discovery of the highest global [C II] excess with respect to the FIR luminosity in the nearby AGN host galaxy HE 1353-1917. This galaxy is exceptional among a sample of five targets because the AGN ionization cone and radio jet directly intercept the cold galactic disk. As a consequence, a massive multiphase gas outflow on kiloparsec scales is embedded in an extended narrow-line region. Because HE 1353-1917 is distinguished by these special properties from our four bright AGN, we propose that a global [C II] excess in AGN host galaxies could be a direct signature of a multiphase AGN-driven outflow with a high mass-loading factor.