Dusty Superwind from a Galaxy with a Compact Obscured Nucleus: Optical Spectroscopic Study of NGC 4418

Abstract

Abstract We report our optical spectroscopic study of the nucleus and its surrounding region of a nearby luminous infrared galaxy NGC 4418. This galaxy has been known to host a compact obscured nucleus, showing distinct characteristics such as a very compact (∼20 pc) submillimeter and mid-infrared core and dusty circumnuclear region with massive molecular gas concentration. We detected dusty superwind outflow at ≳1 kpc scale along the disk semiminor axis in both shock-heated emission lines and enhanced interstellar Na D absorption. This superwind shows basic characteristics similar to those of the prototypical superwind in the starburst galaxy M82, such as a kiloparsec-scale extended structure of gas and dust along the disk minor axis, outflowing components (multiphase gas and dust), physical conditions of the ionized gas, and monotonically blueshifting radial velocity field with increasing distance from the nucleus on the front side of the superwind. We also detected a moderately extinct starburst population in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey nuclear spectrum with a burst age of ≃10 Myr and stellar mass of ≃1 × 107 M ☉. It is powerful enough to drive the superwind within the dynamical age of the superwind (≃10 Myr). On the basis of comparison between this starburst–superwind scenario and the observations in terms of the burst age, stellar mass, infrared luminosity, and obscuration in the optical bands, we argue that this superwind-driving starburst is separate from the submillimeter core even if the core is a very young star cluster. Therefore, this galaxy hosts both the enshrouded compact core and the superwind-driving circumnuclear starburst.