Extreme Galaxy-scale Outflows Are Frequent among Luminous Early Quasars

Abstract

The existence of abundant post-starburst/quiescent galaxies just $\sim$1-2 Gyrs after the Big Bang challenges our current paradigm of galaxy evolution. Cosmological simulations suggest that quasar feedback is likely the most promising mechanism responsible for such rapid quenching. Here we report a high detection rate (6/27) of exceptionally fast and powerful galaxy-scale outflows traced by [O III] emission in z $\sim$ 5-6 luminous quasars as revealed by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), with velocity up to $\sim$8400 km s${}^{-1}$ and order-of-magnitude kinetic energy outflow rates up to $\sim$260% the observed quasar bolometric luminosities. This fraction is $>$3.9 and $\sim$8.8 times of those in comparison samples at z $\sim$ 1.5-3.5 and z $<$ 1, respectively. These extreme outflows are comparable to or even faster than the most rapid [O III] outflows reported at z $\lesssim$ 3, and could reach the circumgalactic medium (CGM) or even the intergalactic medium (IGM). The average kinetic energy outflow rate of our sample is more than 2 dex higher than those of the lower-redshift comparison samples. The substantially higher frequency of outflows with energetics well above the threshold for negative feedback in our sample strongly suggests that quasar feedback plays a significant role in efficiently quenching/regulating early massive galaxies.

27 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables. Final version published in Nature at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10477-9

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