We present spatially resolved mass outflow rate measurements (Ṁ out ) for the narrow line region of Markarian 34, the nearest Compton-thick type 2 quasar (QSO2). Spectra obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope and at Apache Point Observatory reveal complex kinematics, with distinct signatures of outflow and rotation within 2 kpc of the nucleus. Using multi-component photoionization models, we find that the outflow contains a total ionized gas mass of M ≈ 1.6 × 10 6 M . Combining this with the kinematics yields a peak outflow rate ofṀ out ≈ 2.0 ± 0.4 M yr −1 at a distance of 470 pc from the nucleus, with a spatially integrated kinetic energy of E ≈ 1.4 × 10 55 erg. These outflows are more energetic than those observed in Mrk 573 and NGC 4151, supporting a correlation between luminosity and outflow strength even though they have similar peak outflow rates. The mix of rotational and outflowing components suggests that spatially resolved observations are required to determine accurate outflow parameters in systems with complex kinematics. (See appended erratum for updated values.)

We explore the kinematics of the stars, ionized gas, and warm molecular gas in the Seyfert 2 galaxy Mrk 3 (UGC 3426) on nuclear and galactic scales with Gemini Near-Infrared Field Spectrograph observations, previous Hubble Space Telescope data, and new long-slit spectra from the Apache Point Observatory (APO) 3.5 m telescope. The APO spectra are consistent with our previous suggestion that a galactic-scale gas/dust disk at P.A. = 129°, offset from the major axis of the host S0 galaxy at P.A. = 28°, is responsible for the orientation of the extended narrow-line region. The disk is fed by an H i tidal stream from a gas-rich spiral galaxy (UGC 3422) ∼100 kpc to the NW of Mrk 3 and is ionized by the active galactic nucleus (AGN) to a distance of at least ∼20″ (∼5.4 kpc) from the central supermassive black hole (SMBH). The kinematics within at least 320 pc of the SMBH are dominated by outflows with radial (line-of-sight) velocities up to 1500 km s−1 in the ionized gas and 500 km s−1 in the warm molecular gas, consistent with in situ heating, ionization, and acceleration of ambient gas to produce the narrow-line region outflows. There is a disk of ionized and warm molecular gas within ∼400 pc of the SMBH that has reoriented close to the stellar major axis but is counterrotating, consistent with claims of external fueling of AGNs in S0 galaxies.

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We explore the properties of ionized gas in the nuclear and circumnuclear environment of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 4051 using spectroscopic and imaging observations from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and Apache Point Observatory's ARC 3.5 m Telescope. We identify an unresolved moderate-density intermediate-width component and a high-density broad component in the optical emission lines from the active nucleus, as well as spatially resolved emission extending up to ∼1 kpc in the active galactic nucleus (AGN) ionized narrow-line region (NLR) and ∼8 kpc in the stellar ionized host galaxy. The HST narrowband image reveals a distinct conical structure in [O iii] emission toward the NE, and the ionized gas kinematics shows up to two blueshifted velocity components, indicating outflows along the edges of a cone. We introduce an improved model of biconical outflow, with our line of sight passing through the wall of the cone, which suggests that the large number of outflowing UV absorbers seen in NGC 4051 are NLR clouds in absorption. Using the deprojection factors from the biconical geometry, we measure true outflow velocities up to 680 km s−1  at a distance of ∼350 pc; however, we do not find any rotational signature inside a projected distance of ≤ 10″ (∼800 pc) from the nucleus. We compare the gas kinematics with analytical models based on a radiation-gravity formalism, which show that most of the observed NLR outflows are launched within ∼0.5 pc of the nucleus and can travel up to ∼1 kpc from this low-luminosity AGN.

We investigate the processes of active galactic nuclei (AGN) feeding and feedback in the narrow line regions (NLRs) and host galaxies of nearby AGN through spatially resolved spectroscopy with the Gemini Near-Infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) and the Hubble Space Telescope’s Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS). We examine the connection between nuclear and galactic inflows and outflows by adding long-slit spectra of the host galaxies from Apache Point Observatory. We demonstrate that nearby AGN can be fueled by a variety of mechanisms. We find that the NLR kinematics can often be explained by in situ ionization and radiative acceleration of ambient gas, often in the form of dusty molecular spirals that may be the fueling flow to the AGN.