NGC 7469 as seen by MEGARA: new results from high-resolution IFU spectroscopy

Abstract

We present our analysis of high-resolution (R ∼ 20 000) GTC/MEGARA integral-field unit spectroscopic observations, obtained during the commissioning run, in the inner region (12.5 arcsec × 11.3 arcsec) of the active galaxy NGC 7469, at spatial scales of 0.62 arcsec. We explore the kinematics, dynamics, ionization mechanisms, and oxygen abundances of the ionized gas, by modelling the H α-[N II] emission lines at high signal-to-noise (> 15) with multiple Gaussian components. MEGARA observations reveal, for the first time for NGC 7469, the presence of a very thin (20 pc) ionized gas disc supported by rotation (V/σ = 4.3), embedded in a thicker (222 pc), dynamically hotter (V/σ = 1.3) one. These discs nearly corotate with similar peak-to-peak velocities (163 versus 137 km s^(−1)), but with different average velocity dispersion (38 ± 1 versus 108 ± 4 km s^(−1)). The kinematics of both discs could be possibly perturbed by star-forming regions. We interpret the morphology and the kinematics of a third (broader) component (σ > 250 km s^(−1)) as suggestive of the presence of non-rotational turbulent motions possibly associated either to an outflow or to the lense. For the narrow component, the [N II]/H α ratios point to the star-formation as the dominant mechanism of ionization, being consistent with ionization from shocks in the case of the intermediate component. All components have roughly solar metallicity. In the nuclear region of NGC 7469, at r ≤ 1.85 arcsec, a very broad (FWHM = 2590 km s^(−1)) H α component is contributing (41 per cent) to the global H α-[N II] profile, being originated in the (unresolved) broad line region of the Seyfert 1.5 nucleus of NGC 7469.