Blowing Star Formation Away in AGN Hosts (BAH). IV. Feeding and Feedback in 3C 293 Observed with JWST NIRSpec

Abstract We use JWST/NIRSpec observations of the radio galaxy 3C 293 to map the emission, extinction, and kinematics of hot molecular and ionized gas, as well as stellar kinematics, within the inner ∼2 kpc. The stellar velocity field is well described by a rotating disk model, with its kinematical center offset by <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mo>∼</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0</mml:mn> <mml:mover> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>.</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mtext>″</mml:mtext> </mml:mrow> </mml:mover> <mml:mn>5</mml:mn> </mml:math> from the continuum peak. The hot molecular gas is traced by the H 2 2.12 μ m emission line and the ionized gas by [Fe ii ] 1.64 μ m and Pa α . The gas presents three main kinematic components: a rotating disk, seen as a narrow component ( σ ∼ 100 km s −1 ); a blueshifted broad outflow ( σ ∼ 250 km s −1 ); and a fast ionized outflow as a very broad component ( σ ∼ 640 km s −1 ). Extinction maps reveal high A V values, up to ∼35, spatially coincident with dust lanes seen in optical images. In addition to the disk and outflow components, inflows along the dust lanes are detected in H 2 gas, with a mass inflow rate of <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:msub> <mml:mover accent="true"> <mml:mi>M</mml:mi> <mml:mo>̇</mml:mo> </mml:mover> <mml:mi>in</mml:mi> </mml:msub> <mml:mo>≃</mml:mo> <mml:mn>4</mml:mn> <mml:mo>×</mml:mo> <mml:mn>1</mml:mn> <mml:msup> <mml:mn>0</mml:mn> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml:mn>4</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msup> <mml:mspace width="0.25em"/> <mml:msub> <mml:mi>M</mml:mi> <mml:mo>⊙</mml:mo> </mml:msub> <mml:mspace width="0.25em"/> <mml:msup> <mml:mi>yr</mml:mi> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml:mn>1</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msup> </mml:math> , which is lower than the active galactic nucleus (AGN) accretion rate. For the outflows, we derive peak mass outflow rates of 0.08 ± 0.02 M ⊙ yr −1 (molecular) and 6.5 ± 1.7 M ⊙ yr −1 (ionized). The outflow, driven by the radio jet, has a kinetic power of 5.7% of the jet power—enough to suppress star formation. Our results highlight 3C 293’s turbulent postmerger history and JWST’s unique capability for probing dust-obscured AGNs.