Feeding versus feedback in AGNs from near-infrared IFU observations: the case of Mrk 79

We have mapped the gaseous kinematics and the emission-line flux distributions and ratios from the inner approximate to 680 pc radius of the Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 79, using two-dimensional (2D) near-infrared J- and K-l-band spectra obtained with the Gemini instrument Near-Infrared Integral Field Spectrograph at a spatial resolution of approximate to 100 pc and velocity resolution of approximate to 40 km s(-1). The molecular hydrogen H-2 flux distribution presents two spiral arms extending by approximate to 700 pc, one to the north and another to the south of the nucleus, with an excitation indicating heating by X-rays from the central source. The low-velocity dispersion (sigma approximate to 50 km s(-1)) and rotation pattern supports a location of the H-2 gas in the disc of the galaxy. Blueshifts observed along the spiral arm in the far side of the galaxy and redshifts in the spiral arm in the near side, suggest that the spiral arms are feeding channels of H-2 to the inner 200 pc. From channel maps along the H-2 lambda 2.1218 mu m emission-line profile we estimate a mass inflow rate of (M)over dot(H2) approximate to 4 x 10(-3) M-circle dot yr(-1), which is one order of magnitude smaller than the mass accretion rate necessary to power the active galactic nucleus (AGN) of Mrk 79. The emission from the ionized gas (traced by Pa beta and [Fe II]lambda 1.2570 mu m emission lines) is correlated with the radio jet and with the narrow-band [O III] flux distribution. Its kinematics shows both rotation and outflows to the north and south of the nucleus. The ionized gas mass outflow rate through a cross-section with radius approximate to 320 pc located at a distance of approximate to 455 pc from the nucleus is (M)over dot(out) approximate to 3.5 M-circle dot yr(-1), which is much larger than the AGN mass accretion rate, indicating that most of the outflowing gas originates in the interstellar medium surrounding the galaxy nucleus, which is pushed away by a nuclear jet.