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Hauptverfasser: Deka, P. P., Gupta, N., Krogager, J-. K., Balashev, S. A., Chen, H. -W., Combes, F., Klöckner, H. -R., Noterdaeme, P.
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2026
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Online-Zugang:https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.19896
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author Deka, P. P.
Gupta, N.
Krogager, J-. K.
Balashev, S. A.
Chen, H. -W.
Combes, F.
Klöckner, H. -R.
Noterdaeme, P.
author_facet Deka, P. P.
Gupta, N.
Krogager, J-. K.
Balashev, S. A.
Chen, H. -W.
Combes, F.
Klöckner, H. -R.
Noterdaeme, P.
contents We present results from a search of cold neutral gas associated with radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGNs) at $z < 0.5$ using HI 21-cm absorption measurements from the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey (MALS). Cross-matching the MALS 1006 MHz and SDSS DR18 catalogs yields 1908 radio sources at $z < 0.5$. Of these, 613 are classified as AGNs using BPT diagnostics and radio luminosity criteria. We further classify 426 AGNs into 327 low-excitation radio galaxies (LERGs) and 99 high-excitation radio galaxies (HERGs). We observe a significant ($>3σ$) difference in $k$-corrected $g-r$ color, consistent with LERGs residing in older galaxies with quenched star formation. We searched a radio-bright subsample of 79 LERGs and 20 HERGs ($S_{\mathrm{1.4\,GHz}} > 4$ mJy) for associated HI 21-cm absorption. This spans six decades in radio luminosity ($\log L_{\mathrm{1.4\,GHz}}$ (WHz$^{-1}$) $\sim 21.1-27.0$), probing an order of magnitude fainter than previous targeted HI surveys. We report five new detections (4 LERGs, 1 HERG) at $0.29 < z < 0.47$. The overall detection rate of $3^{+3}_{-2}$% (at a $3σ$ threshold of 10.0 kms$^{-1}$) is consistent with sensitivity-matched low-$z$ ($<0.2$) samples, suggesting no significant redshift evolution out to $z \sim 0.5$ or dependence on radio luminosity. Evaluating velocity offset, asymmetry, and width reveals three systems with entirely redshifted absorption and two with predominantly blueshifted absorption. HI profiles in LERGs show diverse asymmetries and velocity offsets exceeding 350 kms$^{-1}$, indicating disturbed cold-gas kinematics likely driven by lobe expansion or jet activity.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_19896
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle HI 21-cm absorption in low- and high-excitation radio-loud AGNs at $z<0.5$ from MALS
Deka, P. P.
Gupta, N.
Krogager, J-. K.
Balashev, S. A.
Chen, H. -W.
Combes, F.
Klöckner, H. -R.
Noterdaeme, P.
Astrophysics of Galaxies
We present results from a search of cold neutral gas associated with radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGNs) at $z < 0.5$ using HI 21-cm absorption measurements from the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey (MALS). Cross-matching the MALS 1006 MHz and SDSS DR18 catalogs yields 1908 radio sources at $z < 0.5$. Of these, 613 are classified as AGNs using BPT diagnostics and radio luminosity criteria. We further classify 426 AGNs into 327 low-excitation radio galaxies (LERGs) and 99 high-excitation radio galaxies (HERGs). We observe a significant ($>3σ$) difference in $k$-corrected $g-r$ color, consistent with LERGs residing in older galaxies with quenched star formation. We searched a radio-bright subsample of 79 LERGs and 20 HERGs ($S_{\mathrm{1.4\,GHz}} > 4$ mJy) for associated HI 21-cm absorption. This spans six decades in radio luminosity ($\log L_{\mathrm{1.4\,GHz}}$ (WHz$^{-1}$) $\sim 21.1-27.0$), probing an order of magnitude fainter than previous targeted HI surveys. We report five new detections (4 LERGs, 1 HERG) at $0.29 < z < 0.47$. The overall detection rate of $3^{+3}_{-2}$% (at a $3σ$ threshold of 10.0 kms$^{-1}$) is consistent with sensitivity-matched low-$z$ ($<0.2$) samples, suggesting no significant redshift evolution out to $z \sim 0.5$ or dependence on radio luminosity. Evaluating velocity offset, asymmetry, and width reveals three systems with entirely redshifted absorption and two with predominantly blueshifted absorption. HI profiles in LERGs show diverse asymmetries and velocity offsets exceeding 350 kms$^{-1}$, indicating disturbed cold-gas kinematics likely driven by lobe expansion or jet activity.
title HI 21-cm absorption in low- and high-excitation radio-loud AGNs at $z<0.5$ from MALS
topic Astrophysics of Galaxies
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.19896