Signs of active galactic nucleus quenching in a merger remnant with radio jets

Abstract

We investigate optical, infrared, and radio active galactic nucleus (AGN) signs in the merger remnant Arp 187, which hosts luminous jets launched in the order of 105 yr ago but whose present-day AGN activity is still unknown. We find AGN signs from the optical Baldwin-Phillips-Telervich diagram and infrared [O iv] 25.89 μm line, originating from the narrow line regions of AGN. On the other hand, Spitzer/IRS show host galaxy dominated spectra, suggesting that the thermal emission from the AGN torus is considerably small or already diminished. Combining the black hole mass, the upper limit of radio luminosity of the core, and the fundamental plane of the black hole enables us to estimate X-ray luminosity, which gives <1040 erg s-1. Those results suggest that the AGN activity of Arp 187 has already been quenched, but the narrow line region is still alive owing to the time delay of emission from the past AGN activity.