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Article overview
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Episodic Star Formation Coupled to Reignition of Radio Activity in 3C 236 | | Grant R. Tremblay
; Christopher P. O'Dea
; Stefi A. Baum
; Anton M. Koekemoer
; William B. Sparks
; Ger de Bruyn
; Arno P. Schoenmakers
; | | Date: |
2 Apr 2010 | | Abstract: | We present Hubble Space Telescope UV and optical imaging of the radio galaxy
3C 236, whose relic 4 Mpc radio jet lobes and inner 2 kpc CSS radio source are
evidence of multiple epochs of AGN activity. Our data confirm the presence of
four bright knots of FUV emission in an arc along the edge of the inner
circumnuclear dust disk in the galaxy’s nucleus, as well as FUV emission
cospatial with the nucleus itself. We interpret these to be sites of recent or
ongoing star formation. We present photometry of these knots, as well as an
estimate for the internal extinction in the source using the Balmer decrement
from SDSS spectroscopy. We estimate the ages of the knots by comparing our
extinction-corrected photometry with stellar population synthesis models. We
find the four knots cospatial with the dusty disk to be young, of order 10^7 yr
old. The FUV emission in the nucleus is likely due to an episode of star
formation triggered ~10^9 yr ago. We argue that the young 10^7 yr old knots
stem from an episode of star formation that was roughly coeval with the event
resulting in reignition of radio activity, creating the CSS source. The 10^9 yr
old stars in the nucleus may be associated with the previous epoch of activity
that generated the 4 Mpc relic source, before it was cut off by exhaustion or
interruption. The ages of the knots, considered in context with the disturbed
morphology of the nuclear dust and the double-double morphology of the "old"
and "young" radio sources, present evidence for an episodic AGN/starburst
connection. We suggest that the AGN fuel supply was interrupted for ~10^7 yr
due to a minor merger event and has now been restored, and the resultant
non-steady flow of gas toward the nucleus is likely responsible for both the
new episode of infall-induced star formation and also the multiple epochs of
radio activity. | | Source: | arXiv, 1004.0388 | | Services: | Forum | Review | PDF | Favorites | |
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