2021RNAAS...5..198F

We present Gemini/NIFS near-IR integral field spectroscopy of the fields-of-view around two AGNs behind the Fermi Bubbles (PDS 456 and 1H1613-097 ) to search for molecular gas in the Milky Way's nuclear wind. These two AGN sightlines were selected by the presence of high-velocity neutral and ionized gas seen in UV absorption. We do not detect any extended emission from the H₂ rovibrational S(0) and S(1) lines at 2.224 and 2.122 μm in either direction. For the H₂ 1-0 S(1) line, the 3σ surface brightness limits derived from spectra extracted across the full 3″ × 3″ NIFS field-of-view are 2.4 × 10^–17 erg cm^–2 s^–1 Å^–1 arcsec^–2 for PDS 456 and 4.9 × 10^–18 erg cm^–2 s^–1 Å^–1 arcsec^–2 for 1H1613-097. Given these non-detections, we conclude that CO emission studies and H₂ UV absorption studies are more promising approaches for characterizing molecular gas in the Fermi Bubbles.