MIRACLE III. JWST/MIRI expose the hidden role of the AGN outflow in NGC 1068

C. Marconcini, A. Marconi, M. Ceci, A. Feltre, M. Tartenas, K. Zubovas, I. Lamperti, G. Cresci, L. Ulivi, F. Mannucci, E. Bertola, C. Bracci, E. Cataldi, Q. D'Amato, J. A. Fernandez-Ontiveros, J. Fritz, E. Hatziminaoglou, I. E. Lopez, M. Ginolfi, C. Gruppioni, M. Mingozzi, B. Moreschini, G. Sabatini, F. Salvestrini, M. Scialpi, G. Tozzi, A. Vidal-Garcia, C. Vignali, G. Venturi, M. V. Zanchettin

First listed 2025-12-11 | Last updated 2025-12-11

Abstract

We present new JWST IFS observations of the active galaxy NGC 1068, combining Mid-IR and optical IFS data from MIRI and MUSE to characterize the multi-phase circumnuclear gas properties and its interaction with the AGN outflow and radio jet. MIRI data trace the multiphase gas emission up to 400 pc from the nucleus at 20--60 pc resolution, unveiling a clumpy ionized structure around the radio hot-spots and a rotating warm molecular disc. Innovative Mid-IR diagnostic diagrams highlight the role of the AGN as the main excitation source for the ionized gas in the entire MIRI field of view, consistent with optical diagnostics, and supporting the AGN-driven wind scenario. Density sensitive [NeV] and [ArV] Mid-IR transitions reveal high-density clumps (n_e > 10**4 cm**-3) along the edges of the jet and outflow, tracing gas compression by the expanding wind. We combined multi-cloud kinematic (MOKA) and photo-ionization (HOMERUN) modeling to characterize the ionized outflow properties and found that [OIV] traces an outflow 300 km/s faster than that inferred from [OIII], showing that the two lines originate from distinct gas components. This kinematic dichotomy is confirmed by the photoionization analysis, which requires a dust-poor component dominating the optical lines and a dust-rich component responsible for the Mid-IR emission. The Mid-IR-revealed dusty component carries a significantly larger ionized-gas mass than what can be inferred from optical lines alone, showing that most of the outflowing mass is hidden from classical optical diagnostics. Our modelling point to a two-stage acceleration scenario, with velocities up to ~2000 km/s, consistent with an energy-driven wind. Our findings indicates that the outflow entrains up to a few 10**6 solar masses of ionized gas and couples efficiently with the surrounding ISM, injecting turbulence and impacting the host-galaxy environment.

Short digest

JWST/MIRI IFS plus MUSE map the circumnuclear gas in NGC 1068 at 20–60 pc resolution out to ~400 pc, revealing clumpy ionized structures around radio hot-spots and a rotating warm H2 disc. Mid-IR diagnostics place nearly all spaxels in the AGN-excited regime and density-sensitive [NeV]/[ArV] lines pick out ne > 10^4 cm^-3 clumps along jet/outflow edges, consistent with wind-driven compression. Kinematic and photoionization modeling show [OIV] traces an outflow ≈300 km/s faster than [OIII], requiring a dust-poor optical component and a dust-rich Mid-IR component that carries most of the ionized mass, with two-stage acceleration up to ~2000 km/s consistent with an energy-driven wind. The outflow entrains up to a few ×10^6 Msun and couples efficiently to the ISM, implying that optical tracers alone undercount the true mass and impact of the feedback.

Key figures to inspect

• Figure 1: Compare the MUSE [OIII] and MIRI [OIV] maps with VLA contours to see how ionized clumps wrap the radio hot-spots and the alignment of the outflow with the jet; note the nuclear position and the 1″ extraction aperture.
• Figure 2: Inspect the integrated MIRI spectrum for the suite of high-ionization lines ([OIV], [NeV], [ArV]) and H2 transitions plus the 5.8–6.2 μm water-ice band used for density/ionization and multi-phase constraints.
• Figure 3: Use the moment-0/1/2 maps across [OIII], [NeV], [OIV], H2 S(1), and CO(2–1) to contrast kinematics—[OIV] shows faster/broader flows than [OIII] while H2 outlines a rotating warm disc; check how features track the radio jet.
• Figure 4: Read the Mid-IR ratio diagrams ([NeIII]/[NeII] vs [OIV]/[NeII], [NeIII]/[NeII] vs [NeV]/[NeII]) alongside the optical BPT to verify AGN-dominated excitation across the FoV and spot any spatial outliers or composite regions.