NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterAnna Trindade FalcãoMultiwavelength AGN astrophysicist

Research area

Multiphase AGN Outflows

Comparing highly ionized X-ray-emitting, warm ionized, and molecular gas to determine whether they trace physically connected phases of AGN outflows.

Multiwavelength view of the active galaxy NGC 1068, combining Chandra X-ray, Hubble optical, and VLA radio observations.
Observational compositeNGC 1068 · X-ray: NASA/CXC/MIT/C. Canizares, D. Evans et al.; optical: NASA/STScI; radio: NSF/NRAO/VLA

Observational approach

How I investigate this question

I combine spatially resolved Chandra X-ray spectroscopy, Hubble imaging, VLT/MUSE and SINFONI integral-field spectroscopy, and ALMA millimeter observations to compare morphology, ionization, kinematics, and spatial scale across gas phases.

Observatories

ChandraHubbleVLTALMA

Physical interpretation

What the observations allow us to test

Co-spatial emission alone does not establish common motion or energy exchange; physical coupling requires consistent kinematic, ionization, and energetics constraints.

Scientific questions

Questions guiding this work

01

Are the hot X-ray and warm ionized phases co-spatial, or do they trace different stages of the wind?

02

How does the outflow exchange energy with ionized gas in the host?

03

Which combinations of morphology, kinematics, and ionization best reveal physical coupling?

Research example

Comparing the circumnuclear gas phases in NGC 5728

Resolved Chandra X-ray, ALMA CO(2-1), and optical Hα + [N II] emission trace distinct components of the multiphase circumnuclear medium. Their spatial correspondence identifies where interaction may occur; it does not by itself demonstrate common motion or energy exchange.

View the NGC 5728 study
Processed Chandra, ALMA, and optical maps comparing X-ray-emitting, molecular, and warm ionized structures in NGC 5728.
Processed observational mapsTrindade Falcão et al. 2024, The Astrophysical Journal

Selected work

Publications and research highlights

storyHot X-Ray WindsRead the story publicationTracking X-Ray OutflowsView publication publicationThe Circumnuclear Environment of NGC 5728View publication publicationMapping the Multiphase Excitation Structure of NGC 5005View publication publicationHot, Photoionized X-Ray Gas in Two Type 2 QuasarsView publication

Connected research areas

AGN FeedbackInvestigating where AGN outflows interact with highly ionized X-ray-emitting and warm ionized gas in nearby active galaxies.Highly Ionized X-Ray-Emitting GasUsing Chandra imaging spectroscopy and physical modeling to determine what powers spatially extended X-ray emission around active nuclei.