Hunting the Kinetic Mode Feedback of AGNs via PAH Features

The "kinetic mode" feedback given its significance has been widely embraced in recent cosmological simulations of galaxy evolution. Inspired by some studies of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) for different types of AGNs, we propose to explore and then utilize the capability of PAH features in diagnosing jet/shock processes that are highly correlated with the kinetic mode feedback. This goal will be achieved through empirical calibrations between PAH features and other infrared diagnostics, along with PAH emission and shcok models for explanations. PAH features are widely distributed from ~3 to 20 micron and the kinetic mode feedback is more prevalent in low lumnosity AGNs (LLAGNs), especially in the low-ionization nuclear emission-line regions (LINERs). Therefore, we propose to obtain the NIRSpec/IFU and MIRI/MRS 2.9-28.5 micron spectroscopy for the central ~300-600 pc regions, where AGN activities are dominant, of 3 well studied nearby LINERs. We will constrain the spatial distributions of intrinsic and relative strengths of different PAH features in these LINERs. The distributions of infrared ionic emission lines and particularly H2 emission lines are also valuable. These lines provide a necessary probe of the underlying physical conditions to explain the PAH characteristics and associate the PAH characteristics with jet/shock processes. Secondly, through comparison with the archived JWST Cycle 1 and 2 spectroscopy of luminous nearby Seyfert galaxies, we will quantify the differences in PAH characteristics in regions dominated by a kinetic feedback versus the "quasar mode" feedback. The latter is more prevalent in luminous, highly accreting Seyfert galaxies.