Clustering of Mg II absorption line systems around massive galaxies: an important constraint on feedback processes in galaxy formation

We use the latest version of the metal line absorption catalogue of Zhu & Ménard to study the clustering of Mg II absorbers around massive galaxies (∼10^11.5 M_⊙), quasars and radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with redshifts between 0.4 and 0.75. Clustering is evaluated in two dimensions by binning absorbers both in the projected radius and velocity separation. Excess Mg II is detected around massive galaxies out to R_p = 20 Mpc. At projected radii less than 800 kpc, the excess extends out to velocity separations of 10 000 km s^-1. The extent of the high-velocity tail within this radius is independent of the mean stellar age of the galaxy and whether or not it harbours an AGN. We interpret our results using the publicly available Illustris and Millennium simulations. Models where the Mg II absorbers trace the dark matter particle or subhalo distributions do not fit the data. They overpredict the clustering on small scales and do not reproduce the excess high velocity separation Mg II absorbers seen within the virial radius of the halo. The Illustris simulations that include thermal, but not mechanical feedback from AGNs, also do not provide an adequate fit to the properties of the cool halo gas within the virial radius. We propose that the large velocity separation Mg II absorbers trace gas that has been pushed out of the dark matter haloes, possibly by multiple episodes of AGN-driven mechanical feedback acting over long time-scales.