CHANG-ES. XXIV. First Detection of A Radio Nuclear Ring and Potential LLAGN in NGC 5792

Abstract

We report the discoveries of a nuclear ring of diameter 10$\arcsec$ ($\sim$1.5 kpc) and a potential low luminosity active galactic nucleus (LLAGN) in the radio continuum emission map of the edge-on barred spiral galaxy NGC~5792. These discoveries are based on the Continuum Halos in Nearby Galaxies - an Expanded Very Large Array (VLA) Survey, as well as subsequent VLA observations of sub-arcsecond resolution. Using a mixture of H$\hat{I}\pm$ and 24 $\hat{I}¼$m calibration, we disentangle the thermal and non-thermal radio emission of the nuclear region, and derive a star formation rate (SFR) of $\sim 0.4~M_{\sun}$ yr${}^{-1}$. We find that the nuclear ring is dominated by non-thermal synchrotron emission. The synchrotron-based SFR is about three times of the mixture-based SFR. This result indicates that the nuclear ring underwent more intense star-forming activity in the past, and now its star formation is in the low state. The sub-arcsecond VLA images resolve six individual knots on the nuclear ring. The equipartition magnetic field strength $B_{\mathrm{eq}}$ of the knots varies from 77 to 88 $\hat{I}¼$G. The radio ring surrounds a point-like faint radio core of $S_{6GHz}=(16\pm 4)$ $\hat{I}¼$Jy with polarized lobes at the center of NGC~5792, which suggests an LLAGN with an Eddington ratio $\sim 10^{-5}$. This radio nuclear ring is reminiscent of the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) of the Galaxy. Both of them consist of a nuclear ring and LLAGN.

16 pages, 4 figures, 4 tables, accepted for publication in ApJ