Exploring interstellar medium conditions in AGN and star forming galaxies with integral field spectroscopy

Abstract

The interstellar medium (ISM), made up of ionised, neutral and molecular gas, and interstellar dust, is a fundamental ingredient of galaxy evolution. It is the “primary repository” of galaxies, where star formation (SF) takes place, depositing energy, momentum and chemical enriched material via stellar evolution events (e.g. stellar winds, supernova explosions). ISM properties can be largely influenced also by Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) activity, that through outflows and jets is capable of heating, compressing and/or removing the gas (feedback). SF and AGN activities are part of the so-called galaxy baryon cycle, that encloses a variety of physical processes, driving and shaping galaxy formation and evolution. This Thesis aims at probing and interpreting ISM properties in different galaxy types, including star forming galaxies and AGN hosts, and in different conditions within a galaxy, through the use of integral field spectroscopy (IFS) and the comparison of the observed data with ionisation models. The use of ISM tracers from optical to submillimeter wavelengths allowed to explore the different processes that affect ISM conditions across both AGN and star forming galaxies, and to assess their impact on the evolution of their hosts. The results obtained represent also a unique test bench for the new generation of photoionisation models, given the unprecedented detail of the analysed data as well as some limitations of current models highlighted in this work.