2024ApJ...974..148Z

Using stacked emission-line flux measurements of cool circumgalactic gas (CGM) in lower-mass galaxies (10^9.0 ≤ M_*/M_⊙ ≤ 10^10.2), we measure the dependence of the emission characteristics on orientation relative to the disk plane as a function of radius and compare to what we found previously for massive (M_* > 10^10.4M_⊙) early-type galaxies. Although the line ratios (the lower [N II]/Hα and [O III]/Hβ) suggest an overall softer ionizing source than in the more massive galaxies, consistent with previous findings, we find the same ionization hardening signature (a higher [N II]/Hα ratio in the inner polar region) along the polar direction at small radii that we found for the more massive galaxies. The line ratio in the inner polar bin is distinct from that measured for the inner planar bin with 99.99%, confidence and with >99.9% confidence we conclude that it lies outside the star formation regime. The effective hardening of the ionization of the CGM along the polar axis, at small radii, could indicate either relic effects of active galactic nucleus activity or shock ionization. In either case, this signature appears to be ubiquitous across the stellar mass range we are able to explore with our spectral stacking technique and currently available archival data.