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Astrophysics

JWST resolves jet-driven H2 and ionized outflows in radio galaxy 3C305

B. Sebastian, P. M. Ogle

Featured July 19, 2026

Original Paper

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Simply

Using JWST, astronomers precisely mapped how powerful jets from a galaxy's center smash into surrounding gas, heating it up and blasting it out, shaping the galaxy's growth.

In depth
This paper leverages JWST observations to conduct a spatially resolved multiphase study of the radio galaxy 3C 305, revealing that its compact jet drives massive multiphase gas outflows and efficiently heats the interstellar medium through jet-ISM interaction. The authors demonstrate that double-Gaussian fitting of emission lines and power-law temperature distributions for H excitation are crucial for characterizing these complex dynamics and energy transfer processes.

Key Takeaways

  • 1
    JWST observations reveal previously undetected warm H$_{2}$ and ionized gas outflows, confirming that the radio jet efficiently drives gas out of the galaxy.
  • 2
    A double-Gaussian fitting technique successfully decomposes complex gas kinematics into distinct rotating disk and outflowing components, with outflows reaching up to .
  • 3
    Mid-IR line ratio analysis, using shock+precursor models, demonstrates that jet-driven shocks are the primary mechanism for heating and ionizing the multiphase interstellar medium.

Conceptual Flow

HIGH LEVEL
1
Methodology: Mapping Jet-ISM Interaction with JWST

Scientists used a powerful space telescope to take detailed pictures and measure the speed of different types of gas around a galaxy's central jet.

Galaxy Light
Jet Radio Waves
JWST & VLA Observe
Gas Maps
Gas Speeds
2
Results: Jet-Driven Multiphase Outflows Confirmed

They found that the galaxy's jet creates strong shocks that heat and push out gas in multiple forms, like warm molecular and ionized gas.

Warm Gas
Ionized Gas
Jet Creates Shocks
Gas Blasted Out
Galaxy Shaped