Litcius/Paper detail

Discovery of Powerful Multivelocity Ultrafast Outflows in the Starburst Merger Galaxy IRAS 05189–2524 with XRISM

Hirofumi Noda, Satoshi Yamada, Shoji Ogawa, Kouichi Hagino, Ehud Behar, Omer Reich, Anna Ogorzałek, Laura Brenneman, Yuichi Terashima, Misaki Mizumoto, Francesco Tombesi, Pierpaolo Condó, A. Luminari, A. Tanimoto, Megan E. Eckart, Erin Kara, Takashi Okajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Yuki Aiso, M. Tashiro

2025The Astrophysical Journal Letters8 citationsDOIOpen Access PDF

Abstract

Abstract We observed the X-ray-bright ultraluminous infrared galaxy IRAS 05189−2524 with XRISM during its performance verification phase. The unprecedented energy resolution of the onboard X-ray microcalorimeter revealed complex spectral features at ∼7–9 keV, which can be interpreted as blueshifted Fe XXV / XXVI absorption lines with various velocity dispersions, originating from ultrafast outflow (UFO) components with multiple bulk velocities of ∼0.076 c , ∼0.101 c , and ∼0.143 c . In addition, a broad Fe–K emission line was detected around ∼7 keV, forming a P Cygni profile together with the absorption lines. The onboard X-ray CCD camera revealed a 0.4–12 keV broadband spectrum characterized by a neutrally absorbed power-law continuum with a photon index of ∼2.3 and intrinsic flare-like variability on timescales of ∼10 ks, both of which are likely associated with near-Eddington accretion. We also found potential variability of the UFO parameters on a timescale of ∼140 ks. Using these properties, we propose new constraints on the outflow structure and suggest the presence of multiple outflowing regions on scales of about tens to 100 Schwarzschild radii, located within roughly 2000 Schwarzschild radii. Since both the estimated momentum and energy outflow rates of the UFOs exceed those of galactic molecular outflows, our results indicate that powerful, multivelocity UFOs are already well developed during a short-lived evolutionary phase following a major galaxy merger, characterized by intense starburst activity and likely preceding the quasar phase. This system is expected to evolve into a quasar, sustaining strong UFO activity and suppressing star formation in the host galaxy.

Topics & Concepts

PhysicsAstrophysicsGalaxyOutflowAstronomyQuasarSpectral lineStar formationSchwarzschild radiusAccretion (finance)Absorption (acoustics)Emission spectrumInfraredActive galactic nucleusLine (geometry)Galaxy mergerSpectroscopyStarsAbsorption spectroscopySpectral resolutionPhotonSkyGalaxies: Formation, Evolution, PhenomenaAstrophysical Phenomena and ObservationsAstrophysics and Star Formation Studies