Evolution Of Active Galactic Nuclei Research Articles

Dual Active Galactic Nuclei: Precursors of Binary Supermassive Black Hole Formation and Mergers

The presence of dual active galactic nuclei (AGNs) on scales of a few tens of kiloparsecs can be used to study merger-induced accretion on supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and offer insights about SMBH mergers, using dual AGNs as merger precursors. This study uses the Romulus25 cosmological simulation to investigate the properties and evolution of dual AGNs. We first analyze the properties of AGNs (L bol > 1043 erg s−1) and their neighboring SMBHs (any SMBHs closer than 30 pkpc to an AGN) at z ≤ 2. This is our underlying population. We then applied the luminosity threshold of L bol > 1043 erg s−1 to the neighboring SMBHs thereby identifying dual and multiple AGNs. Our findings indicate an increase in the number of both single and dual AGNs from lower to higher redshifts. We also find that the number of dual AGNs with separations of 0.5–4 kpc is twice the number of duals with separations of 4–30 kpc. All dual AGNs in our sample resulted from major mergers. Compared to single AGNs, duals have a lower black hole-to-halo mass ratio. We found that the properties of dual AGN host halos, including halo mass, stellar mass, star formation rate, and gas mass, are generally consistent with those of single AGN halos, albeit tending toward the higher end of their respective property ranges. Our analysis uncovered a diverse array of evolutionary patterns among dual AGNs, including rapidly evolving systems, slower ones, and instances where SMBH mergers are ineffective.

Evolution of the dual AGN in Mrk 266: a young AGN and a rotation-dominated disc in the SW nucleus

ABSTRACT Dual active galactic nuclei (AGNs) offer a unique opportunity to probe the relationship between supermassive black holes (SMBH) and their host galaxies as well as the role of major mergers in triggering AGN activity. The confirmed dual AGN Mrk 266 has been studied extensively with multiwavelength imaging. Now, high-spatial-resolution IFU spectroscopy of Mrk 266 provides an opportunity to probe the kinematics of both the merger event and AGN feedback. We present for the first time high-spatial-resolution kinematic maps for both nuclei of Mrk 266 obtained with the Keck OSIRIS IFU spectrograph, utilizing adaptive optics to achieve a resolution of $0.31$ and $0.20\,\mathrm{ arcsec}$ for the NE and SW nuclei, respectively. Using the $M_\text{BH} \!-\! \sigma _*$ relation for mergers, we infer an SMBH mass of approximately $7 \times 10^{7}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$ for the south-western nucleus. Additionally, we report that the molecular gas kinematics of the south-western nucleus are dominated by rotation rather than large-scale chaotic motions. The south-west nucleus also contains both a circumnuclear ring of star formation from which an inflow of molecular gas is likely fuelling the AGN and a compact, AGN-dominated outflow of highly ionized gas with a time-scale of approximately 2 Myr, significantly shorter than the time-scale of the merger. The north-eastern nucleus, on the other hand, exhibits complex kinematics related to the merger, including molecular gas that appears to have decoupled from the rotation of the stars. Our results suggest that while the AGN activity in Mrk 266 was likely triggered during the merger, AGN feeding is currently the result of processes internal to each host galaxy, thus resulting in a strong asymmetry between the two nuclei.

ViCTORIA project: The LOFAR-MeerKAT view of active galactic nuclei in Virgo cluster early-type galaxies

Context. The evolution of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is closely connected to their host galaxies and surroundings. Via feedback processes, AGNs can counteract the cooling of the intracluster medium (ICM) and suppress star formation in their host galaxies. Radio observations at low frequencies provide a glimpse into the history of AGN activity. The Virgo cluster is a substantial reservoir of nearby galaxies and provides an ideal laboratory for the study of AGNs as well as their feedback mechanisms. Aims. The aim of our work is to characterise the AGN population within the Virgo cluster down to low radio luminosities, constrain the AGN duty cycle, and investigate environmental feedback in cluster member galaxies. Methods. We analysed 144 MHz and 1.3 GHz radio observations of early-type galaxies from the ACS Virgo Cluster Survey (ACSVCS) taken with LOFAR and MeerKAT. Results. We detect 12 of these galaxies at 144 MHz, five of which show clearly extended radio emission. The radio luminosity shows a strong dependence on the stellar mass of the host galaxy, in agreement with previous results. As a notable outlier, the massive elliptical galaxy NGC 4365 (M* = 2.2 × 1011 M⊙) is not detected as compact source in the LOFAR observations. Instead, it is surrounded by diffuse, low-surface brightness emission, which hints towards a past phase of stronger nuclear activity. Furthermore, we find a cavity in NGC 4472 (=M 49) inflated by the wide-angle tail only visible in the LOFAR data, which implies that the cavity was created by a past outburst. The corresponding cavity power is of the same order of magnitude as the jet power in the present duty cycle of the AGN.

Probing properties of nearly two-hundred new active galactic nuclei

Abstract We present a comprehensive analysis of the X-ray spectral properties of 198 newly identified active galactic nuclei (AGNs), leveraging archival data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory. All these AGNs exhibit a powerlaw spectral signature spanning a broad energy range of 0.5 − 7.0 keV, characterized by the photon index (Γ) values ranging from $0.3^{+0.16}_{-0.14}$ to $2.54^{+0.14}_{-0.13}$. Particularly, 76 of these AGNs display discernible levels of intrinsic absorption, after considering the Galactic absorption. The column densities associated with this local absorption ($n_{\rm H}^{\rm local}$) are within a range of ∼1019 − 1022 cm−2. We study the cosmological evolution of AGNs using the variation of $n_{\rm H}^{\rm local}$ and Γ with their estimated redshift. The intrinsic spectral signature did not reveal any significant cosmological evolution; however, a deficit of hard sources at high redshift is possibly intrinsic. Our sample covers several orders of broadband intrinsic luminosity ($L_{\rm B}^{\rm intr}$) ranging from $4.59^{+0.41}_{-0.41} \times 10^{42}$ to $2.4^{+0.12}_{-0.12} \times 10^{46}\, {\rm erg~s}^{-1}$ with peak at 1.84 redshift. We also investigate the hardness-luminosity diagram (HLD) to further probe the AGNs. We conduct a sanity check by applying our findings to known AGNs, and the results are consistent with our observations.

Unveiling the quasar main sequence: illuminating the complexity of active galactic nuclei and their evolution

The Eigenvector 1 schema, or the main sequence of quasars, was introduced as an analogous scheme to the HR diagram that would allow us to understand the more complex, extended sources - active galactic nuclei (AGNs) that harbor accreting supermassive black holes. The study has spanned more than three decades and has advanced our knowledge of the diversity of Type-1 AGNs from both observational and theoretical aspects. The quasar main sequence, in its simplest form, is the plane between the FWHM of the broad Hβ emission line and the strength of the optical Fe ii emission to the Hβ. While the former allows the estimation of the black hole mass, the latter enables direct measurement of the metal content and traces the accretion rate of the AGN. Together, they allow us to track the evolution of AGN in terms of the activity of the central nuclei, its effect on the line-emitting regions surrounding the AGN, and their diversity making them suitable distance indicators to study the expansion of our Universe. This mini-review aims to provide (i) a brief history leading up to the present day in the study of the quasar main sequence, (ii) introduce us to the many possibilities to study AGNs with the main sequence as a guiding tool, and (iii) highlight some recent, exciting lines of researches at the frontier of this ever-growing field.

Velocity-resolved Ionization Mapping of Broad Line Region. I. Insights into Diverse Geometry and Kinematics

Broad emission lines of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) originate from the broad-line region (BLR), consisting of dense gas clouds in orbit around an accreting supermassive black hole. Understanding the geometry and kinematics of this region is crucial for gaining insights into the physics and evolution of AGNs. Conventional velocity-resolved reverberation mapping may face challenges in disentangling the degeneracy between intricate motion and geometry of this region. To address this challenge, new key constraints are required. Here, we report the discovery of an asymmetric BLR using a novel technique: velocity-resolved ionization mapping, which can map the distance of emitting gas clouds by measuring Hydrogen line ratios at different velocities. By analyzing spectroscopic monitoring data, we find that the Balmer decrement is anticorrelated with the continuum and correlated with the lags across broad emission line velocities. Some line ratio profiles deviate from the expectations for a symmetrically virialized BLR, suggesting that the redshifted and blueshifted gas clouds may not be equidistant from the supermassive black hole (SMBH). This asymmetric geometry might represent a formation imprint, provide new perspectives on the evolution of AGNs, and influence SMBH mass measurements.

RadioSED I: Bayesian inference of radio SEDs from inhomogeneous surveys

Abstract We present here RadioSED, a Bayesian inference framework tailored to modelling and classifying broadband radio spectral energy distributions (SEDs) using only data from publicly-released, large-area surveys. We outline the functionality of RadioSED, with its focus on broadband radio emissions which can trace kiloparsec-scale absorption within both the radio jets and the circumgalactic medium of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). In particular, we discuss the capability of RadioSED to advance our understanding of AGN physics and composition within youngest and most compact sources, for which high resolution imaging is often unavailable. These young radio AGN typically manifest as peaked spectrum (PS) sources which, before RadioSED, were difficult to identify owing to the large, broadband frequency coverage typically required, and yet they provide an invaluable environment for understanding AGN evolution and feedback. We discuss the implementation details of RadioSED, and we validate our approach against both synthetic and observational data. Since the surveys used are drawn from multiple epochs of observation, we also consider the output from RadioSED in the context of AGN variability. Finally, we show that RadioSED recovers the expected SED shapes for a selection of well-characterised radio sources from the literature, and we discuss avenues for further study of these and other sources using radio SED fitting as a starting point. The scalability and modularity of this framework make it an exciting tool for multiwavelength astronomers as next-generation telescopes begin several all-sky surveys. Accordingly, we make the code for RadioSED, which is written in python, available on Github.

Active Galactic Nucleus Properties of ∼1 Million Member Galaxies of Galaxy Groups and Clusters at z < 1.4 Based on the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam Survey

Herein, we present the statistical properties of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) for approximately 1 million member galaxies of galaxy groups and clusters with 0.1 < cluster redshift (z cl) < 1.4 selected using the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam, the so-called CAMIRA clusters. In this research, we focused on the AGN power fraction (f AGN), which is defined as the proportion of the contribution of AGNs to the total infrared (IR) luminosity, L IR (AGN)/L IR, and examined how f AGN depends on (i) z cl and (ii) the distance from the cluster center. We compiled multiwavelength data using the ultraviolet–mid-IR range. Moreover, we performed spectral energy distribution fits to determine f AGN using the CIGALE code with the SKIRTOR AGN model. We found that (i) the value of f AGN in the CAMIRA clusters is positively correlated with z cl, with the correlation slope being steeper than that for field galaxies, and (ii) f AGN exhibits a high value at the cluster outskirts. These results indicate that the emergence of the AGN population depends on the redshift and environment and that galaxy groups and clusters at high redshifts are important in AGN evolution. Additionally, we demonstrated that cluster–cluster mergers may enhance AGN activity at the outskirts of particularly massive galaxy clusters. Our findings are consistent with a related study on the CAMIRA clusters that was based on the AGN number fraction.

The neutrino background from non-jetted active galactic nuclei

Aims. We calculate the contribution to the neutrino background from the non-jetted active galactic nuclei (AGN) population following the recent IceCube association of TeV neutrinos with NGC 1068. Methods. We exploited our robust knowledge of the AGN X-ray luminosity function and evolution and converted it to the neutrino band by using NGC 1068 as a benchmark, together with a theoretically motivated neutrino spectrum. Results. The resulting neutrino background up to redshift 5 does not violate either the IceCube diffuse flux or the upper bounds for non-jetted AGN, although barely so. This is consistent with a scenario in which the latter class makes a substantial contribution mostly below 1 PeV, while jetted AGN, that is, blazars, dominate above this energy, in intriguing agreement with the dip in the neutrino data at ∼300 TeV. More and better IceCube data on Seyfert galaxies will allow us to constrain the fraction of neutrino emitters among non-jetted AGN.

AGNs in massive galaxy clusters: Role of galaxy merging, infalling groups, cluster mass, and dynamical state

Context. There is compelling evidence that active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in high-density regions have undergone a different evolution than their counterparts in the field, indicating that they are strongly affected by their environment. However, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of the dominant mechanisms that trigger the nucleus and the processes that drive the evolution of AGNs in clusters. Aims. To investigate (and possibly disentangle) the various factors that may affect the prevalence of AGNs in cluster galaxies, we selected a sample of 19 thoroughly studied X-ray-selected galaxy clusters from the LoCuSS survey. All these clusters are considered massive, with M500 ≳ 2 × 1014 M⊙, and span a narrow redshift range between z ∼ 0.16 and 0.28. Methods. We divided the cluster surroundings into two concentric annuli with a width of R500 radius. We considered the first annulus as the central cluster region and the second as the outskirts. We further divided the cluster sample based on the presence of infalling X-ray-detected groups, cluster mass, or dynamical state. We determined the AGN fraction in cluster galaxies of the various sub-samples by correlating the X-ray point-like sources selected from the 4XMM DR10 catalogue with the highly complete spectroscopic catalogue of cluster members obtained with Hectospec. We subsequently used the optical spectra to determine the type of nuclear activity and we visually inspected the host morphology for indications of galaxy mergers or other interactions. Results. We found that the X-ray AGN fraction in the outskirts is consistent with the field, but it is significantly lower in cluster centres, in agreement with previous results for massive clusters. We show that these results do not depend on cluster mass, at least within our cluster mass range, nor on the presence of X-ray-detected infalling groups. Furthermore, we did not find any evidence of a spatial correlation between infalling groups and AGNs. Nevertheless, a significant excess of X-ray AGNs is found in the outskirts of relaxed clusters at the 2σ confidence level, compared both to non-relaxed clusters and to the field. Finally, according to the literature, the fraction of broad- to narrow-line AGNs in clusters is roughly consistent with the field. However, broad-line AGNs may be preferably located in cluster centres. In the outskirts, the optical spectra of X-ray AGNs present narrow emission lines or they are dominated by stellar emission. Conclusions. Our results suggest that the mechanisms that trigger AGN activity may vary between cluster centres and the outskirts. Ram pressure can efficiently remove the gas from infalling galaxies, thereby triggering AGN activity in some cases. However, the reduced availability of gas globally diminishes the fraction of AGNs in cluster centers. The surplus of X-ray AGNs identified in the outskirts of relaxed clusters may be attributed to an increased frequency of galaxy mergers, a notion that is further supported by the disturbed morphology observed in several galaxies.

The XXL survey

We model the evolution of active galactic nuclei (AGN) by constructing their radio LFs. We used a set of surveys of varying area and depth, namely, the deep COSMOS survey of 1916 AGN sources; the wide, shallow 3CRR, 7C, and 6CE surveys, together containing 356 AGN; and the intermediate XXL-North and South fields consisting of 899 and 1484 sources, respectively. We also used the CENSORS, BRL, Wall &amp; Peacock, and Config surveys, respectively consisting of 150, 178, 233, and 230 sources. Together, these surveys account for 5446 AGN sources and constrained the LFs at high redshift and over a wide range of luminosities (up to z ≈ 3 and log(L/W Hz−1)∈[22, 29]). We concentrated on parametric methods within the Bayesian framework, which allowed us to perform model selection between a set of different models. By comparing the marginalised likelihoods and both the Akaike information criterion and the Bayesian information criterion, we show that the luminosity-dependent density evolution (LDDE) model fits the data best, with evidence ratios varying from “strong” (&gt; 10) to “decisive” (&gt; 100), according to the Jeffreys’ interpretation. The best-fitting model gives insight into the physical picture of AGN evolution, where AGN evolve differently as a function of their radio luminosity. We determined the number density, luminosity density, and kinetic luminosity density as a function of redshift, and we observed a flattening of these functions at higher redshifts, which is not present in simpler models. We explain these trends by our use of the LDDE model. Finally, we divided our sample into subsets according to the stellar mass of the host galaxies in order to investigate a possible bimodality in evolution. We found a difference in LF shape and evolution between these subsets. All together, these findings point to a physical picture where the evolution and density of AGN cannot be explained well by simple models but require more complex models either via AGN sub-populations, where the total AGN sample is divided into sub-samples according to various properties, such as optical properties and stellar mass, or via luminosity-dependent functions.

A newborn active galactic nucleus in a star-forming galaxy

Aims. We report on the finding of a newborn active galactic nucleus (AGN), based on the observation of current AGN activity in a galaxy previously classified as non-active. We subsequently characterize the AGN’s evolution. Methods. Black hole ignition event candidates were selected from a parent sample of spectrally classified non-active galaxies (2 394 312 objects), which currently show optical flux variability indicative of a type I AGN, according to the ALeRCE light curve classifier. A second epoch spectrum for a sample of candidate newborn AGNs was obtained with the SOAR telescope to search for new AGN features. Results. We present the spectral results for the most convincing case of new AGN activity for a galaxy with a prior star-forming optical classification, where the second epoch spectrum shows the appearance of prominent, broad Balmer lines, without any significant changes seen in the narrow line flux ratios. The long-term optical light curves show a steady increase in luminosity starting 1.5 years after the SDSS spectrum was taken and continuing for at least 7 years. Mid-infrared (MIR) colors from the WISE catalog have also evolved from typical non-active galaxy colors to AGN-like colors. Recent X-ray flux detections confirm its nature as an AGN.

A comparison of compact, presumably young with extended, evolved radio active galactic nuclei

Context. The triggering and evolution of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and the interaction of the AGN with its host galaxy is an important topic in extragalactic astrophysics. Radio sources with peaked spectra (peaked spectrum sources, PSS) and compact symmetric objects (CSO) are powerful, compact, and presumably young AGNs and therefore particularly suitable to study aspects of the AGN-host connection. Aims. We use a statistical approach to investigate properties of a PSS-CSO sample that are related to host galaxies and could potentially shed light on the link between host galaxies and AGNs. The main goal is to compare the PSS-CSO sample with a matching comparison sample of extended sources (ECS) to see if the two have significant differences. Methods. We analysed composite spectra, diagnostic line diagrams, multi-band spectral energy distributions (MBSEDs), star formation (SF) indicators, morphologies, and cluster environments for a sample of 121 PSSs and CSOs for which spectra are available from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The statistical results were compared with those of the ECS sample, where we generally considered the two subsamples of quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) and radio galaxies separately. The analysis is based on a large set of archival data in the spectral range from the ultraviolet to mid-infrared. Results. We find significant differences between the PSS-CSO and the ECS sample. In particular, we find that the ECS sample has a higher proportion of passive galaxies with a lower star formation activity. This applies to both sub-samples (QSOs or radio galaxies) as well as to the entire sample. The star formation rates of the PSS-CSO host galaxies with available data are typically in the range ∼0 to 5 ℳ⊙ yr−1, and the stellar masses are in the range 3 × 1011 to 1012 ℳ⊙. Secondly, in agreement with previous results, we find a remarkably high proportion of PSS-CSO host galaxies with merger signatures. The merger fraction of the PSS-CSO sample is 0.61 ± 0.07, which is significantly higher than that of the comparison sample (0.15 ± 0.06). We suggest that this difference can be explained by assuming that the majority of the PSSs and CSOs cannot evolve to extended radio sources and are therefore not represented in our comparison sample.

The X-ray high-energy cutoff in compact symmetric object Mrk 348

ABSTRACT Compact radio active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are thought to be young radio AGN at the early stage of AGN evolution, thus are ideal laboratory to study the high-energy emission throughout the evolution of radio AGN. In this work, we report for the first time the detection of the high-energy cutoff (Ecut), a direct indicator of thermal coronal radiation, of X-ray emission in Mrk 348 (z = 0.015), a young radio galaxy classified as compact symmetric object. With a 100 ks Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array exposure, we find that the high-energy cutoff (Ecut) is firmly detected ($218^{+124}_{-62}$ keV). Fitting with various Comptonization models indicates the presence of a hot corona with temperature kTe = 35–40 keV. These strongly support the corona origin for its hard X-ray emission. The comparison in the Ecut – spectra index Γ plot of Mrk 348 with normal large-scale radio galaxies (mostly Fanaroff–Riley type II) yields no difference between them. This suggests the corona properties in radio sources may not evolve over time (i.e. from the infant stage to mature stage), which is to-be-confirmed with future sample studies of young radio AGNs.

A population of Optically Quiescent Quasars from WISE and SDSS

ABSTRACT The growth of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) occurs under some form of obscuration in a large fraction of the population. The difficulty in constraining this population leads to high uncertainties in cosmic X-ray background and galaxy evolution models. Using an SDSS–WISE cross-match, we target infrared luminous AGN (W1 − W2 &amp;gt; 0.8, and monochromatic rest-frame luminosity above λLλ(12 μm) ≈ 3 × 1044 erg s−1), but with passive galaxy-like optical spectra (Optically Quiescent Quasars; OQQs). We find 47 objects that show no significant [O iii]λ5007 emission, a typically strong AGN optical emission line. As a comparison sample, we examine SDSS-selected Type 2 quasars (QSO2s), which show a significant [O iii]λ5007 line by definition. We find a 1:16 ratio of OQQs compared to QSO2s, suggesting that the OQQ duty cycle is likely much shorter than that of QSO2s (though selection biases are not fully quantified). We consider observed properties in comparison with other galaxy types, and examine them for consistency with theories on their intrinsic nature: chiefly (a) a high covering factor for surrounding obscuring matter, preventing the detection of high-ionisation emission lines – ‘cocooned AGN’; or (b) ionized gas being absent on the kpc scales of the Narrow Line Region (NLR), perhaps due to a ‘switching on’ or ‘young’ AGN. OQQs do not obviously fit the standard paradigm for merger-driven AGN and host galaxy evolution, implying we may be missing part of the flow of AGN evolution.

Impact of Non-Thermal Particle Acceleration on Radiative Signatures of AGN Jet-Cloud Interactions

This study investigates the complex dynamics of AGN (Active Galactic Nucleus) jet-cloud interactions, particularly focusing on the impact of non-thermal particle acceleration on the resulting radiative signatures. We utilize advanced computational simulations, tracking changes in jet properties and emissions over a span of 0.2 Myr (millions of years). The research design incorporates the modeling of jet-cloud interactions, with a key focus on variations in the jet's density, velocity, and magnetic field. Findings reveal a two-fold increase in the magnetic field strength up to ~5 μG due to cloud incorporation, which, coupled with an elevated non-thermal particle population, enhances synchrotron emissions, shifting the spectral index from 2.2 to 2.4. Inverse Compton scattering saw a 30% increase within the first 0.125 Myr, reflecting in an abrupt X-ray and gamma-ray emissions spike. Furthermore, the jet's light curve flux variability in the X-ray band showcased an initial peak increase of about 28% by 0.175 Myr, settling to a 20% increase by 0.2 Myr, attributable to cloud disruption and absorption. Conclusions drawn from these findings confirm our hypothesis that non-thermal particle acceleration dramatically influences the radiative signatures of AGN jet-cloud interactions .It underscores the necessity of considering such acceleration processes in modeling AGN jet-cloud interactions and posits that these changes could be instrumental as observational indicators, thereby contributing to more accurate interpretations of AGN activity and evolution.&#x0D;

XQz5: a new ultraluminous z ∼ 5 quasar legacy sample

ABSTRACT Bright quasar samples at high redshift are useful for investigating active galactic nuclei evolution. In this study, we describe XQz5, a sample of 83 ultraluminous quasars in the redshift range 4.5 &amp;lt; z &amp;lt; 5.3 with optical and near-infrared spectroscopic observations, with unprecedented completeness at the bright end of the quasar luminosity function. The sample is observed with the Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope, the Very Large Telescope, and the Australian National University 2.3 m Telescope, resulting in a high-quality, moderate-resolution spectral atlas of the brightest known quasars within the redshift range. We use established virial mass relations to derive the black hole masses by measuring the observed Mg ii λ2799 Å emission line and we estimate the bolometric luminosity with bolometric corrections to the ultraviolet continuum. Comparisons to literature samples show that XQz5 bridges the redshift gap between other X-shooter quasar samples, XQ-100 and XQR-30, and is a brighter sample than both. Luminosity-matched lower redshift samples host more massive black holes, which indicate that quasars at high redshift are more active than their counterparts at lower redshift, in concordance with recent literature.

Magnetic support, wind-driven accretion, coronal heating, and fast outflows in a thin magnetically arrested disc

ABSTRACT Accretion discs properties should deviate from standard theory when magnetic pressure exceeds the thermal pressure. To quantify these deviations, we present a systematic study of the dynamical properties of magnetically arrested discs (MADs), the most magnetized type of accretion disc. Using an artificial cooling function to regulate the gas temperature, we study MADs of three different thermal thicknesses, hth/r = 0.3, 0.1, and 0.03. We find that the radial structure of the disc is never mostly supported by the magnetic field. In fact, thin MADs are very near Keplerian. However, as discs gets colder, they become more magnetized and the largest deviations from standard theory appear in our thinnest disc with hth/r = 0.03. In this case, the disc is much more extended vertically and much less dense than in standard theory because of vertical support from the turbulent magnetic pressure and wind-driven angular momentum transport that enhances the inflow speed. The thin disc also dissipates a lot of thermal energy outside of z/r = ±0.03 and a significant fraction of this dissipation happens in mildly relativistic winds. The enhanced dissipation in low-density regions could possibly feed coronae in X-ray binaries (XRBs) and active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Wind-driven accretion will also impact the dynamical evolution of accretion discs and could provide a mechanism to explain the rapid evolution of changing-look AGN and the secular evolution of XRBs. Finally, our MAD winds have terminal velocities and mass-loss rates in good agreement with the properties of ultrafast outflows observed in AGN.

Probing the roles of orientation and multiscale gas distributions in shaping the obscuration of active galactic nuclei through cosmic time

ABSTRACT The origin of obscuration in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is still an open debate. In particular, it is unclear what drives the relative contributions to the line-of-sight column densities from galaxy-scale and torus-linked obscuration. The latter source is expected to play a significant role in Unification Models, while the former is thought to be relevant in both Unification and Evolutionary models. In this work, we make use of a combination of cosmological semi-analytic models and semi-empirical prescriptions for the properties of galaxies and AGN, to study AGN obscuration. We consider a detailed object-by-object modelling of AGN evolution, including different AGN light curves (LCs), gas density profiles, and also AGN feedback-induced gas cavities. Irrespective of our assumptions on specific AGN LC or galaxy gas fractions, we find that, on the strict assumption of an exponential profile for the gas component, galaxy-scale obscuration alone can hardly reproduce the fraction of log (NH/cm−2) ≥ 24 sources at least at z ≲ 3. This requires an additional torus component with a thickness that decreases with luminosity to match the data. The torus should be present in all evolutionary stages of a visible AGN to be effective, although galaxy-scale gas obscuration may be sufficient to reproduce the obscured fraction with 22 &amp;lt; log (NH/cm−2) &amp;lt; 24 (Compton-thin, CTN) if we assume extremely compact gas disc components. The claimed drop of CTN fractions with increasing luminosity does not appear to be a consequence of AGN feedback, but rather of gas reservoirs becoming more compact with decreasing stellar mass.

AGN number fraction in galaxy groups and clusters atz&amp;lt; 1.4 from the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam survey

AbstractOne of the key questions on active galactic nuclei (AGN) in galaxy clusters is how AGN could affect the formation and evolution of member galaxies and galaxy clusters in the history of the Universe. To address this issue, we investigate the dependence of AGN number fraction (fAGN) on cluster redshift (zcl) and distance from the cluster center (R$/$R200). We focus on more than 27000 galaxy groups and clusters at 0.1 &amp;lt; zcl &amp;lt; 1.4 with more than 1 million member galaxies selected from the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam. By combining various AGN selection methods based on infrared (IR), radio, and X-ray data, we identify 2688 AGN. We find that (i) fAGN increases with zcl and (ii) fAGN decreases with R$/$R200. The main contributors to the rapid increase of fAGN towards high-z and cluster center are IR- and radio-selected AGN, respectively. These results indicate that the emergence of the AGN population depends on the environment and redshift, and galaxy groups and clusters at high z play an important role in AGN evolution. We also find that cluster–cluster mergers may not drive AGN activity in at least the cluster center, while we have tentative evidence that cluster–cluster mergers could enhance AGN activity in the outskirts of (particularly massive) galaxy clusters.