Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
We present spatially resolved VLT/SINFONI spectroscopy with adaptive optics of type-2 active galactic nuclei (AGN) from the SINFONI Survey for Unveiling the Physics and Effect of Radiative feedback (SUPER), which targeted X-ray bright (L₂-₁₀ ₊₄ₕ10^42 erg s^-1) AGN at Cosmic Noon (z2). Our analysis of the rest-frame optical spectra unveils ionised outflows in all seven examined targets, as traced via OIII5007 line emission, moving at v600 km s^-1. In six objects these outflows are clearly spatially resolved and extend on 2-4 kpc scales, whereas marginally resolved in the remaining one. Interestingly, these SUPER type-2 AGN are all heavily obscured sources (N₇10^23 cm^-2) and host faster ionised outflows than their type-1 counterparts within the same range of bolometric luminosity (L₁₎₋ 10^44. 8-46. 5 erg s^-1). SUPER has hence provided observational evidence that the type-1/type-2 dichotomy at z2 might not be driven simply by projection effects, but might reflect two distinct obscuring life stages of active galaxies, as predicted by evolutionary models. Within this picture, SUPER type-2 AGN might be undergoing the 'blow-out' phase, where the large amount of obscuring material efficiently accelerates large-scale outflows via radiation pressure on dust, eventually unveiling the central active nucleus and signal the start of the bright, unobscured type-1 AGN phase. Moreover, the overall population of ionised outflows detected in SUPER has velocities comparable with the escape speed of their dark matter halos, and in general high enough to reach 30-50 kpc distances from the centre. These outflows are hence likely to sweep away the gas (at least) out of the baryonic disk and/or to heat the host gas reservoir, thus reducing and possibly quenching star formation.
Tozzi et al. (Thu,) studied this question.