Speaker
Description
AGN-driven multiphase outflows are thought to play a fundamental role in regulating both star formation and matter accretion onto supermassive black holes. However, the physical mechanisms driving their acceleration, as well as their energetic budget, remain poorly constrained by existing kinematic models, leaving their true impact on galaxy evolution uncertain. I will present a comprehensive 3D kinematic and morphological analysis of outflows in a statistical sample of eleven nearby AGN exploiting innovative modelling tool. Our results reveal, for the first time, compelling evidence for a two-stage kinematic regime: an inner zone characterized by nearly constant outflow velocity, followed by a phase of rapid acceleration on larger scales. I will show how this behaviour closely matches state-of-the-art theoretical predictions for pure adiabatic AGN-driven winds, enabling us to derive unprecedented estimates of the outflow energetics and their coupling with the host galaxy. I will present observational evidence that these outflows efficiently entrain substantial amounts of gas and are capable of removing it from the galaxy’s gravitational potential, effectively clearing the interstellar medium along their path. These findings provide key insights into the physical origin of AGN winds, the mechanisms powering them, and the way energy and momentum are transferred to the surrounding medium. Our conclusions are supported by archival MUSE data and new JWST/MIRI observations, which together offer a transformative view of the role of AGN feedback in shaping the galaxy evolution.