A Unique View of AGN-Driven Molecular Outflows: The Discovery of a Massive Galaxy Counterpart to a $z=2.4$ High-Metallicity Damped Lyman-$\alpha$ Absorber

Abstract

We report the discovery of a massive $\log (M/M_{\odot })=10.74_{-0.16}^{+0.18}$ galaxy at the same redshift as a carbon-monoxide-bearing sub-damped Lyman $\alpha$ absorber (sub-DLA) seen in the spectrum of QSO J1439+1117. The galaxy, J1439B, is located 4\farcs7 from the QSO sightline, a projected distance of 38 physical kpc at $z=2.4189$, and exhibits broad optical emission lines (${\sigma }_{[\mathrm{OIII}]}=303\pm 12$~\kms) with ratios characteristic of excitation by an active galactic nucleus (AGN). The galaxy has a factor of $\sim$9 lower star formation than is typical of star-forming galaxies of the same mass and redshift. The nearby sub-DLA is highly enriched, suggesting its galactic counterpart must be massive if it follows the $z\sim 2$ mass-metallicity relationship. Metallic absorption within the circumgalactic medium of the sub-DLA and J1439B is spread over a velocity range $\Delta v>1000$ \kms, suggesting an energetic origin. We explore the possibility that a different galaxy could be responsible for the rare absorber, and conclude that it is unlikely based on imaging, integral-field spectroscopy, and high-$z$ massive galaxy pair statistics. We argue that the gas seen in absorption against the QSO was likely ejected from the galaxy J1439B and therefore provides a unique observational probe of AGN feedback in the distant universe.

15 pages, 9 figures, accepted to ApJ

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