2016MNRAS.457..949M

We present a study of the central 200 pc of the galaxy NGC 6951, SAB(rs)bc, an active twin of the Milky Way, at a distance of 24 Mpc. Its nucleus has been observed in the optical with the Integral Field Unit of the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph, showing an outflow, and with the HST/ACS, revealing two extended structures with similar orientation, suggesting the presence of a collimating and/or obscuring structure. In order to ascertain this hypothesis, adaptive optics assisted NIR integral field spectroscopic observations were obtained with the Near-Infrared Integral Field Spectrograph in the Gemini North telescope. We detected a compact structure of H2 molecular gas, interpreted as a nearly edge-on disc with diameter of ∼47 pc, PA = 124° and velocity range from -40 to +40 km /s. This disc is misaligned by 32° with respect to the radio jet and the ionization cones seen in the optical. There are two regions of turbulent gas, with position angles similar to the jet/cones, seen both in molecular and ionized phases; these regions are connected to the edges of the molecular disc and coincide with a high ratio of [N ii]/H α = 5, suggesting that these regions are shock excited, partially ionized or both. We explain these structures as a consequence of a 'digging process' that the jet inflicts on the disc, ejecting the molecular gas towards the ionization cones. The dynamical mass within 17 pc is estimated as 6.3 x 10⁶ M☉. This is an interesting case of an object presenting evidence of a connected feeding-feedback structure.