We use deep adaptive optics assisted integral field spectroscopy from SINFONI on the VLT to study the spatially resolved properties of ionized gas outflows driven by active galactic nuclei ( AGN ) in three galaxies at z \sim 2.2 – K20-ID5 , COS4-11337 and J0901+1814 .
These systems probe AGN feedback from nuclear to circumgalactic scales , and provide unique insights into the different mechanisms by which AGN-driven outflows interact with their host galaxies .
K20-ID5 and COS4-11337 are compact star forming galaxies with powerful \sim 1500 km s ^ { -1 } AGN-driven outflows that dominate their nuclear H \alpha emission .
The outflows do not appear to have any impact on the instantaneous star formation activity of the host galaxies , but they carry a significant amount of kinetic energy which could heat the halo gas and potentially lead to a reduction in the rate of cold gas accretion onto the galaxies .
The outflow from COS4-11337 is propagating directly towards its companion galaxy COS4-11363 , at a projected separation of 5.4 kpc .
COS4-11363 shows signs of shock excitation and recent truncation of star formation activity , which could plausibly have been induced by the outflow from COS4-11337 .
J0901+1814 is gravitationally lensed , giving us a unique view of a compact ( R = 470 \pm 70 pc ) , relatively low velocity ( \sim 650 km s ^ { -1 } ) AGN-driven outflow .
J0901+1814 has a similar AGN luminosity to COS4-11337 , suggesting that the difference in outflow properties is not related to the current AGN luminosity , and may instead reflect a difference in the evolutionary stage of the outflow and/or the coupling efficiency between the AGN ionizing radiation field and the gas in the nuclear regions .