The MURALES survey

Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 657, pp. A114

Abstract

We present observations obtained with the VLT/MUSE optical integral field spectrograph of the radio source 3C 277.3, located at a redshift of 0.085 and associated with the galaxy Coma A. An emission line region fully enshrouds the double-lobed radio source, which is ∼60 kpc × 90 kpc in size. Based on the emission line ratios, we identified five compact knots in which the gas ionization is powered by young stars located as far as ∼60 kpc from the host. The emission line filaments surrounding the radio emission are compatible with ionization from fast shocks (with a velocity of 350−500 km s−1), but a contribution from star formation occurring at the edges of the radio source is likely. Coma A might be a unique example in the local Universe in which the expanding outflow triggers star formation throughout the whole radio source.

Authors 16

1. A. Capetti

   Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino

   Affiliation as printed

   INAF – Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino, Via Osservatorio 20, 10025 Pino Torinese, Italy

2. B. Balmaverde

   Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino

   Affiliation as printed

   INAF – Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino, Via Osservatorio 20, 10025 Pino Torinese, Italy

3. C. N. Tadhunter

   University of Sheffield

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S6 3TG, UK

4. ALESSANDRO MARCONI

   Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory · University of Florence

   Affiliation as printed

   Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Firenze, Via G. Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy

   INAF – Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Largo Enrico Fermi 5, 50125 Firenze, Italy

5. Giacomo Venturi

   Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile · Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory

   Affiliation as printed

   INAF – Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Largo Enrico Fermi 5, 50125 Firenze, Italy

   Instituto de Astrofísica, Facultad de Física, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 306, Santiago 22, Chile

6. M. Chiaberge

   Space Telescope Science Institute · Johns Hopkins University

   Affiliation as printed

   Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA

   Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Dr., Baltimore, MD 21210, USA

7. Ranieri Diego Baldi

   Istituto di Radioastronomia di Bologna

   Affiliation as printed

   INAF – Istituto di Radioastronomia, Via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy

8. Stefi Alison Baum

   University of Manitoba

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada

9. R. Gilli

   Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio

   Affiliation as printed

   INAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio di Bologna, Via Gobetti 93/3, 40129 Bologna, Italy

10. P. Grandi

    Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio di Bologna, Via Gobetti 93/3, 40129 Bologna, Italy

11. Eileen T. Meyer

    University of Maryland, Baltimore County

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA

12. GEORGE K. MILEY Aachen Leiden Observatory

    Leiden University · Leiden Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, PO Box 9513 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands

13. C. P. O’Dea

    University of Manitoba

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada

14. William B. Sparks

    Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

    Affiliation as printed

    SETI Institute, 189 N. Bernado Ave, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA

15. E. Torresi

    Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienza dello Spazio di Bologna, Via Gobetti 93/3, 40129 Bologna, Italy

16. Grant R Tremblay

    Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian

    Affiliation as printed

    Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138, USA