DIFFERENCES IN HALO-SCALE ENVIRONMENTS BETWEEN TYPE 1 AND TYPE 2 AGNs AT LOW REDSHIFT

Abstract

ABSTRACT Using low-redshift ( ) samples of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), normal galaxies and groups of galaxies selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, we study the environments of Type 1 and Type 2 AGNs, both on small and large scales. Comparisons are made for galaxy samples matched in redshift, r-band luminosity, [O iii] luminosity, and also the position in groups (central or satellite). We find that Type 2 AGNs and normal galaxies reside in similar environments. Type 1 and Type 2 AGNs have similar clustering properties on large scales ( ), but at scales smaller than , Type 2s have significantly more neighbors than Type 1s (3.09 ± 0.69 times more for central AGNs at ). These results suggest that Type 1 and Type 2 AGNs are hosted by halos of similar masses, as can also be seen directly from the mass distributions of their host groups ( for centrals and for satellites). Type 2s have significantly more satellites around them, and the distribution of their satellites is also more centrally concentrated. The host galaxies of both types of AGNs have similar optical properties, but their infrared colors are significantly different. Our results suggest that the simple unified model based solely on torus orientation is not sufficient, but that galaxy interactions in dark matter halos must have played an important role in the formation of the dust structure, which obscures AGNs.