Tracing the origin of the AGN fuelling reservoir in MCG--6-30-15
  The active galaxy MCG--6-30-15 has a 400 pc diameter stellar kinematically
distinct core, counter-rotating with respect to the main body of the galaxy.
Our previous high spatial resolution (0".1) H-band observations of this galaxy
mapped the stellar kinematics and [Fe II] 1.64 {\mu}m gas dynamics though
mainly restricted to the spatial region of the counter-rotating core. In this
work we probe the stellar kinematics on a larger field-of-view and determine
the ionised and molecular gas dynamics to study the formation of the
counter-rotating core and the implications for AGN fuelling. We present
integral field spectroscopy observations with SINFONI in the H and K-bands in
the central 1.2 kpc and with VIMOS HR-blue in the central 4 kpc of the galaxy.
Ionised gas outflows of v ~ 100 km/s are traced by the [Ca VIII] 2.32 {\mu}m
coronal line and extend out to at least a radius of r ~ 140 pc. The molecular
gas, traced by the H2 2.12 {\mu}m emission is also counter rotating with
respect to the main body of the galaxy, indicating that the formation of the
distinct core was associated with inflow of external gas into the centre of
MCG--6-30-15. The molecular gas traces the available gas reservoir for AGN
fuelling and is detected as close as r ~ 50 - 100 pc. External gas accretion is
able to significantly replenish the fuelling reservoir suggesting that the
event that formed the counter-rotating core was also the main mechanism
providing gas for AGN fuelling.
