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The dense molecular gas in the z ∼ 6 QSO SDSS J231038.88+185519.7 resolved by ALMA


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Authors

Feruglio, C 
Fiore, F 
D'Odorico, V 

Abstract

We present ALMA observations of the CO(6-5) and [CII] emission lines and the sub-millimeter continuum of the z∼6 quasi-stellar object (QSO) SDSS J231038.88+185519.7. Compared to previous studies, we have analyzed a synthetic beam that is ten times smaller in angular size, we have achieved ten times better sensitivity in the CO(6-5) line, and two and half times better sensitivity in the [CII] line, enabling us to resolve the molecular gas emission. We obtain a size of the dense molecular gas of 2.9±0.5 kpc, and of 1.4±0.2 kpc for the 91.5 GHz dust continuum. By assuming that CO(6-5) is thermalized, and by adopting a CO--to--H2 conversion factor αCO=0.8 M K−1 (km/s)−1 pc2, we infer a molecular gas mass of M(H2)=(3.2±0.2)×1010M. Assuming that the observed CO velocity gradient is due to an inclined rotating disk, we derive a dynamical mass of Mdyn sin2(i)=(2.4±0.5)×1010 M, which is a factor of approximately two smaller than the previously reported estimate based on [CII]. Regarding the central black hole, we provide a new estimate of the black hole mass based on the C~IV emission line detected in the X-SHOOTER/VLT spectrum: MBH=(1.8±0.5)×109 M. We find a molecular gas fraction of μ=M(H2)/M∗∼4.4, where M∗≈MdynM(H2)−M(BH). We derive a ratio vrot/σ≈1−2 suggesting high gas turbulence, outflows/inflows and/or complex kinematics due to a merger event. We estimate a global Toomre parameter Q∼0.2−0.5, indicating likely cloud fragmentation. We compare, at the same angular resolution, the CO(6-5) and [CII] distributions, finding that dense molecular gas is more centrally concentrated with respect to [CII]. We find that the current BH growth rate is similar to that of its host galaxy.

Description

Keywords

quasars: individual: SDSS J231038.88+185519.7, quasars: general, quasars: emission lines, galaxies: high-redshift, quasars: supermassive black holes, galaxies: ISM

Journal Title

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0004-6361
1432-0746

Volume Title

619

Publisher

EDP Sciences
Sponsorship
Science and Technology Facilities Council (ST/M001172/1)
European Research Council (695671)