Molecular Outflows in NGC 3256: A JWST look at Feedback in a Late-stage Merger
Thomas Bohn (Hiroshima University)
The James Webb Space Telescope has unlocked a new era in our understanding of galaxy evolution and the feedback processes that govern it. In this presentation, I will discuss JWST IFS observations of NGC 3256 that were taken as part of the GOALS ERS program 1382. NGC 3256 is a local, z=0.009364 late-stage merger that is speculated to host stellar and AGN-driven outflows originating from both nuclei. As such, it is a compelling candidate to study two types of outflow feedback on the local environment. Using JWST NIRSpec and MIRI IFU data sets spanning 1.0 - 28.0 um, we discover outflows of warm molecular gas with speeds reaching up to 1,000 km/s and extend out to 0.7 kpc. Furthermore, we report outflow mass rates and energetics, and aim to identify the source of these outflows. Lastly, we analyze shocks within the local ISM that enable us to assess the impact of these outflows on the SFR of this cluster-rich system.
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