Kavli Affiliate: Roberto Maiolino
| First 5 Authors: Xihan Ji, Xihan Ji, , ,
| Summary:
Recent JWST observations have revealed a puzzling population of optically red
and compact galaxies with peculiar "V"-shaped spectra at high redshift, known
as "Little Red Dots" (LRDs). Until now, most spectroscopically confirmed LRDs
are found at z > 4 and it has been speculated that LRDs are tracing the early
stages of black hole evolution. We report an independent rediscovery of a
broad-line active galactic nucleus (AGN), SDSS J102530.29+140207.3, at z = 0.1,
which shows spectral features matching those of LRDs seen in the early
Universe, including the V-shaped spectrum, broad Balmer lines (with widths of
1000-2000 km/s), and deep Balmer absorption. We present a new GTC observation
of this LRD, which reveals an optical continuum similar to those of G-to-K
giant stars including an unambiguous G-band absorption originating from the CH
molecule. In addition, this local LRD shows a series of absorption lines
potentially related to low-ionization ions or atoms but are deeper than what is
observed in empirical stellar templates. We further identify a series of [FeII]
emission lines indicative of low-ionization gas, which we find also present in
an JWST-selected LRD at z = 2.26. We find small but statistically significant
variability in H$alpha$ consistent with previous findings. Finally, with the
new X-ray observation from NuSTAR, we confirm the extreme X-ray weakness of
this LRD, which might imply Compton-thick gas obscuration with $N_rm
H>10^24~rm cm^-2$. All evidence suggests SDSS J102530.29+140207.3 has a
complex gaseous environment and the strong ionic, atomic, and molecular
absorptions are hard to explain with typical stellar and AGN models.
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