Jet-mode Feedback in NGC 5972: Insights from Resolved MUSE, GMRT, and VLA Observations

Abstract NGC 5972, a Voorwerp galaxy, features a helical-shaped extended emission-line region (EELR) with a radius >10 kpc and an S-shaped radio structure spanning about 470 kpc. We use the Very Large Telescope, Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer, Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope, and Very Large Array (VLA) to study the stellar and ionized gas kinematics and how the radio jet influences the gas in the galaxy. Our sensitive radio observations detect the southern jet for the first time, roughly coinciding with the southern EELR. The VLA images show a continuous inner jet connected to the outer east–west lobe, confirming the jet origin of the radio emission. Our kinematic analysis shows spatial correlations between the radio jet and the outflowing gas, supporting the jet-driven feedback mechanism. More interestingly, we observe enhanced velocity dispersion in the perpendicular direction along with a shell-like structure. Our Baldwin–Phillips–Telervich analysis shows that the [O III ] emission overlapping with the radio jet is consistent with the shock+precursor model, whereas in the perpendicular region, a pure shock model fits well with the observations, indicating jet-induced shocks. Radio observations indicate episodic AGN activity characterized by surface brightness and spectral index discontinuities. Overall, based on our findings, we propose a jet-driven feedback mechanism as one of the key factors in the formation of the EELR in NGC 5972. Future high-resolution radio observations will be crucial to further investigate the origin of the EELR and quantify the extent to which the jet influences its formation and evolution.